New Meanings To Old Words: Love
by SimpleWickedWriter
Summary: SEASON 2! Follow the continuing journey of Callie Marcus and the rest of the crew of Atlanta survivors as they work to live, thrive and survive in this new Walker infested world. Where they all quickly learn that when the world goes to hell, even the simplest of concepts gets a new meaning. -Continuation to New Meanings to Old Words: Safe -
1. Mad World

**New Meanings to Old Words: Love**

_Here we go again people! Season 2 - Love. I know you're all excited...so_

_We're picking up pretty much right where we left off. The crew has just left the CDC, and has stopped at a gas station rest area to 'lick their wounds and make their plans'. _

_As always, read, review and most of all enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Chapter 1: Mad World**

He was dead.

He was dead, and this was Hell. That was really the only explanation for the unending pain and the sweltering oppressive heat. Danny cracked his eyes open, and looked directly into the face of the devil. And fuck if he didn't find himself laughing through the pain that was coursing through his entire body.

The devil looked like Dale Horvath.

Bald head, Hawaiian shirt, and all. He honestly hadn't seen that one coming.

A searing pain shot through his leg as he was lifted just a bit and turned to the side, cutting off his laughter completely. It was at that point that Danny realized he wasn't dead. Not yet at least. He was settled in the back of the RV, on one of those small twin beds, being manhandled by Dale and T-Dog.

"Fuck!" Danny yelled out, and instantly he found himself once again on his back, staring up at the face of Dale. Smiling fuckin' Dale Horvath. "Fuckin' Hawaiian shirt-wearing Devil." Danny muttered shaking his head and feeling a sensation of lightheadedness almost drown out his slowly returning vision. He closed his eyes tight and lifted his right hand as far as he could.

He wanted to rub at the headache that was settled deep behind his eyes, but his arm felt too heavy.

"He's awake again," Dale said quietly, a small smile coming to his face as he worked to still Danny's hand. "Stay still son, we're trying to see what we're working with."

"It's bad," Shane's voice came from somewhere down the length of him and Danny tried to sit up and look. "It went through, but it tore a chunk out the back when it exited. Damn," Shane seethed and sat back to look at Rick beside him. "No wonder he lost so much blood. Daryl's right, there's no way we can sew that up."

"What about the other one?" Glenn's voice said from somewhere behind Dale. Danny's head swam as he tried to look, but another bout of nausea and lightheadedness had him reaching out and grabbing a fistful of Hawaiian shirt.

"Not as bad," Rick said and Danny felt his bloody shirt lifting from his skin. The suctioning sound of the fabric lifting reminding Danny of what they'd been talking about before he must have passed out again. Reminded him why he wasn't wearing pants anymore.

"Where's Daryl?" Danny asked, his mouth moving slowly, tongue thick and heavy in his mouth. His eyes closed tight and he said a bit of a prayer that maybe, just maybe he was wrong about where the redneck was.

"He's getting the iron," Rick said simply. "You with us?"

"Yeah," Danny said nodding his head. Snippets of the conversation they had when the RV had come to a stop and he'd been bombarded with people fussing over him coming back to him. His pants being removed painfully. The smell of blood so strong in the little backroom that the women and children had to flee from it.

One word echoing in his head, over and over.

Cauterize.

How long ago had that been?

"Anyone who don't wanna see, better leave now." Daryl's voice came through the RV and again Danny worked at sitting up. Apparently long enough.

"I'd like to go," Danny groaned watching as Daryl came forward gripping something large and red hot. His hand was wrapped up in cloth protecting his fingers from harm. It almost had Danny grinning again when he realized that the large red hot object Daryl held was Carol's trusty ol' iron. Almost. A grimace of discomfort passed over Daryl's face as he skipped his eyes to Danny's. Danny lay back again in dismay, helped by Dale, who was patting his shoulder. "Fuck." Danny shook his head and looked at the ceiling as if he were praying. "Fuck. I'd really like to go."

"Wish you could, brother." Daryl said back as he shifted the red hot iron a bit in his cloth covered hand. Twenty long minutes cooking that metal plate in the fire. It was red hot and ready to go, but it would cool fast. He looked to Rick who nodded and moved to so that Daryl could squeeze between the RV wall and Danny. "Gotta be now." Daryl said through clenched teeth.

Rick moved to the end of the bed and held tight to Danny's injured left leg, and put a hand to Shane's shoulder and nodded. Shane stood up and wiped his hand along his mouth and then knelt down beside the bed. With Daryl and Dale's help they worked to move Danny so that he was laying on his right side. The large exit wound in his upper left thigh now visible for Daryl. T-Dog worked his way past Shane and lowered his head as he made his way out.

"I can't—" His eyes caught Daryl's who looked away without a word. "I'm sorry."

"No worries," Danny grumbled as he closed his eyes again and buried the side of his head into the mattress. "Keep Callie and Miles out." T-Dog nodded his head and looked back at the group of men still in the small back room of the RV. He caught Daryl's gaze again and was rewarded with a single nod. Shaking his head at himself T-Dog made his way out of the RV.

"Glenn?" Rick asked, looking up at where Glenn was situated at the top of the bed, between the wall of the RV and Danny's body. The younger man's eyes were wide, his skin pale and sweat slicked as he looked at Daryl holding the still red hot iron. He shifted his gaze to Danny and then put his hands tight on Danny's left shoulder, while Dale held tight to his chest and a bit lower. Trying to avoid the still bleeding second wound in his abdomen.

"I'm staying," Glenn said with an air of finality that had Daryl looking at him and nodding. Glenn looked down at Danny's pained face.

"You're a good fuckin' friend, Glenn." Danny mumbled as he tried to push his face further into the mattress. "Fuckin' stupid, but good." He closed his eyes tight and with one final pained breath said "Do it, Daryl."

"Here we go," Daryl said tightly his right hand coming to grab at Danny's hip to help hold the man steady. He took three deep breaths, nodded glancing at Rick, Shane Dale and Glenn and then pressed the iron to the back of Danny's leg.

The scream that dragged out of the man on the bed, the guttural pain-filled scream was enough to have each man closing their eyes to the horror they were inflicting on one of their own. Daryl's jaw tightened to an almost painful degree as he pressed the hot iron into the back of Danny's tore up thigh. His right hand was holding tight trying to keep the man from thrashing away from him as his body bowed at an almost impossible degree.

Desperate to get away from the pain that Daryl was inflicting.

"Hold him still," Daryl growled as he pressed. The rest of the men inched closer, each one holding tighter as Danny continued to scream and bow his body. Glenn was shaking his head wildly from side to side as Danny pressed his head into the mattress and yelled.

Danny's voice cracked on the scream tearing from his throat.

Daryl pressed one final time, the smell of burning flesh tickling at his nose. His stomach lurched in a threatening manner and he growled in an attempt to still its protest. A lot of things were going through his mind when he lifted that hot iron from Danny's leg, and stared down at the wound he'd just cauterized. A lot of them were for the man that now lay shaking and now convulsing on the mattress.

But a scattered few were back in Atlanta. At a hot plate in a kitchen. And on a white fuckin' box truck that he'd passed to get here.

"What's going on?" Glenn was asking as his hands lifted from Danny's convulsing body, Dale still holding tight. Danny was thrashing, his eyes closed and breathing like a hiss of air coming fast through his clenched teeth.

"He's goin' into shock," Daryl said letting his hand lift from Danny's hip. Dale, Rick and Shane worked to lay Danny back onto his back, the man still convulsing under their hands. Daryl watched for a second before lifting to his feet and heading out the door. His hand on the iron was shaking and he didn't want any of them to see that.

Danny's body stopped moving just as Daryl was exiting, and the quiet of the room caused him to look back. The last hiss of breath leaving Danny before he subsided into complete unconsciousness again. Glenn was staring down at Danny's now unmoving form, the back of his left hand over his mouth and his eyes wide as saucers. Dale put a hand to Glenn's shoulder getting the kid's attention on him. Glenn blinked twice and looked at Dale. Dale put his hand to Danny's neck, feeling the beat of his erratic pulse below his fingers and let out a low sigh of relief.

"He's passed out again," Dale said quietly, a small smile of reassurance passing over his face. His eyes lifted from Glenn to Daryl and then back. "It's his body's way of escaping and processing the pain. It's for the best right now."

"He ain't gonna be able to take much a anything else for a while." Daryl said from the doorway. "Gonna have to bind the other wounds till he can."

"Right," Shane said again wiping the back of his hand across his mouth. He nodded towards Dale and Glenn. "Grab those sheets the ladies ripped up for us. We'll bind him up and then get him onto some clean sheets."

Daryl turned away as the rest got to work, his feet stomping towards the little kitchenette. He tossed that fuckin' iron into the sink, and quickly unwrapped his hand. He stared at it for a moment, watchin' it fuckin' shake. Feelin' more and more like a bitch with each little quake of his fingers and wrist. Clenching his jaw at the sound of approaching footsteps he slammed both of his hands to the counter around the sink and bent, curving his shoulders and stretching his back. He kept his head down, lowering it almost to the counter as he stretched out his frustration and anger. He tightened his hold on the counter, feeling his arm muscles constrict and bunch up as he worked to get a hold of his fuckin' nerves.

"You alright?" Rick's voice sounded from his right and Daryl snarled. Of course it had to fuckin' be Rick.

"Fuckin' fine," Daryl growled at the man as he came to a stop at his side. Rick's eyes followed Daryl's heated gaze to the iron in the sink.

"Why don't you go get cleaned up," Rick said his eyes lifting from the iron to the side of Daryl's face. Taking in the tight set of Daryl's jaw, Rick ran a hand through his own sweaty hair. "We got this."

"Yeah," Daryl growled back, his angry gaze landing on Rick. "I'm gonna go do that."

Rick watched Daryl stalk off, and slam his palms at the door of the RV. Daryl exited, and Rick watched through the window near him as the man ignored everyone who even attempted to talk to him. Rick's eyes slipped to where Callie stood near the back of her Hummer. Her eyes following the stalking redneck as he just walked away with his head down.

Suddenly her eyes lifted, and amazingly blazed through the small window and locked with his. They stayed that way for a few seconds before she shook her head and disappeared back behind her Hummer. Rick's eyes slipped back down to the blood and skin covered iron in the sink. One hand gripped the counter as Daryl's just had, while his other cupped his mouth and squeezed.

"Is he alright?" Dale's tired voice sounded and Rick lifted his tired eyes to the older man. Dale ran his hand over his bald head and furrowed his brow as he grimaced at the sight of the iron in his sink. Rick continued to watch Dale as the older man came to a stop, grabbing up the shirt that Daryl had wrapped around his hand earlier.

"I don't know," Rick said honestly, his brows quirking slightly as he shook his head and let his gaze flick back out to the assorted survivors still milling about their cars. His gaze locked on Lori, who was holding Carl to her and refusing to give the boy even an inch away from her. "I don't know, Dale."

"Well," Dale said stepping closer and putting a hand to Rick's shoulder. "I've been around Daryl long enough to know that if you just give the man some space, he usually works out whatever he's feeling on his own."

"You mean he buries it," Rick said with a bit of a tilt to his lips as he shook his head and put his other hand to the counter. Turning to look at Dale the two men shared a smile.

"Whatever works, right?" Dale said with a chuckle. His eyes skipped outside and he closed his eyes for a second. "I need some air. Join me?"

"In a minute," Rick said nodding his head and letting the older man pass. Dale clapped his hand on Rick's shoulder and nodded his head as he made his way slowly past. Rick settled his butt along the counter and folded his arm over his chest. His eyes roamed back to the room where Danny was laying, and he watched Glenn slowly work his way out of the room. Glenn didn't say a word, as he walked past his eyes landed on the iron in the sink and he shook his head.

Shane was there at Glenn's back, his large hand settling on the younger man's shoulder and pushing him forward. Shane raised his angry brows at Rick and pushed Glenn forward and towards the door. Rick lowered his chin to his chest.

"We gotta figure shit out, Rick." Shane's anger-filled voice echoed back from the door. Rick nodded his head a couple of times, his eyes lifting to meet his friend's. "This ain't safe."

Shane pushed Glenn outside, and only seconds later did Rick hear the sounds of the kid dry-heaving not far off. The door slammed shut, and Rick cupped his hand around his mouth. A second later he turned and braced himself over that sink, pushing the iron out of the way as he felt his body contract with a wave of nausea. He dry-heaved a few times, spitting out the acidic fluid into the sink.

Spitting the acrid taste out of his mouth one last time he ran the back of his hand over his mouth and again looked out the window at the people milling about. Shane was right. It wasn't safe. But what choice did they really have.

* * *

Callie looked at her bare legs dangling off the tailgate of the Hummer, and let her eyes slide down to her bare feet. Wiggling her toes a bit she let out a sigh and then ran both of her hands down her sweaty brow. The heat of the late summer day was stifling, but in all honesty she was damn glad to feel that heat and breathe that fresh air.

It amazed her to think that the escape from the CDC had only happened a four hours ago. Dale had said it was a little after eleven in the morning when he had exited the RV. That had been hours ago, and as Callie shifted her head to look at the digital watch strapped to her backpack the read out staring back at her confirmed that. One forty PM.

She rubbed at her temple and shifted a bit on her butt, hands now rubbing at her bruised sore knees. She'd been damn near brow beaten by Rick, Dale and the rest about trying to get some sleep. The apparent sight of her face, and the bruises and cuts inflicted by Santos causing everyone to think she needed to lay down.

And she'd agreed. And she'd tried. But the mix of emotions running through her, the mix of images that assaulted her each time she closed her eyes—she shuddered, closing her eyes tight as she shook her head and those images away again and tightened her grip on her knees.

A little under two hours. That's all the time that she, Carl and Ben had been down in those horror-filled halls of the CDC's Quarantine Station. But it had felt like fucking days. Days of terror, instead of hours.

Again images worked their way into her brain. Santos, and his sickening smile as he looked at her. As he hit her. As he dragged her away from the boys. As he touched her. Paul, dying and coming back. Paul biting Santos tearing into his flesh. Her putting a bullet through Santos' head. She shook her head.

Less than two hours.

An image of body bags moving and a hand clawing its way out at her flashed in her brain. Followed by the sight of an entire horde of Walkers at her heels. One biting into Wallace's arm.

Her hands tightened on her bare legs to an almost painful degree. The image of Wallace being torn apart before her eyes had her damn near vomiting. Again. She shook her head and opened her eyes. Shit, add to that the horrific screams of Danny coming from the RV not too long ago and she had herself a whole lifetime of nightmares.

But yeah, she was supposed to get some sleep. Fucking idiots, all of them.

Callie ran her fingers along her dry lips and pursed them for a minute before grabbing for the pair of scissors she'd found in one of the little first aid packs in the Hummer. She looked down at her bare legs again and sighed.

There was only one part of all of that horror that had settled her down. One lovely little sensory memory that had helped her to stop from screaming when she finally gave up on the idea of sleep. Strong arms being wrapped around her, carrying her, holding her tight and shielding her while she cried into a hard chest. The feel of his rapidly beating heart under her cheek and fingers.

Daryl fuckin' Dixon.

She shook her head again and tightened her grip on the scissors she held. He'd been avoiding her. Hadn't so much as said one word to her since they'd stopped at the little gas station pit-stop. He'd walked right past her when they arrived, and clamored onto the RV to see what was going on with Danny leaving Ben at her side with a mumble of something. He'd pushed her out of the way, not letting her on to the RV when she wanted to go back and see her friend.

Head down, eyes on the ground he'd left her with Andrea, Carol and Lori while he and Rick moved around. Rick had shook his head at her and put a hand to her arm, telling her without saying it that she didn't want to go in. That she didn't need that now.

She'd watched as the men scurried building a fire, placing Carol's iron in it. She'd helped tear bed sheets for bandages. And she'd swatted away the hands that wanted to check her over. The ones that reached for her face, or her bloodied left shoulder where her stitches had pulled and ripped. She'd sat there and listened with the rest as Danny screamed. And screamed. And finally quieted, which had been almost more unsettling.

And she watched as Daryl stalked out of the RV looking like hell. She'd caught Rick's eye at that moment, feeling his worried gaze slide through that little window of the RV and smash into her. And that was the point she'd finally given in, and tried to lay down. Because honest to God her body just couldn't take standing anymore.

And that had been almost two and a half hours ago.

Shaking her head one more time she adjusted her grip on the scissors and put the fingers of her left hand to her left knee. The stitches that Felipe had put into her leg during their little fun-run around Atlanta were ready to come out. There were only four little black stitches, but she knew it was going to sting and was actually really not looking forward to it. Biting her bottom lip she lowered the tip of the scissors to the first stitch and winced as she had to wiggle it into place.

The sound of scuffing shoes had her hands stilling in their movement and her eyes narrowing just a bit. A new kind of warmth spread out over her as she felt his familiar gaze settle on her bare legs and she tipped her head to the side. Squinting her eyes in the sunlight as she looked at his face.

"Supposed to be sleepin'," Daryl said crossing his arms over his chest and letting his eyes ride up her long bare legs, over her new clean t-shirt and neck, and up to her eyes. He held her gaze for a moment, and she smiled before putting her eyes back to her knee and snipping that first stitch.

"Yeah, well," Callie shrugged. "I tried." Wincing she moved to the next stitch, her eyes staying on her knee. She felt more than she heard him move and was surprised when he reached out and snatched the scissors from her. Her eyes lifted to his face. His gaze was settled at her knee, his lips twitching in a grimace as he settled himself between her knees, his upper thighs hitting off of the tailgate of the Hummer.

"Should fuckin' try harder," he lifted his eyes to her and cracked a crooked smirk. "Ya look like shit, girl."

"Sweet-talker," Callie grumbled, but couldn't hide the smile. She shivered as his right hand worked its way around her knee fingers gliding over her skin and tickling the back of her knee. She moved a bit backwards, but was stopped by his angry clenching of his hand.

"Stop moving," Daryl growled, and Callie shook her head and settled her hands behind her. He looked up at her and she gave a sigh of defeat waving one hand at him to go ahead. He lifted her knee just a bit, and she blushed remembering a time not so long ago when he'd lifted her leg. Hooking it around his hips as he'd pressed against her. She rolled her eyes at herself and let the pain of him snipping at her stitches take the place of the rush of heat.

She watched him work, keeping his eyes on her knee and only her knee. The tension in his hand as he held her leg up, and in his jaw as he stared, told her he was thinking about other things too. About too close and not close enough. She watched a bead of sweat roll down the side of his face, and her other leg bobbed a bit beside her in anticipatory agitation.

"I said stop," Daryl's gruff, throaty growl had her leg stilling but her heart hammering. She closed her eyes and tipped her head back in hopes of controlling herself.

She'd actually thought he was gone. Thought he'd left in those two hours she'd been trying to sleep. Thought he'd headed back to that box truck. She knew he wanted to. She'd seen his eyes skim over the highway that they had driven off of and back towards where they'd passed it. Seen him angrily tossing shit out of the bed of his truck and onto the pavement of the gas station parking lot. Lowering Merle's bike to the ground, and angrily going through the bags on it.

She'd really thought he'd left.

"One more," Daryl said idly, and the last snip had her wincing and looking back at him. He used the tip of the scissors to pull the last bit of thread from just below her knee, then ran his calloused thumb over the pink scar running vertically down her leg. The shivers came back, and her skin began to heat up all over as he stared at his hand running along her leg.

"How's Danny?" Callie asked, once again trying to get her mind off of other things. Dirty, wonderful things. His eyes finally lifted to hers. He stared for a moment, dropping the scissors beside her while his other hand dropped from her leg.

"You ain't been in?" Daryl asked, his brow furrowing as he crossed his arm over his chest.

"I've been trying to sleep," Callie shrugged and winced as her shoulder pulled. She worked her jaw a bit as she felt the small split in her lip pull a bit. She ran her tongue over it and looked at him.

"He's still out," Daryl said quietly, watching her tongue flick over her split lip. "Which is good." She nodded and rubbed her hand over her temple. She opened her mouth to ask her next question, but he beat her to it. "Ben's sleeping in my truck." Her mouth snapped shut and she looked up at him. He lifted his hand to her face then, tilting it so that he could look at the bruise and cut on her left cheek bone. "Sat with him for about an hour before he finally drifted. Boy's seen a lot," he caught her eye then and shook his head. His eyes went back to her cut and he rubbed his thumb lightly along her bruised cheek. "Gonna be havin' more nightmares probably. But we'll deal."

Callie firmed her lips and nodded her head just a bit.

"Jenna's with Gracie, sitting over by Andrea and Sophia." Daryl continued much to her surprise. "They're working to put together some kind of food for us. And Miles," he smirked a bit and shook his head. "He's helping to burn up the bloody sheets with Glenn and T-Dog. Crackin' wise 'bout that being the way men fuckin' do laundry."

Callie nodded her head and worked to keep her smile under wraps, but she must have failed miserably because Daryl's brow furrowed. He let his hand fall from her face and glared at her.

"What?" he snapped and she finally smiled fully and chuckled.

"Nothing," she said putting her hand to his chest and patting him. "That's the first time you've answered a question about 'my kids' without saying 'Fuck if I know'." Daryl grunted in return.

And while what she said was true, and it made her chuckle, it also touched her very deeply. One, to know that he actually took the time to find out before he made his way over to her. And two, while she'd thought he'd left because he was so quiet for so long, learning that he'd instead been sitting in his truck bed for an hour with a traumatized little boy-staying until he fell asleep, made her want to reach out and grab him to her.

Her eyes lifted to his, her hand settled on his chest, and he must have seen some of that in her eyes. She watched his expression change, that slight darkening of his eyes as they narrowed just a bit more. His hands that had settled on either side of her hips clenched tightly as he once again surveyed her face. He leaned in close, and let his lips touch hers so tenderly, so softly that she really couldn't even describe it as a kiss. But she felt her blood boil anyway and she damn near melted. He pulled back just a bit, and she could feel his stubble grazing her lips and then her cheek as he turned his head a bit and put those lips to her ear. Her hands slid to his shoulders, nails digging in, as his hot breath hit her ear.

"Want me to check the other stitches," One hand had moved up, a single finger ghosting so tantalizingly from the bottom hem of her shirt, over her breast and then over the slightly sore area of her left shoulder. And while she knew he meant well, and that he was half joking, and half serious, and someone she would never ever have to fear, her body tensed anyway. The memory of Santos and his joke about her 'getting her stitches checked' and how dirty she'd felt when he looked at her that way, had her pulling away and pushing him just a bit.

Daryl's hand slid to her upper arm, noticing the stiffness to her body and held her from moving away. He held her gaze, and she shook her head and patted his chest, trying to be playful. He dipped his head so that he caught her eyes, and clenched his jaw at what he apparently saw.

"Sorry," Callie said smiling at him and putting her hand to his cheek. "It's not you. Just-" she grimaced. "That's just not a good joke right now." A beat of silence followed and Daryl stepped back just enough to put his hands back at the outsides of her legs on the tailgate of the Hummer.

"You gonna tell me what happened down there?" Daryl said, the anger in his voice clear. But it wasn't anger directed at her. Not that he wasn't pissed at her, but this wasn't that anger on the edge of his voice. This was a whole different type of anger. "What the _bad man_ did to you?"

"You were in a car with Ben for a good while," Callie said running her hand through her knotted hair. "You telling me you didn't get it out of him?"

"I got bits and pieces," Daryl said, his hand lifting as he bit at his thumbnail. "But I'd rather hear it from you. So you gonna tell me?"

"Yes," Callie said smiling sadly at his chest, looking at her fingers that had splayed out over his heart. "Just not yet. Okay?" Daryl looked at her, his eyes moving back and forth over hers as he tried to read her. Tried to get the truth out of her now. Finally he shook his head and then begrudgingly grunted an acceptance of her terms.

She smiled then, and slipped her hand from its spot on his chest, up to his neck. She felt his sweat slicked skin and swore she felt him lean just a bit into her hand. Her fingers trailed over his hot skin, and tangled into the hair at the back of his head. She smiled at him, his eyes narrowed on hers and then flicked to her lips.

He was debating whether or not he should kiss her. Whether or not she would be okay with it. And that made her want him to so much more. She pulled him close, but he braced himself on the tailgate and held himself away just a bit. Holding him an inch from her face, nose to nose with him, she let her fingers play in his sweat-soaked hair. Closing her eyes, she smiled.

"We aren't going to be having too many more of those _heated_ moments that we had at the CDC, are we?" Callie said her eyes slipping slowly open to look at the man still debating his choice of actions in his head.

"Don't need a fuckin' _heated_ moment, girl." His voice was a harsh rasp again, and he put both of his hands to the back of her bare knees. With one fierce tug she was pulled to him, a whole different heat settling between her legs as he settled himself against her. Hip to hip. He moved his calloused hands slowly up and down the outside of her bare thighs, and she fuckin' shivered. "Just an _uninterrupted_ one."

In the next instant he licked his lips and captured her mouth in a devastating kiss. Callie let out the tiniest little sound against his lips, and let her hand in his hair pull him closer, her head falling to the side and mouth opening at his tongue's insistent plea for entry. His hands left her legs, and their lips parted on her sigh as he snaked them up the back of her shirt. Calloused fingers working over the taught muscles, slipping on her sweat slicked skin. His lips found hers again, her heels pushing at the back of his thighs, pulling him just a little closer. She could feel the press of that hardening length against her thigh and she bit down on his lip just a bit. She felt herself being pushed down by his weight, and one of his hands slid out from under her shirt to help control the fall. Her nails were digging into his neck now, as his lips and tongue worked over her own and then down her neck, causing her stomach to dip and heat with anticipation.

God she needed him.

"Hey guy-" Glenn's voice close by had Daryl lips stilling on hers. "Son of a bitch!" Glenn again, and the sound of scuffling feet.

Callie was chuckling, she couldn't help it. She was chuckling and she could feel Daryl smirking against the erratic pulse in her neck. "See," Daryl whispered against her skin. "What I say?" She chuckled again and smacked at him.

"I'm sorry," Glenn was saying. And as Daryl helped Callie back into a sitting position and ran his hands through his hair, she watched Glenn remove his hat and run his own hand through his hair. His eyes were on the ground, but every other second they would be on her legs, then the ground, and then back to her legs. "God, I'm so sorry."

"Yeah," Daryl said putting both hands to his face and running them down, before sliding them behind his head and scratching. "Heard that one before, Chinaman." Daryl shifted his gaze to Callie quickly and then back to the shuffling and muttering kid, still trying to avert his gaze from them. He kept his hands at his neck, trying to wipe the feel of Callie's nails, and the thoughts of them elsewhere on his body, far, far away.

"What's up, Glenn?" Callie asked her hands grabbing her jeans where she'd tossed them behind her. She was all sorts of serious now as she looked at the kid, and Daryl knew where her mind had gone. "Is Danny—"

"He's still out," Glenn said, his eyes snapping up and his attention focused again. "Stirring though. Carol's sitting with him now. And Lori." Callie was nodding as she pushed at Daryl so that she could start to work her pants on. Glenn's eyes slipped to Callie's legs but a clearing of Daryl's throat had him shifting them back to the man still settled almost between them. "Uh, Rick wanted to get everyone together so we could start discussing what the plan's gonna be. I said I'd come—" he shook his head and pointed an accusing finger at Callie. "You were supposed to be sleeping." Callie snorted and he shook his head again, moving that hand to the back of his neck and scratching. "I'm not volunteering for anything ever again."

"Good plan, Glenn," Callie said smiling as she got both feet into her pants and hopped down from the tailgate. She was shimmying the pants up, and Glenn was averting his gaze to the sky. Daryl was watching her, his eyes still a bit hooded when they met her laughing gaze. Then he was shaking his head as she did up the button and the zipper, and he bit at the inside of his cheek. He turned to Glenn and wagged a finger as they started off towards where Rick was set up by the RV.

"This is gonna come back on ya, Chinaman." Daryl was saying as Callie grabbed her newly returned gun and tucked it into the front of her jeans. She smiled as she followed behind, watching Glenn stop and turn to raise a brow at Daryl.

"Let's be serious, Daryl. There is no way in hell that you are ever going to get to pay me back for this." Glenn said with a bit of a smirk as Daryl caught up with him. "The options just aren't there. But it's nice that you think it could happen."

"Mark my words," Daryl said as Callie fell into step with them. She smiled at him as he gave her a quick glance and she shook her head as she worked her long hair back into a sloppy ponytail. "It's gonna come back on your ass."

Daryl veered off then and went towards his truck to gather Ben, and Callie slapped her hand to the back of Glenn's shoulder. Smiling widely she steered the still blushing kid towards where she could see the rest of their group gathering, Rick front and center waiting.

"You know, Callie said quietly as she pulled Glenn closer to her. "I think he may actually kill you next time," Callie laughed as Glenn groaned and shook his head.

* * *

"Don't really know what the hell we're discussing this for, Rick." Shane said again, his anger almost at a boiling point as he removed his hat and ran his hand over his sweat drenched hair. "Fort Benning is our only option. We need to get moving."

"We've been over this, Shane. We can't just move," Callie said irritably settling her butt back against the hood of the station wagon. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Shane as he looked angrily back at her. They'd been standing out in the hot sun for twenty minutes now, discussing options. And apparently Shane's idea of discussing things included brow beating his best friend into making a piss-poor decision.

Unfortunately for Shane, Callie and Dale were just about ready to lay a brow-beat-down right back on him. Considering Rick wasn't.

"Danny's injured," Dale said nodding his head in response to what Callie said. He removed his bucket hat and wiped a hand over his head while shaking his head at Shane. Eyes shifting to Rick he continued. "We can't just go off and start on a hundred mile journey without taking that into consideration. The man needs rest."

"The man needs a hospital," Shane countered, and Callie rolled her eyes. "He needs care that we can't be expected to give him now, Dale." Shane took a breath and looked at the strangely quiet Rick who was glaring at the tips of his shoes. Rick looked up at Shane finally, and clenched his jaw. "I'm not saying that we don't try and take care of him, but we can't hinge our whole plan on Danny. It ain't safe to stay here."

"And it ain't safe to move him," Daryl chimed in, earning a bit of shocked glance from Callie. He wasn't looking at her, in fact he was actually standing a good distance away from her. Ben was settled on the ground at Daryl's feet, his eyes bouncing back and forth between each person as they talked. Daryl uncrossed his arms and lifted his left hand so that he could bite at his thumbnail. "Man's in shock. His body can't take too much jostling around and who knows what we're gonna run into on the road."

"We could split up. A few of us stay with Danny while the rest head towards Fort Benning." Callie posed, trying to figure something out, because this going around in circles stuff was getting annoying.

"No," it was a resounding almost unanimous shout from pretty much everyone. Callie threw her hands in the air.

"Well, at least we can fucking agree on something," she said throwing her hands into the air and shaking her head. She crossed her arms over her chest again and continued in a calmer tone. "Then we all stay with Danny," she said looking at Rick. "'Cause I'm not moving him now." She looked to Dale who nodded his head in agreement, and Rick looked between the two of them. She smiled a bit, thinking she'd won the argument.

Fuck, if Dale wasn't gonna move the RV—then the RV wasn't fuckin' moving.

"Your brother is at Fort Benning," Shane shot back, his feet dragging him closer to her. One finger was pointing at her in an almost accusatory way. She raised a brow as he closed the distance. "How can you not want to get moving?"

"I do, Shane." Callie said standing up and stepping forward. "I do. More than you could really understand. But Danny is my family too," she lifted her hand and lowered his finger. "Fort Benning isn't going anywhere." Shane shook his head and slipped his hand out from hers, running it through his hair again. Callie looked to the still silent Rick. "We could stay here for a bit," a few groans of dismay and scattered 'not safe out here's' sounded and she shook her head. "A day, two tops. Give Danny time to at least gain some strength back, he's lost too much blood. If we run into trouble on the road, Rick-"

"I know," Rick said finally and Callie once again crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm with Callie and Dale on this," Rick said and Shane threw his hands up in the air.

"Of course you fuckin' are," Shane grumbled his eyes sliding over Callie.

"And just what the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Callie said stepping forward angrily.

"You know exactly what it means, honey." Shane shot back, and Callie's eyes went wide. Her mouth opened in shock and her gaze slipped to Rick. From somewhere behind her she heard a distinct growl from Daryl as he moved forward.

"Hey, back off!" Miles yelled as he stood up from his spot on the ground near her. Callie put out an arm to still the boy and settle him back to the ground mumbling 'It's not worth it', as she glared at Shane.

"Shane," Rick said in that calm voice of his. But Callie saw the tightness in his jaw as he turned to face his friend, and the steel in his eyes when the met Shane's.

"It ain't fuckin' safe here, Rick!" Shane yelled his hands going up to the air in exasperation.

"Then we make it fuckin' safe!" Rick yelled back and everyone, including Shane's eyes went a bit wide at the outburst. Rick let out a low sigh and ran his hand over his hair, turning his back on everyone for a moment. He let his eyes shift over the RV, then the small gas station, and finally to the small little mom and pop restaurant in the other end of the parking lot. His gaze slipped to Carl sitting not far off, and he met his boy's steady gaze straight on.

"Rick," Dale's voice sounded and Rick turned to face the still fuming Shane.

"Shane," Rick started again, raising a stilling hand at Dale, that calmness back in his voice. "I want to get us on the road as soon as possible. Trust me on that." He took a few steps towards Shane who was pacing in a small tight circle now. "It's not good to move Danny. We all agree on that. He needs to rest up at least a day." Rick's gaze shifted to Callie who smiled slightly. "It's not really good to move us either. We're exhausted. We're all just-we all need a bit of time to process everything." Rick ran his hands through his hair and sighed when Shane finally stopped moving, his eyes slipping over his shoulder at Rick. "We go off and start towards Fort Benning now, when we're running on steam and fear and we're gonna get ourselves killed."

"So what are you sayin'?" T-Dog piped up, his brow narrowed. "We hunker down here, in the middle of nowhere and just what?"

"We gather our wits. We're all stretched thin. We need to get our heads right before we go anywhere," Rick said quietly his eyes lifting to T-Dog. "So yeah, we hunker down here. We get supplies, we scavenge. Fort Benning is a long way off, and we're gonna need everything and anything we can find. Car parts, gasoline, clothes, food. Who knows what we'll run into on the road."

"You're serious?" Andrea piped in, her eyes shooting around the group. "You really want us to stay here."

"Not indefinitely," Rick said shaking his head. "We need time to cool off. If we run now, we're running blind and scared and almost on empty. And that's going to get us into trouble." He looked at Andrea, and saw the indecision in her eyes. But the woman grimaced as she looked at the RV. "I'm not going to force the issue. We all have the right to have a say in what happens."

"This is fuckin' ridiculous," Shane was muttering, with disgust. "Ain't the time for a fuckin' vote."

"A vote seems fair," Dale said quietly his head bobbing as he looked between Rick and Shane. The tension between the two men was palpable. Shane sneered as he shook his head at Dale. He apparently couldn't even voice the many words that were crawling in his brain, so he just pointed a finger at the older man and shook it before letting his hand drop angrily to his side again.

"Alright," Rick said, his eyes again roving the surrounding faces. His jaw was still clenched tightly, and Callie could tell his nerves were still frazzled by Shane's outbursts, but he was keeping it together pretty well. "All those in favor of spending a couple of days here, gathering supplies and getting right before heading to Fort Benning." Callie raised her hand before he'd even finished talking and was rewarded with a very small smile and nod from Rick. More hands shot up, Dale, a reluctant Glenn, Carol, Miles, and finally Andrea.

Daryl huffed out a quick 'whatever' as he settled himself near Callie and she smiled. Daryl wasn't a voter. He was more of a majority rules type of player. Rick looked at him anyway and Daryl shrugged. "Whatever you say, Deputy Do-Right." He flipped his hand up in the air and Rick gave him a nod holding his gaze for a moment.

"What about your wife?" Shane asked angrily as he looked around, his eyes finally settling on Rick again. "She get a say in this? You gonna even ask her opinion?"

And honestly, if there was ever a straw that broke a camel's back, that question was it for Rick Grimes.

"You know what, Shane," Rick seethed at his friend. "You wanna ask, you go right ahead, but I'm pretty sure she's with me." He stared at his friend long and hard, and watched Shane's jaw clench and his eyes go wide as Rick advanced on him. "But you go ahead and ask her. Be my guest." He let his arm go in an arc towards the door to the RV and Shane wet his dry lips as he stared at his friend.

There was more to that statement than just this disagreement. Much more. And they all knew it. The level of discomfort in the group as they all averted their gaze from the two men spoke to that. Shane's eyes slipped from Rick to the ground, catching Carl's uneasy gaze before he shoved his hands in his hair and pulled it slightly. Rick took in a couple of deep breaths and ran his hands through his hair.

Shane had turned away by that point, his back to Rick as he shook his head.

"Shane," Rick was calm again, and he put a steady hand to Shane's shoulder. When the man didn't pull away Rick nodded his head and squeezed just a bit. "I need you to be with me on this. We can't start bickering and yelling, that isn't going to solve anything. We need to work together." Shane turned and looked at Rick, and there was sorrow in his eyes but there was something else too. Something edging its way towards the surface, but still held back by a wall of sorts. A slowly crumbling wall. Carl came and wrapped his arms around Rick's hip and looked up at Shane.

"Rick's right, man." Miles said putting his forearms to his raised knees. "United we stand, divided we fall. Patrick fuckin' Henry." Miles was looking at his cast encased left hand, and idly scratching where his fingers peeked through the opening, but looked up at the silence that followed his statement. Everyone was looking at him, most with amusement riding their features. He furrowed his brow and looked over at Dale who had put a hand to his shoulder. "What? I read."

The group laughed, and it was a much needed laugh. Shane let out a bit of a chuckle and looked at Rick, the only one not laughing. Rick had maintained his gaze on his friend, while he held Carl by the shoulders before him. When Shane's eyes met his again, Rick saw that glimmer of the old Shane as he nodded his head and sheepishly scratched at the back of his head.

"Okay," Shane said nodding his head and lifting his hand to ruffle Carl's hair. He looked up at Rick, his hand resting on the boy's head between them. "Okay."

"So what do we do now?" Carol asked timidly as she settled an arm around Sophia, her eyes slid from Shane to Rick and then around at the rest.

"We make it safe," Shane said, his fingers again slowly ruffling Carl's hair.

Rick looked down at Shane's hand, his own hands squeezing just a bit as they rested on Carl's shoulders. The position of the boy settled between them was an eerie reminder for Rick of how things were between him and Shane now. Carl tipped his head back a bit and smiled up at Rick as Shane let his hand fall back to his side. Rick felt Shane's stare leave Carl and land on his face, and when their eyes met again the words 'divided we fall' started to echo in his head.

_All around me are familiar faces_

_Worn out places, worn out faces_

_Bright and early for the daily races_

_Going nowhere, going nowhere_

_Their tears are filling up their glasses, _

_No expression, No expression_

_Hide my head I wanna drown my sorrow_

_No tomorrow, no tomorrow_

_And I find it kind of funny, _

_I find it kind of sad_

_The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had_

_I find it hard to tell you _

_I find it hard to take_

_When people run in circles it's a very, very _

_Mad world_

_Mad world._

_~ Mad World / Gary Jules_

_AN: I was so tempted to make you guys wait for this. SO TEMPTED. But when it started flowing I got real excited to get it out there and get the story moving. I'm amped up and ready for my Walking Dead-athon Weekend here… YAY! _

_I hope it was worth the wait. _

_As always I'd love to hear from you. _


	2. Going Through Changes

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_Well I'm just rolling along… there's a bit of jumping around in this chapter, as the crew works to make their little pit-stop safe. We're working off script here people, but don't worry we'll get to the juicy love of Season 2 soon enough. _

_As always, read, review and enjoy! _

_~SWW_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Chapter 2: Going Through Changes**

_He knows the truth. _

Jenner's final words to her echoed yet again, and she shook her head against the unwelcome intrusion into her thoughts. Lori wrung out the towel she had just dipped into the bucket of water sitting beside her, and folded it over twice before placing it to Danny's brow. She let her fingers brush through his dark brown hair, pushing the damp waving strands from his brow.

He still hadn't woken up yet. It had been well over four hours since the men had cauterized his wound now, and everyone was getting a bit worried. The heat of his skin, the shuddering breaths that wracked his body every once in a while, the blood staining the cloths wrapped tightly around his leg and abdomen. All of it put together had everyone worrying if he would wake up at all.

Sliding her fingers from the wet cloth on Danny's head, she settled her fingers gently over her mouth. She watched his chest rise and fall in a steady rhythm, and found her mind wandering back in time to the last bedside she had sat beside. Watching Rick's chest rise and fall in that same rhythm, listening to the low beep and hiss of the machines that were monitoring him.

Hoping and praying. Wishing she could have taken back every word she'd said during that fight they had the night before. Wishing she would have told him. Told him that she was late. That he was gonna be a daddy again.

But she hadn't. And in the end it had been a false alarm. And she'd been so relieved when she finally did get her period, so happy that she wasn't pregnant that she had literally laughed and smiled right there in the tiny bathroom attached to his hospital room. Thankful that her husband was comatose in the next room so he wouldn't be able to hear the sound of her glee, barely muffled by her shaking hands.

Danny stirred just a bit, his breath leaving his body in a rush as his leg twitched in a spasm of muscles and pain. But his eyes didn't open. Lori took a breath and settled her fingers on Danny's arm.

_He knows the truth._

What the hell did that even mean? Who knew? What truth?

Her mind kept circling around the idea that Rick knew what Jenner had told her. That she was pregnant. She shook her head and let her fingers drum on Danny's arm. No. He didn't know. Because it wasn't true. It couldn't be true.

It couldn't be true, because she couldn't be sure that it was her husband's child.

"Oh God," Lori's voice was a whisper of dismay as she closed her eyes and shook her head. A tear escaped and she wiped at both eyes angrily, staring at the steady rise and fall of Danny's chest.

She'd used Danny. From the moment he stepped foot in camp and told her about his wife and his son, she'd used him. It was like God above had sent him to her, like some kind of mirror for her to look upon and remember herself. Who she was. A woman married too young; to a man too good to break what little of a relationship they had left. A child holding them together through the torment of a tumultuous relationship.

The difference, the only real difference, had been that Danny and his wife had seen the light. Ended things, and gone their separate ways. And she'd used that too. Used it to show that maybe, just maybe, she and Rick hadn't been meant to be together forever.

But she had loved Rick. Still loved Rick, maybe. Or maybe it was just habit. She shook her head and tapped Danny's arm. She'd used this poor man to make herself feel better for so long, listening to his story and hearing his words and using them as the mirror that she needed. She used him, his strange sort of likeness to the man that she'd loved once, the man that she thought had died not knowing that she was sorry.

She used him to remind herself of the man she'd loved for so many years. To help her to stop from finding comfort in the arms of his best friend. To stop from finding-.

_He knows the truth._

Did he? Is that why they seemed to be avoiding each other. Why he wouldn't talk to her- hadn't really since the Quarry. Since the day they left when he begged her to believe in him, to trust his gut, and trust in him to keep them safe. Why, more often than not, she found him finding comfort and companionship and God knew what else in the company of another woman. Sliding his hand familiarly along her arms, touching her gently and smiling at her in shared amusement at inside jokes.

Lori's head bowed so that her own sweaty-brow fell to Danny's forearm, her hand tightly clenching his. Had she done that? Had she finally done what she'd been trying to do for months, hell years, before all of this happened? Had she finally broken that streak of goodness and honesty in him and pressed him to break his vows to her?

Her thoughts instantly fell to Shane, and she strangled on a sob as she rocked her head along Danny's forearm. Shane. _He knows the truth._ God, what had she done?

"I need you to wake up now," Lori said lifting her head a bit and setting her chin to his arm. She looked at Danny's face, and nodded her head at his silence. "I need you to wake up and talk to me. And tell me that I'm not the horrible person that I'm feelin' like I am. I need you to wake up and be my friend. Because I feel like I'm running out of them."

Lori shook her head and let her tears fall, her eyes closing from the pressure. Her other hand had circled her stomach, and tightened on the fabric of her loose-fitting shirt. She hadn't been sick. She hadn't had any inclinations of it. She had nothing but the word of an insane man that had recently assisted in trying to kill them all. She let out a strangled laugh, and put her smiling lips to Danny's arm.

She wouldn't believe it. Not until she had to.

* * *

Rick's foot slipped on the bunch of plastic bags and blood that littered the ground of the small convenience store. He let out the low hiss of a breath, his rifle raised and ready, as he side stepped and grimaced at the sound of his shoes sticking to the slowly congealing blood smeared along the tiles.

A couple feet ahead of him Daryl glanced back over his shoulder, and glared at the apparent ruckus that Rick was causing. Shaking his head at the man at his back, Daryl repositioned his crossbow in his hands and rolled his shoulders. Rick rolled his eyes at Daryl's back and stepped gently over the rest of the trash at his feet.

It was just the two of them in the convenience store. Daryl's face contorted a bit at the smell that hit him as he walked past yet another refrigerator case with sour milk products, and squinted as the light from the flashlight Rick was using to light their way behind him, glared on the glass. He rolled his eyes as he heard Rick's feet again step on any bit of trash he seemed to be able to find, and shook his head. Sad as hell as it was to admit it, he and Rick worked well together. They'd cleared out the fuckin' Research Wing at the CDC like it was a damned duck shoot at a carnival. Of course at the time they hadn't been thinking how nice they worked together, so much as they'd been desperate not to shoot one another during the clusterfuck of Walkers, gurneys and darkness.

But after them three days in Atlanta, and the walk through Research Wing, and that little hallway of fuckin' horrors that they escaped with Callie and the boys; the two of them seemed to have developed this way of reading each other. Which came in fuckin' handy when scouting out a building that may or may not have been full of Walkers.

Lucky for them, it wasn't full of the fuckers. Just a few straggling, smelly sons of bitches here and there.

"Got one up ahead," Rick said quietly his light sliding a bit over to help illuminate the Walker. Daryl sniffed and snarled at the sight of the gnarled thing that's head had just snapped towards him. It was a man-or used to be one anyway- dressed in what Daryl had figured was his uniform for working the counter of this little store. He was missing his right arm, like the entire thing had been torn clear off of his body. His name tag, which was strangely pristine but slightly askew, had the name Tommy printed on it in big bold black letters.

"Sorry, Tommy-boy," Daryl said as he raised his crossbow and sighted the clerk's head. He let his bolt fly, the familiar twang of his crossbow filling the otherwise silent store. Daryl quickly stepped forward, his eyes scanning the knocked over racks of various shit all over the floor, and made his way quietly towards the downed Walker.

Daryl bent down and pulled on the bolt stuck in poor ol' Tommy's soft skull and wiped the gunk off on his pants. Turning to Rick he wiggled four fingers in the air at him, earning a shake of the former Sheriff's head. Daryl smirked and reloaded his weapon.

"Really? You're still doing that?" Rick said as he sidestepped the body of Tommy the convenience store clerk and slipped his gaze down the next aisle.

"Gotta have a bit of fun with it, Rick. Can't be fuckin' serious all the time." Daryl said angling his head to look over Rick's shoulder at the next area they had to work with. Rick raised a humored brow at the redneck, and Daryl smiled before turning to face whatever was making that sickening sound in front of them. Two Walkers were crawling slowly towards them, their arms clawing at the ground desperately pulling their bodies towards them. Their bottom halves gnarled and eaten away by God knew what, mouths fuckin' salivating some sort of goopin' shit at the sight of the fresh meat at the end of the aisle. Daryl grimaced and turned to look at Rick. "Otherwise shit like this is gonna eat at you."

"Very funny," Rick dead-panned, narrowing his brow at the man crouched slightly behind him. Daryl smacked him with one quick hard thump on the back as he slid around behind Rick and worked towards the other side of the aisle. Daryl nodded his head forward indicating he'd get the one on his side, and Rick shouldered his rifle and pulled his knife.

Moving quickly Daryl shot out a bolt taking down the further of the two crawling Walkers, while Rick dashed forward in his crouched position to drive his knife into the skull of the other. Rick grimaced and pulled his knife out, watching as Daryl stayed low and worked his way forward to retrieve his arrow. As the redneck passed him Rick lifted a single finger in the air and waved it at him.

Indicating his one kill so far.

"There you go, boy." Daryl whispered with a bit of a smile. "Now stop gloatin' we got work to do." With that Daryl gave one final smirk, earning a low chuckle from Rick, and tugged out his arrow. They both cleaned their weapons on their pants and staying low and slow they worked their way around the rest of the debris.

Daryl worked point this time, as they yet again tried to keep cautious and quiet. There was no telling what was in here, but from the smell when they broke through the boards at the doorway, there was definitely something. The fact that they'd only ran into six was a fuckin' blessing. Daryl held up his hand, sticking his head around the corner. He looked back at Rick who handed him the flashlight without a word. After a single beat Daryl was waving Rick forward and working his way around to the back of the store. Rick cautiously moved to follow, his steps quickened as he shifted towards the door that lead back to the stock room. The last place they had to check in the place before they could let everyone else in. They figured this would be the best place to set up a kind of safe house. Which had been Callie's suggestion, it having worked out well for her in the past, and Daryl and Rick had pretty much taken the lead on taking care of the house cleaning.

Not without a good bit of arguing. Callie had put up a pretty good fight about being allowed to help. Sighting the numerous gas stations she and Danny had cleared during their months long road trip up from Savannah, and tossing her arms in the air in agitation when both Rick and Daryl refused. Both men knowing she needed to take a break, whether she wanted to or not.

She'd stalked off, shaking a finger at both men and climbed into the RV. Daryl had seen her making her way up to the top of the RV to sit on watch with Dale just as they were breaking off the piece of wood to gain entry to the store.

Daryl glanced at Rick as they came to a stop at the blood covered door with the little 'employees only' tag hanging on it. He slid his gaze to Rick, who tilted his head in askance.

"You think she's still pissed?" Daryl asked squinting his eyes at the door. There was a beat of silence, in which Daryl kept his eyes locked on that little sign.

"Oh yeah," Rick said with a bit of a smirk, earning a glare from the other man as his eyes held on the doorknob. Stepping forward a bit Daryl put his fingertips to the cool metal knob, as he nodded his head at Rick's answer. "But maybe you'll get lucky." Daryl looked over at Rick with a narrowed brow of confusion. "Maybe she'll just be so happy that we're alive that she'll forget she was mad."

"Have you met Callie?" Daryl asked in annoyance and a bit of humor. Rick laughed and nodded his head.

"Right," Rick said quietly. "Just try and look sorry."

"Have we fuckin' met?" Daryl lifted his hand and moved it in a back and forth motion between them.

"Right," Rick said laughing as Daryl's hand dropped from the knob and he moved back a bit. "Just try not to kill each other then." Daryl grunted and continued to stare at the knob. "Is it locked?" Daryl shook his head and bit at his thumbnail, his eyes slipping up to Rick. "What?"

"Nothin'," Daryl grumbled shaking his head and getting a good double-handed grip on his crossbow again. "Fuckin' Glenn and his rules starting to make me jumpy." Daryl shook his head again and stepped a bit to the left of the door. "Unlocked fuckin' doors." Another beat of silence as Rick raised a humored brow at the man beside him. "Yellow sum'bitch."

Rick smiled tightly and waited for Daryl to give him the signal that he was ready. He motioned with his hand that he'd sweep low and Daryl nodded an acceptance of the high ground. Placing his hand on the door knob, Rick gave Daryl one more look watching him adjust his crossbow into a level position. One final nod flowed between them, and Rick pushed the door open. His body crouched down and swung in and to the left his flashlight and rifle arcing across the area, while Daryl stayed high and to the right.

The smell hit them immediately, and both men were gagging and working to control their breathing. Backs of their hands lifting to try and cover both mouth and nose as they searched the immediate area for what had to be lurking in the darkened storage room. It was a bigger area. Rows of shelves and boxes on either side. The moaning sounds had both of them raising their weapons and Daryl grabbing for the flashlight he'd tucked into his back pocket.

Sniffing one last time, Daryl's eyes slipped to Rick. Rick nodded his head to the right, and Daryl nodded and worked his way towards the other man. They slipped the door shut behind them, to make sure none of the bitches in here escaped and headed towards their people. Sidling up beside Rick, Daryl shined his flashlight down the first row of shelves and shook his head at the four Walkers he saw.

"Should have fuckin' let her come," Daryl mumbled to Rick as he raised his crossbow and sighted still shaking his head.

* * *

Callie shifted on her butt and brought her left leg up so that her boot sat on the roof of the RV, while her right dangled off the edge. Settling her elbow on her now raised knee she lifted her binoculars and stared at the men moving in the distance. A bead of sweat slid down her face, tickling a path right in front of her ear.

She'd been staring through those hot binoculars for what felt like hours, but she knew was only minutes. A half hour tops. Her back to the building where Rick and Daryl had disappeared, facing the road just beyond. Her hand settled on the butt of her gun sitting in the front of her jeans and she let out a sigh, settling her brow tighter against the binoculars.

As if that would bring the figures she'd been watching magically closer.

A sloshing sound and the feel of something hitting off the back of her shoulder had her lowering the binoculars and squinting up over her shoulder. Dale stood, his body silhouetted by the bright shining sun behind him. His Hawaiian shirt was unbuttoned, his white tank top was drenched with sweat in the stifling heat of the day, yet he smiled as he once again tapped her shoulder with the half full water bottle.

"Here," Dale said wiggling the bottle and lifting brow under his bucket hat. "You're not going to do anyone any good if you dehydrate yourself. Take it."

"Thanks, Dale," Callie said reaching back and grabbing the bottle. She set the strap of the binoculars around her raised knee and twisted off the cap. Her eyes slipped to the convenience store, the eerily quiet convenience store and she shook her head. "Shouldn't be taking them this long." Callie said idly as she sipped at her water.

"We'd hear if there was trouble," Dale tapped at the walkie on his hip and smiled down at her. She looked at him, and nodded as he crouched down and looked at his hands. "You know this place," Dale started causing Callie to turn back to him. "It reminds me of the day you all stumbled upon us. Saved our asses, and invited us to tag along with you without even a second thought about it."

Callie smiled and nodded her head at the memory. Her eyes slid down to where Andrea was sitting with Gracie and Jenna. Carol, Sophia, Lori sitting there too, while Ben and Carl sat on the ground not far off. A vision of Amy came to mind, sitting in a similar circle in that rundown gas station, smiling and laughing at Danny's stories. She looked to Dale, and saw his gaze slide from Andrea to her.

"You and Danny cleared that building in no time," Dale continued with a smile. "Looking like professionals." Callie snorted on her water and Dale chuckled, his head bowed and shaking back and forth.

"You mean we didn't look like an out-of-work substitute teacher and a bartender," she looked over her shoulder and Dale let out a low laugh when he raised his eyes to her. "Well will wonders never cease." She smiled and handed tipped the bottle back, finishing it off. Setting the empty bottle aside she lifted her binoculars, giving one last fleeting glance to still quiet convenience store. "Professionals. Hmm." Putting the binoculars to her eyes she again watched the figures in the distance.

"As close as you can get," Dale said, earning another snort from the woman. "At least from a bartender and a sub."

"Where were you when I was trying to tell that to Daryl and Rick?" Callie said, shifting her gaze just a bit further up the road.

"On their side," Dale said with a sad smile. She looked over at him at that, and he put a hand to her shoulder. "You needed to sit this one out." She mumbled a 'right' and returned her eyes to the road. "Have you been in to see Danny?"

"Yeah. I stopped in before I came up. Lori was there," Callie said with a roll of her shoulder. The way that woman had glared at her when she'd gone back to that small room on the RV, had made Callie's skin crawl, and her blood boil. The same way that Shane's accusation had earlier. "Figured I'd stop back later."

Dale's eyes went out to where the four figures were working their way down the line of cars not far off. Shane, T-Dog, Glenn and Miles scavenging cars for parts, and gasoline and whatever else they could find. You couldn't really make out who was who at this distance, but with the binoculars Callie could. Dale watched her head as it shifted, between all four men.

"He's gonna be okay, Callie." Dale said as he stood up.

"Yeah," Callie said nodding her head. "Danny's got himself a mission. He isn't gonna be letting a little thing like a bum leg take him down."

She lowered her binoculars and rubbed at the bridge of her nose. Her thoughts going to earlier, when Shane and his crew had just been about to head out. Miles had been trying to convince her to allow him to take the gun. But she wouldn't. The boy needed to learn how to handle it first. He gripped his bat, and shifted from foot to foot glaring at the ground. She had just put her hand to his shoulder when Shane had sauntered over to them. Miles had glared at the man, then shook his head.

"I'm gonna go see if Glenn and T-Dog are ready," Miles stated in a flat angry tone. He pushed past Shane and walked over to where Glenn and T-Dog where getting the gas cans out of the back of the station wagon and Shane's Jeep.

There was a moment of silence where she and Shane just stood back and watched as the gas cans were emptied into the vehicles, and set aside. Callie could almost feel Shane's agitated state and finally she turned to him with a raised brow.

"Did you need something?" Callie asked, her voice a bit more tired than angry. She just been in the RV and been treated to a scathing glare from Lori, and more insinuation in just that woman's look than Shane's blatant statement. She really wasn't in the mood for much more.

"Look," Shane said finally, his hand running through his hair as he looked at her. "I'm not good at this." His eyes skipped back to the ground, and he shook his head.

"Months of living with you," Callie said with a smile, she couldn't help it. The man looked so pathetic. And he was trying. "It doesn't really take a genius to figure that out."

"I'm sorry," Shane said looking up at her and then back down, her attempt at humor going unheard. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at him, made him look at her. "I'm sorry for what I said before. What I -" he shook his head and let his hand fall from behind his head. "I know it ain't like that between you and Rick." Another shake of his head, his eyes again falling to the ground as he practically whispered the next sentence. "Neither of you is like that."

_Like me. _

The words were unsaid, but the guilt was written all over his face. He shifted his eyes for a single quick moment to the RV where Lori was, before they went out to the road.

_Like us._

Callie bit at the inside of her of her cheek, but she refused to drop her eyes from him. She could feel him squirming like a worm on the hook. Ah, projection, what a wonderful way of coping with guilt. Fuckers. Like she didn't have enough to worry about without being dragged into something that was well beyond her.

"I'm sorry," Shane said again, his eyes shifting back to her.

"It's fine," Callie said, even though it wasn't. Shane was wide-eyed when he looked at her, because he knew her well enough to know that it wasn't. She put a hand to his shoulder, and squeezed once. "You need to get your head on straight, Shane. You're going out on that road, and you're taking my boy with you." She let her eyes slide over to Miles, Glenn and T-Dog all standing around waiting for Shane. "Honestly, it's fine. You and me. But we won't be if you let anything happen to him. You get me?"

"Yeah," Shane said nodding his head. He scratched one more time at the back of his neck and looked up through his lashes at her, his head still angled at the ground. "Yeah, I get you." He bit at the inside of his cheek then, his jaw clenched as he looked around the small campsite. "You honestly can't think this is safe?" He said finally and Callie shook her head.

"It's done, Shane." Callie said angrily putting her hands up and shaking her head. "Drop it. Get your head straight. Or you can stay here with the ladies while I go out with the boys." He clenched his jaw and shook his head. "Alright then," she put a hand to his shoulder and started past him. "Dale and I will have eyes on you boys. We'll have your back."

"Yeah," Shane said, and the telltale anger was back in his voice and etched on his face when he lifted it towards the top of the RV. "I'm sure you will." And with that Shane had walked away and grabbed up his shotgun. He walked right past the three other men, and stalked off towards the row of abandoned vehicles. Glenn, T-Dog and Miles all exchanged a glance and a shake of their heads as they followed behind him.

"Shane's got something brewing in his head—" she cut herself off and shook her head looking back at Dale. The heat from the sun burning her shoulders and the top of her head, causing a headache to grow behind her eyes. Or was it thoughts of Shane causing that headache to form?

"He's had that brewing for a while, Callie. Since you and the rest went to Atlanta after Merle Dixon, hell maybe even before." Dale said shaking his head. Callie's eyes went a bit wide as she watched Dale struggle with something internally. She'd known that there was something going on with Danny, Dale and Shane. Some sort of kinship that had formed between Danny and Dale during that time she'd been gone. But Danny had never gone into detail, and silly her she'd never pushed him for any. "And Danny and I have been keeping an eye on it," Dale continued solemnly. "It's good to know you see it too."

"These kids," Callie said nodding and looking out over the men at the cars. "These people. All of you. You're my family now. I can't lose-" Callie's eyes flitted out to where Miles was walking with Glenn down the row of cars as the walkie at Dale's hip hissed with static.

"_Rick to Dale_," Rick's voice sounded over the walkie and both he and Callie looked to it. Dale made a grab for the walkie instantly and Callie let her leg fall as she started to get up. "_We're clear. Building's secure_."

"Give me that," Callie said grabbing for the radio that Dale had just pulled from his belt. Wiggling her fingers a bit she gave a smile and a shake of her head as Dale sighed and gave her the walkie. She handed him the binoculars and slapped his shoulder.

"Be nice," Dale said laughing as Callie pushed to her feet and started walking towards the ladder.

"It's about time you two finished up in there," Callie said into the walkie as she walked, shifting a smile over her shoulder to Dale. "Was about to send in the damned search party."

"_Right_," Rick said, a bit of a chuckle on his tired voice. In the background, before he depressed the button she heard Daryl mumble '_still fuckin' pissed'_. She smiled to herself and shook her head as she looked back at Dale, who must have also heard the redneck because he was smiling widely back at her. "_We're gonna check the back of the building and make sure everything is clear."_

"Yeah, you two go ahead and do that," Callie said, and she made sure she was still holding the button when she muttered the word 'pussies'. Dale's raised his eyes to the sky with a bit of a smile watching as Callie grinned widely and handed him back the walkie. She shrugged, "What? That was me being nice."

"Well, I'd hate to see you angry," Dale said with a chuckle as he clipped the walkie back on to the side of his pants. She pointed a finger at him and smiled as she brushed a tangle of her hair out of her face. She settled her gun in her jeans and made her way towards the ladder. "Where are you going?"

"I'm gonna head in and start to clear us out a space," Callie said with a smile as she started to lower herself over the edge of the RV. She squinted through the sun at the older man. "Gonna get the kids up and moving. I'll grab the walkie from the Hummer, I'll have it on. Keep eyes on Miles for me," she clenched her jaw. "You let me know if I need to do something."

"Of course," Dale said with a nod of his head. His eyes were hard and his jaw clenched as he watched her smile just a bit and nod. "Be careful."

"Professionals remember Dale." Callie saluted the man, who returned the gesture with a wide grin and a shake of his head, as she worked her way further down. "We got this."

Callie settled her feet on the ground and held tight to the ladder for a moment, her gaze sliding back up and then over to the door. She put a hand to the door, a quick silent hello to Danny laying inside, and gave it a firm smack before heading towards the Hummer. Once she reached it she threw open the door, leaned in and grabbed her walkie from the center console. Flipping it on, and clipping it to her belt, she felt her jeans slide to an almost uncomfortable level on her hips. The jeans were much too loose for all the fucking equipment she carried now. Shaking her head she hiked the pants up a bit and looked over at where the rest of their group was waiting.

They all sat in a small circle right in front of where the station wagon had been parked. Her eyes lingered for a moment on the figure of Lori, sitting quietly and nodding her head to something or another that Carol was saying. Her eyes were on her hands as they worked to clean off what looked to be one of Carl's boots. Carl and Ben were sitting a few feet behind Lori and Carol, both boys quietly sneaking glances at the convenience store.

Biting at the inside of her cheek Callie crossed her arms over her chest and watched the boys. They'd been through so much. Seen so much. Her eyes slipped down to the ground beside the front tire, and she smirked down at the red emergency backpacks that they'd smuggled out of the CDC. Grabbing them up, she hoofed it over to the where the boys were sitting.

"Everything okay?" Carol asked as Callie walked up. Smiling at the woman and then her daughter Callie nodded.

"Yeah, Rick and Daryl radioed," Callie said walking towards the boys and dropping the backpacks. Both boys looked at the backpacks and then up at her. "Building's clear. Ben, can you go back to the Hummer and grab the packs?" Ben hopped up and Jenna gave Gracie a little smile before bending to tie the little girl's shoes up.

Callie looked at Carl, his eyes now narrowed on the red backpacks at her feet. Crouching down, Callie got to eye level with the boy.

"Hey Carl," Callie said smiling at the boy as his eyes slipped from the backpack to her. Eyes ghosting over the scattered bruises and cuts on her face, seeing them in the stark light of day for the first time. She watched his little jaw clench just a bit before his eyes returned to hers. She smiled a bit wider, and bent her head a bit more. "I was hoping that you could do me a favor. My kid's all have jobs you see, and there isn't anyone to really look after these. I was thinking since you did such a good job getting them out for us, you could be in charge of keeping them stocked." She patted the two backpacks in front of her and raised her brows.

"What's that mean?" Carl asked, his voice hitching up just a bit in excitement even as confusion rode his furrowed brow.

"Well, that means that where ever we go, whatever we do, you are the man in charge of these supplies." Callie said with a smile and another pat on the bags. "You take inventory. Make sure everything that's inside is in working order. Replenish as needed." Carl's eyes were wide as he looked from her to the backpacks at her feet. His head for the first time in a long time was devoid of his father's hat, and he squinted in the sun as he shifted his eyes back to her. Ben was lumbering back now, a large empty duffle bag, that had two other duffle bags stuffed inside on his tiny shoulder as he ran, a bit smile on his face. Carl watched Ben come to a stop at Callie's side and she put her hand to the younger boy's head. "So what do you say? You think you can handle it for us?"

"Sure!" Carl said excitedly his hands shooting out to take a hold of the two backpacks.

"Carl," Lori's voice sounded and the force of it startled Callie and had her turning to face the woman. Carl's hands circled around the two top straps on the backpacks, but his eyes shot up to his mother. "Can you grab me water from the station wagon please."

"Sure mom," Carl said quietly his hands dropping from the bags as he jumped up and padded along in his socks towards the station wagon.

Callie watched the boy walk, his shoulders slumped slightly. Defeated already, just by mom's tone of voice. Lori was good. Callie pushed up from the ground and put her hand on Ben's shoulders gently, shifting her eyes to where Lori was looking at her.

"Ben, why don't you go over with Gracie and Jenna for a minute," Callie said pushing the boy towards the two waiting girls. Both of which were ready to go into the store. Professionals. Her eyes shifted to Lori and she put her hands into her back pockets and rocked back on her heels, waiting.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't encourage my son to do dangerous things," Lori said, a bit of an edge to her voice. Lori set Carl's shoe down on the ground and put both of her hands onto her knees as she stared up at Callie.

"I wasn't," Callie said, her brow narrowing a bit in confusion as her gaze slipped quickly to Carol and then to Andrea both women lowering their gaze just a bit. She bit at the inside of her cheek and shook her head slightly before returning her gaze to Lori. "I really wasn't trying to, Lori. And I'm sorry if you felt that way. I was giving him a purpose." Callie took a deep breath and let her hands fall from her back pockets as she lifted them in a signal of forgiveness. Crouching down, she put both hands to her thighs and smiled at Lori. "See, Ben wandered when we first picked him up. He wandered a lot. So we gave him a purpose." Lori raised a brow in confusion. "Ben's battery boy."

"Battery boy?" Andrea said with a smile, and Callie nodded as she looked at the woman.

"Yep. Everywhere we stop, Ben collects batteries. He is in charge of it," Callie said a bit of pride in her voice as she recalled teaching the boy how to do it. "He inventories. Checks 'em in the flashlights. Everything. It gives him a job, something to keep his mind on. It doesn't stop him from staying completely out of trouble, but it's something. You know?"

"My job, as a mother is to protect him." Lori spat back, her eyes hard as she leaned to the side and grabbed up Carl's other boot. "Not to give him little jobs that put him in harm's way. If you were a mother, you'd understand that."

There was a beat of silence that flowed around the little congregation of women. Callie's eyes remained on Lori, who was actively avoiding eye contact now, her hands restringing Carl's boots. As if it were the most involved task in the world. Callie's eyes shifted to Andrea who was shaking her head and grimacing, and then over to Carol who looked almost ashamed to be sitting there. As if she were intruding on some private conversation, and she pulled Sophia just a bit closer to her as she firmed her lips.

"Yeah," Callie said finally, shaking her head and pushing to her feet. "Guess so." She brushed her hands along her thighs and bit on her bottom lip. Carl came to a slow stop near her and she smiled down at the boy, as he moved quietly forward and handed out a bottle of water to his mother. Lori looked up at her son, catching his eye and taking the water from him with a quiet 'thank you, honey'.

"Where are you heading?" Andrea asked, as she got to her feet. Her eyes slipped to Lori for a second and then back to Callie.

"Gonna clean out some space in the store. So we can set up shop there and sleep inside," Callie said, sliding her hands back into her back pockets and rocking back on her heels. "You're welcome to tag along." Andrea smiled at that, obviously thinking about that first night they met as well.

"I think I will," Andrea said grabbing her gun and tucking it into the back of her pants. Callie's eyes slipped to the Ben, Gracie and Jenna who were a bit closer than she'd realized.

"Great," Callie moved off towards the kids, putting a hand to Ben and Gracie's heads. "Let's move it, kiddos."

Andrea moved to follow, but was held up by Jenna standing and staring at Lori's back. Andrea put a hand to the thin red-head's shoulders and started to steer her away, but the girl slipped away and moved so that she was standing right beside the dark-haired woman. Lori looked up with a questioning gaze at Jenna.

"That was wrong of you," Jenna said simply, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. Lori's brows rose in shock, and Jenna firmed her lips before continuing. "She risked her life today to keep your boy safe. Went through hell down there. And you haven't even said thank you to her yet. Instead you chose to be petty, and stupid." Lori opened her mouth to say something and then shut it again abruptly. Her chin fell to her chest as she worked to lace the shoe in her hands.

"Come on, Jenna, let's catch up." Andrea said with a slight smile as she started to lead the teenager away. Jenna's feet moved to steps and then held as she looked down at Lori's lowered head.

"And you all call us children," Jenna said with a slight shake of her head. Lori's head fell a bit more, and then she lifted her head and turned slightly tearing eyes to the girl. Jenna clenched her jaw and walked off leaving Andrea behind. The blond woman watched the girl walk away and catch up with Callie at the door to the convenience store.

"I'm not wrong," Lori said quietly. "She's putting those babies in danger."

"You may be right in one sense," Andrea said quietly, crossing her arms over her chest and catching the other woman's eye. "But you were wrong in a whole lot more."

Callie watched Andrea speak to Lori, and put a hand out and an arm around Jenna's shoulder. Ben and Gracie were not too far ahead both of them kicking in disgust at the trash littering the floor.

"You alright?" Callie asked the red-head. Jenna clenched her jaw, her eyes fixed on the inside of the store and Ben and Gracie milling about.

"She thinks you slept with Rick," Jenna said, and the quiet tone and vehemence in her voice was almost as shocking as what she'd just said. Was there something she just wasn't seeing between her and Rick? Was everyone under this impression? Jenna's eyes slid to Callie. "She didn't know I was in the RV, and mumbled something to Danny." Callie's head lifted as Jenna explained, and then she nodded.

"Yeah," Callie said shifting her eyes back to the slowly approaching Andrea.

"Why don't you just tell her about you and Daryl?" Jenna said, and again Callie was shocked into silence. Her kids, apparently all of them, were a lot more observant than she gave them credit for. Not that she and Daryl had been very discreet about anything earlier at the Hummer. But the Hummer was parked at the end of the line, and the tailgate faced away from where everyone had been. And honestly, neither of them had really seemed to care about discretion at the time. God, that was out of character for both of them. Callie shook her head and smiled past her blush, pulling the girl closer.

"Because that isn't her business," Callie said quietly. "That isn't anyone's business but mine and Daryl's."

"Not denying it, huh?" Jenna said with a smile, that smile of a teenage girl hearing fresh juicy gossip.

"Not saying anything, except that it's no one's business." Callie pulled Jenna close and then shoved her through the doors. "Get moving, and stop worrying about things that don't matter." Jenna smiled back at Callie and then put a hand to Ben's head and began leading the boy through the horrible smelling store. Gracie stepped back outside and linked her small hand into Callie's just as Andrea stepped up to her side.

"Hey," Andrea said quietly, her eyes slipping to Gracie and then back to Callie. "She was out of line."

"I'd rather not talk about it okay," Callie said as Gracie began to idly swing her arm. The still unspeaking girl's eyes were glued to the gold star that she'd pinned to her dingy yellow sundress. And both women couldn't help but smile down at her.

"Okay," Andrea said, her smile fading a bit as she turned her attention inside the store. "So everyone has a job, huh?"

"Yep," she responded, smiling at the woman beside her. "You can help pick up Danny's slack." Andrea raised a brow, and Callie's smile widened. "Walker body duty."

"When he wakes up. I'm gonna kill him," Andrea muttered and Callie laughed as she put her arm around the other woman's shoulder.

* * *

Miles squinted hard at the sunlight over head, his eyes slipping from where they'd been settled on Shane to the RV. Rick's voice had just finished calling the all-clear over the walkie at Shane's belt, and Callie's quipped responses were sounding. On the other side of the broken down white Corolla Glenn was shaking his head and smiling. He looked up and caught Miles' eye over the top of the car.

Miles returned his gaze to the RV watching as the far off figure that he knew had to be Callie, made its way to the ladder and disappeared.

"Let's keep movin'," Shane yelled out, his eyes sliding from the RV to Miles.

"Right," Glenn said disappearing for a moment so that he could lean into the open driver's window of the car. Miles heard the door opening a minute later, and he settled his butt against the front bumper. His eyes scanned to the back of the car where T-Dog was sputtering and wiping his mouth as he worked to siphon the gas from the car.

"Hey, Miles," Shane yelled and Miles shifted his eyes to the man two car lengths ahead. Miles didn't respond just looked, and Shane waved his big paw of a hand at him. "C'mere."

Miles rolled his eyes and caught Glenn and T-Dog's eyes as he pushed off the car bumper. Shouldering his baseball bat, he made his way slowly over to where Shane was waiting. The older man squinted at the ground, and worked his lips angrily over his teeth before slipping his bottom one in between his pearly whites. Miles raised a brow, his jaw clenched as he watched Shane's face contort into what could best be described as a scrunched up mess. Shane's eyes slipped between Miles and the ground a couple of times, moving so fast that Miles was simply unable to hold his gaze.

Shane was apparently a professional when it came to avoiding eye contact. Miles smirked, he used to be that good too. Then he spent too much time with Danny and Callie, who thought of eye contact as the only real way to communicate sometimes. Straightforward sons of bitches that they were.

Shane was waiting for Miles to say something. To utter a word, to question him about what he wanted, but Miles wasn't biting. He was still pissed off about Shane's idiotic posturing earlier. And his ridiculous alluded accusation against Callie and Rick. The man was fuckin' nuts if he thought Miles was just gonna let that slide.

Finally Shane gave up, and scratched at the back of his neck. Shaking his head angrily he jutted his chin a bit further up the roadway, before adjusting his shotgun in his hands.

"Help me check out that ambulance," Shane said his eyes again slipping to Miles quickly. He again bit at his lip and began to walk, Miles following slowly. "There's probably some stuff inside we can use for Danny."

Miles wiped at the sweat soaking his brow and squinted up at the sun. His eyes slipped back to the RV where he could swear he could _feel_ Dale's gaze on him. He raised a hand and waved, and the older man waved back, confirming what Miles had been feeling. With a bit of a smile Miles turned to follow behind Shane.

They worked their way slowly around the large vehicle, most of the white bits covered now in blood and gore. The word AMBULANCE on the front was damn near unreadable it was covered in so much muck. Bodily fluid, guts, blood, and stuff that Miles didn't even want to fathom covered the front end. Like someone had taken it out and rammed into a whole mess of Walkers.

Miles tilted his head, and smiled at that thought. Probably wouldn't have been a bad idea. Big enough vehicle, you could take out a good bit of geeks like that.

"Miles, over here," Shane said and Miles stuck his head around the front, and looked to where Shane was at the back. He waved his hand and disappeared from sight, leaving Miles to roll his eyes and head over to the man.

Miles settled his butt against the car behind the hulking vehicle, watching as Shane hopped up and tried to peer into the bloodstained window of the ambulance's back door. Shifting from small window to small window, Shane tilted his head slightly to peek at Miles over his shoulder.

"It's weird," Shane said his voice gruff but a bit more like Miles remembered it being early on at the Quarry. Miles raised a brow and let his eyes slip around them checking for Walkers. "You being quiet. It's strange. Almost unsettling."

"Figured it would be safer to be quiet," Miles shot back, and Shane turned to face him. His eyes angled down, as he remained at his elevated position. "You know, think we had enough trouble today."

"Yeah," Shane said sliding his eyes to the windows again. He squinted into the darkness inside, not seeing anything, but not really having any light to be able to really tell. Shaking his head he hopped down from his perch, and slammed his hand into the back of the doors. Eyes still on the blood covered surface, he put his hand to the metal door handle, but didn't open it. "Earlier," Shane said quietly, his head hung low. "With Callie. I was outta line."

"You owe her a fuckin' apology," Miles shot back almost instantly, and Shane had to smile at the boy's devotion to the woman. He nodded his head and turned to face the kid, his lanky arms which had slowly started to fill out due to the strenuous lifestyle they led now, were crossed tightly over his chest. Gray t-shirt pulled tight on his broadening shoulders, and sandy hair mussed and drenched in sweat.

"I already did," Shane said leaning back on the ambulance, mirroring the boy's pose. Miles tilted his head to the side as he regarded Shane with a raised brow. "Before we left."

"Yeah, well do it again," Miles said quietly, running his hand through his hair. "You know what, you do it every fuckin' day." Miles pointed a finger now, his blood boiling as he advanced on Shane. "After the shit that woman's been through. Not just today, but since this all began. For you to run your mouth like that sayin' shit that ain't true, insinuatin'—" Miles cut himself off and took a deep breath. "You owe her an apology every day for the rest of your life for that shit."

"You're right," Shane said, his eyes wide and his tone sincere, which is the only reason that Miles lowered his hand that had poked a finger into Shane's much wider chest. "You are." Shane nodded his head and looked Miles in the eye. Miles nodded back, holding the man's gaze. Eye contact, if you did it enough, you learned how to read people. Read what they weren't saying. Just one more little tool he had on his side now thanks to Callie and Danny. "Let's knock it off my to-do list for today and work on movin' past this, alright."

Miles stared at Shane for a minute longer, before clenching his jaw and picking up his bat that he'd settled by the car he'd been sitting on. He nodded his head and smacked his bat against his other hand.

"Sure," Miles said, his gaze shifting over his shoulder to where Glenn and T-Dog were watching them. He smiled back at Shane and wiggled his brows before shouting over his shoulder. "Hey Glenn," Miles yelled, watching the Asian kid's brows raise as he adjusted his backpack on his shoulders. "Shane just volunteered you for Walker Wagon duty. You lucky son of a bitch."

"Seriously?" Glenn said, as T-Dog smacked him on the back and both of them made their way forward. Miles shifted his eyes to Shane who was shaking his head and smiling at the boy. Glenn's eyes stared hard at the ambulance, and he shifted on his feet as he looked to Shane and Miles. "Is there anything in there?"

"Don't think so," Shane said with a smile. "Let's find out." Shane put his hand to the door handle and tugged. It opened immediately and Glenn groaned something about 'unlocked doors' while he shook his head.

Everyone stepped back weapons drawn and ready. The smell hit them all like a ton of bricks, but they saw nothing inside. Nothing accept the gore and blood that had been splattered everywhere and the body parts strewn about. Miles stepped forward to put a hand to the groaning Glenn, stepping forward with him.

"Hey, at least there aren't any Walkers." Miles said with a smile. Glenn shook his head, and looked to Shane.

"Give me the bag," Glenn said with a sigh. Shane handed it over, but Miles grabbed it.

"I'm not gonna make you do it alone," Miles said shifting so that he could step up into the back of the putrid smelling vehicle. "I'm not _that_ horrible of a person."

"Danny would have," Glenn said, shaking his head and smiling as he followed behind Miles. T-Dog and Shane posted up at either side of the open back doors, standing guard in case the smell attracted any nearby Walkers.

"Nah, he just would have grabbed Ben's camera and snapped a few shots of you inside before following your ass in." Miles smiled and looked at the shelves lining the inside, before slipping his gaze to Glenn. Glenn was smiling and nodding his head, knowing that Danny really wouldn't have let him go alone either. "Next one, G-man. You and Danny can tackle the next one."

"Gee, something to look forward to," Glenn said as he stepped over what he figured was someone's leg. "Oh God," Glenn groaned putting his hand over his mouth. "This sucks."

"Check it out," Miles said, getting everyone's attention. He slipped the gurney away from the wall and bent to pick up something from the floor. His face contorted as his fingers gripped the bloody thing and he brought it up. A single crutch, its aluminum surface covered in gore and blood. Miles grimaced but smiled at the other men. "This outta come in handy for Danny while he's recuperating."

"Yeah," Shane said nodding his head. "Good find, Miles." Shane reached out and took the crutch, again holding Miles' gaze. "Grab whatever else you think we might need. Anything you can find. T-Dog and I are gonna get the gas outta this one."

Miles nodded and watched Shane slip away the crutch over his shoulder as they made their way to the car settled behind the ambulance.

"You two okay now?" Glenn asked from behind Miles. Miles nodded, and Glenn nodded and grabbed for a bloody bag with the letters EMT emblazoned on it. "Good. That tension was killing me." Miles turned to look at Glenn and both of them smiled. Glenn lifted the bag. "Think we should wash it?"

Before Miles could answer he heard the walkie at Shane's hip send off a short burst of static, followed by a single word, Dale's alarmed tone sending a chill down everyone's spine.

"_Walkers!"_

_It's hard to have strength when there's nothing to eat_

_And it's hard to eat when you don't have the teeth_

_And how, when you lose the one thing you love_

_There's nothing below and there's nothing above_

_And I've been going through changes_

_I've been going through changes_

_With nothing at all._

_It's hard to accept what you don't understand_

_And it's hard to launch without knowing how to land_

_And how, when it burns, you can't change a thing_

_You can soften the blow, but you can't stop the sting_

_And I've been going through changes_

_I've been going through changes_

_With nothing at all_

_AN_: _There we go. Chapter 2… and a long ass way to go. __ Hell we haven't even hit the road yet people. My goodness. Okay, so did you like your little cliffhanger? Hope so. This chapter really wasn't much more than set-up…filler… getting us ready for the rest of the ride. Let me know what you think? Is it moving too slow for you?_

_Without further ado:_

_SunnyM: Hi! Thanks for the review, glad to hear that this one is also 'awesome-sauce'. _

_LadyLecter47: Yeah, poor Danny, but I'm sure he'll pull through. As for Glenn, Daryl did say it would come back on him…so y'all will just have to keep your eyes peeled for that one. _

_AlabastR: Yeah, Danny got a bit cooked, huh? But it had to be done. Fort Benning… You know, I get the shivers too… but maybe that's just residual CDC shivers. I was gonna leave you hanging. I really was. But I got the flow for the first few chapters, and watched the damn Marathon and well… I couldn't hold it in. *shrug* Lucky you guys._

_Emberka-2012: Glad to hear from you, also glad that you enjoyed the continuation. I was trying to figure out the best way to start it, so it's nice to hear that it flowed well. Danny's my boy. I can't kill him off…can I? *evil smirk*_

_Chelle1908: Welcome to Season 2. Glad to hear you enjoyed the first installment, and the characters. I've worked hard on them, so that's always a very good thing to hear. Thanks for taking the time to review._

_Alessandra: HI! Welcome to the story, and thank you for taking the time to read and review. I love that out of everything written, most people seem to be seem to be sticking with Poor Danny and Poor Glenn as responses. That tickles me. _

_To everyone who is reading, and has put this on their alerts and favorites THANK YOU SO MUCH. I'd love to hear your thoughts, so please keep reading, and reviewing!_


	3. Till You Lay Down Your Heavy Load

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_Chapter 3! And honestly… I think this may be my most Daryl-centered chapter to date. So enjoy that people! Lots going on… we left off with Walkers! We've got a bit of Daryl and the kids…and some more Shane's a dick…and someone finally wakes his ass up and rejoins the fuckin' story. _

_As always, read, review and enjoy!_

_~SWW_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Chapter 3: Till You Lay Down Your Heavy Load**

"_Walkers!"_ Dale's tight voice of alarm crackled over Callie's walkie and all of their feet stopped.

Callie's eyes shot ahead to where Andrea was walking with Ben, watching as the blonde turned wide scared eyes to her. "Grab him," Callie whispered harshly, trying to keep her voice calm but feeling the icy needles of panic start to drag down her spine.

Andrea's feet moved quickly, closing the couple of steps between her and the boy. She roughly grabbed him by his arm and pulled him along after her, working her way as quietly as possible to where Callie was. Gracie's hand dug into Callie's thigh, and the girl practically flattened herself to her leg. With a deep breath Callie peeled the girl off, and crouched down to her eye level. Tired, scared eyes looked back at her and Callie leaned forward putting a very small kiss to her forehead.

"What do we do?" Andrea said breathlessly as she came to a stop where Callie was kneeling. Callie looked up and then back down at Gracie and Ben.

"You stay here," Callie said keeping her voice low. Right outside the door she could hear the scrambled commotion of Lori and Carol. "Stay here. Shut the door, and stay quiet." Callie pushed to her feet, putting her hand to Gracie's curls. The girl was staring after her, her mouth slightly open, and for a second Callie thought she was going to say something.

But she didn't. She just clutched to Rick's badge on her dress and continued to stare at Callie. Shifting her eyes Callie smiled at the now shaking Ben as he stared at the door.

"Ben," Callie's voice had his eyes slipping to her. "We'll be fine. You wait for the knocks okay?" Callie said, trying to remind the boy of the countless times before when he'd been confined to the Hummer during similar situations. Two jerky nods of his head, had Callie looking to Andrea who shook her head and pulled both kids closer to her.

Callie slipped closer to the door, her hand resting on her gun. She peeked out at the parking lot and saw Lori and Carol ushering Carl and Sophia into the RV. Both women's heads were shifting quickly from left to right, searching for the danger. Callie looked back at Andrea, an unspoken 'stay safe' flowed between them and then Callie quickly exited the convenience store.

She worked her way over to where Carol and Lori were standing, spotting Carl still hanging out of the door. Carol's worried eyes slipped to Callie, and surprisingly so did Lori's.

"Get inside," Callie said, putting her hand to Carl's head and shoving at him. "No joke, kiddo. Remember what I said before 'bout beating your ass." Carl tossed a look to his mother who had raised a brow and opened her mouth, but then Carl dashed inside the RV. Callie looked to the women. "You too," she led Carol inside, and watched as Lori started to shake her head. "Go. Keep the door closed, and keep quiet."

"You're gonna get yourself killed one of these days," Lori shot back as she shook her head.

"Yeah," Callie said with a smile as she walked past the door, her eyes scanning the area. Lori watched after her for a moment before sliding into the RV and closing the door. "Hopefully not today." Callie muttered at the closing of the door. She slipped her eyes around not seeing any unwelcome visitors, and then looked up at Dale. "What do you see?"

"Four, maybe five," Dale said squinting through the binoculars.

"Maybe five?" Callie said back, her eyes sliding out in the direction Dale was looking. Out towards the highway that they'd veered off of to get here. "Come on Dale!"

"Five," he said emphatically, the binoculars dropping for an instant as he looked down at her and pulled his rifle from his shoulder. "Five."

"Alright," Callie said, pulling her gun and checking her clip. "How far?" Callie started walking already, waiting for Dale's response. When it didn't come she looked back over her shoulder to find the older man just staring down at her, shock on written in his features.

"You're not going alone," Dale said, his voice almost too quiet for her to hear. Her eyes narrowed and she opened her mouth to respond.

"She ain't goin' at all," Daryl's clipped tones sounded and Callie turned to watch the redneck jogging towards her, Rick right at his side. Daryl glared at her as he shifted his crossbow in his hands. "What you ain't been through enough today? You _wanna_ get your ass killed? Honest to fuckin' God, girl." Daryl shook his head and looked up at Dale. "Where?"

"Up ahead," Dale nodded his head towards the highway. "Five. Working through some of the cars. About twelve or so car lengths back from the Hummer."

"Alright," Daryl growled, glaring at Callie one last time before shaking his head and slipping his eyes to Rick. Rick nodded, and looked back at Callie and then the RV where he could see Lori sticking her head out the door.

"We've got this," Rick said putting a hand to Callie's shoulder and pushing her back a bit. Callie was shaking her head at him, and he squeezed his hand on her shoulder. His eyes slipped back to Lori and he whispered. "Stay here, keep 'em safe."

"RICK!" Shane's yell sounded and had them turning to see the rest of their group jogging into view. Miles was brandishing a bat, and what looked like a crutch, his eyes widely searching the area. When he spotted Callie he let out a breath of relief and headed towards her. "Where's Lori? Carl?"

"They're in the RV," Rick said easily, his eyes caught Shane's and he watched the anger play over his friend's face. Shaking his head he turned back to see Daryl already heading off. "We got five up by the highway." Rick said his eyes following the already quickly moving redneck, Shane shaking his head and sneering. Rick ignored the other man's anger, and continued. "We gotta take 'em down quiet. We don't want to draw any more attention."

"Right, wouldn't want to do that," Shane said with a sneer. Hearing the sound of footsteps following quickly behind them he turned and pointed an angry finger at Miles, T-Dog and Glenn. "Stay here, keep everyone inside the RV till we get back." Shane's eyes rose to meet Lori's at the door the RV, Carl peering his head around his mother to look out at them.

"Come on!" Daryl roared back at both Rick and Shane. He spat at the ground and shook his head at both men. "Or do I gotta do this myself. Fuckin' –" he cut himself off his eyes sliding over the still slightly shocked and angry face of Callie. She was staring at him, or rather glaring at him, and he bit at his bottom lip. Turning on his heel he started off at a jog towards where Dale had said the Walkers were.

"Let's go," Rick said taking Glenn's offered bat, while Shane grabbed the one from Miles. Both men jogged after Daryl.

Callie stared for a moment longer at the men's retreating backs, her mind a jumble. Anger rode her spine, while fear settled in her stomach. Five wasn't that many, and she knew that Daryl probably could have taken out all of them on his own. But that didn't stop her from being afraid for their lives. It did however allow her to be fucking pissed by the way they'd dismissed her help.

Her back stiffened when Miles and Glenn trotted up to her, T-Dog shifting from foot to foot as he clenched his hand around his own gun. Shaking her head at the feelings rolling through her, she turned to face Glenn and Miles.

"Andrea's at the store with Gracie, Ben and Jenna. Go over and tell her what's going on," Callie said, and when they nodded and started off, she grabbed Glenn's arm. Turning to T-Dog she held out a hand, snapping and pointing to the second gun in his waistband. T-Dog pulled it and handed it over with a tight jaw and a nod. "Take this," Callie said, slapping the gun into Glenn's waiting hand. "Keep them calm."

"Yeah," Glenn said looking at the gun in his hand for a moment before tucking it into the back of his pants. He pushed at Miles who was just staring at Callie and both of them headed for the store.

"T, stay down here, and keep your eyes open," Callie said, earning a nod from the large black man.

"I've had just about enough of this shit, you know that?" T-Dog responded, earning a tight smile from Callie. She slapped him on the shoulder before turning around.

Callie ran towards the ladder of the RV and climbed so fast her feet slipped twice before she hit the roof. Dale was standing with the binoculars tight to his face, watching the boys as they headed towards the coming Walkers. He lowered them a bit when he heard her coming, and shifted his eyes to her face. With a tight lipped scowl he handed her the binoculars and she settled in at his side. She lifted them quickly, her breath held as she focused in on what was playing out near the highway.

The Walkers were slowly shambling through the cars on the highway, no real intent to their stride. Just the slow shamble of the risen dead. Shifting her gaze slightly she watched Rick, Daryl and Shane hunch down as they started to break apart and work their way through the cars. Her breath held as she watched Daryl wave a hand at Rick, motioning at the two coming close to him. Shane was two cars down, his bat flying through the air at the head of the Walker that had just rounded the front of the car he'd been hiding behind.

Callie let out a rattling breath as she watched Shane repeatedly hit the Walker, until the thing stopped moving. Beside her Dale put a hand to her elbow, apparently steadying her as she rocked on her heels.

Daryl let his arrow fly, taking down one Walker. While Rick smashed his bat into the chest of his and then came down hard and fast with his hand. Apparently holding his knife, going for the quick kill instead of the smash fest that Shane had decided to lay down.

"That's three," Callie mumbled to herself, feeling Dale's hand tighten on her elbow. The older man nodded his head and let his eyes drift down to T-Dog who looked up at him. "Two more."

Daryl was moving forward now, stealthy as the fucking redneck ninja he was. His left side was against a car as he hunched down low, his back settled against the car, his feet stopping. Callie's hands clenched around the binoculars and she mumbled 'come on' over and over, causing Dale to again squeeze her arm. Daryl's head was shifting, from side to side as he apparently listened to the Walkers. Rick settled himself at the back bumper of the car Daryl was against, his back sliding down so that he could peer around the opposite side.

The Walker was shambling right through Rick's field of vision, its steps slowing just a bit. Rick tucked back behind the car, and slowly moved towards the other side. He peered his head around and caught Daryl's gaze. He lifted one finger in the air and pointed it to the front of the car, moving it from left to right indicating the Walker was coming around the front. Daryl nodded, and Callie's breath hitched.

"No," Callie lowered the binoculars a bit, her eyes wide. "No. Shit. Give me the walkie." Callie held the binoculars up again, her other hand shooting out to Dale.

The Walker had stopped, and apparently heard Rick moving because its slow shambling steps weren't heading for Daryl's hidden position anymore. The dead son of a bitch was heading straight for Rick, who was still signaling to Daryl.

Dale pulled the walkie, and Callie's hands fumbled for it as she tried not to panic. Tried, and utterly fucking failed. Her fingers had just off the walkie, her panicked motions unable to grab it, when her eyes picked up Shane. She gave up trying to grab the walkie, and focused in on Shane. He was hunched over, his head pointed in the direction of Rick and the Walker that was just about to turn the corner of the trunk of the car Rick was hidden behind.

"Damn it, Shane. Do something!" Callie whispered harshly, her hands tight again as she watched Shane just stare at the Walker. Rick looked up from his place then, catching Shane's eyes. Everything happened so quick then that Callie stopped breathing for that short length of time.

Rick apparently hearing the shambling of the Walker, turned in his crouched position, his hand pulling his gun almost instinctively the bat left to rattle off on the highway. The Walker lunged forward, hands and arms angling down at Rick who was still pulling his gun. Daryl shot up out of his crouch, sighted and shot the Walker, just as one hand grabbed a hold of Rick.

Rick was holding the body of the Walker with one arm, his eyes lifting towards Daryl then shooting to where Shane was. In the next moment, Rick was turning towards Shane, still holding tight to the dead man, his face contorted with the pain of lifting and shifting the dead weight. His gun hand was pressed into the belly of the Walker as he turned. Rick was almost laying down, the Walker body practically on top of him as he stared at Shane. There wasn't any sound really, nothing she could hear from where she was, but she saw the bullet fly through the Walker's belly. It flew over Shane's shoulder and into the neck of the Walker that had appeared behind Shane.

Shane flew to the side, head tilting wide to avoid the bullet, and he disappeared from sight. Another bullet flew, again through the body of the Walker Rick still held on top of him, and hit pay-dirt. The head of the Walker flew back, and its body fell backwards.

Daryl's head was shifting between where he knew Rick fell, to where Shane had fallen. Holding his crossbow in one hand, Daryl ran to where Rick was now struggling with the weight of the Walker that he'd pulled on top of him and used as a fucking silencer. Callie shook her head, watching through the binoculars as Daryl helped Rick toss the Walker off of him. Rick sat up, and lifted his hand to Daryl, wiggling all five of his fingers in the air.

She saw Daryl smile, a full smile-not his usual half smirk, and push out a hand grabbing Rick's forearm and helping him to his feet. Rick holstered his gun and put his hand to Daryl's shoulder smacking hard once, before heading towards where Shane had gone down.

Shifting her eyes, Callie watched as Shane sat up and set his head to the back of the car behind him, running his hand through his hair. Rick made his way around the car and crouched down by Shane, hand to his friend's shoulder. Daryl grabbed his arrow from the head of the Walker at his feet and wiped it on his pants. Slowly his eyes lifted, his squinted gaze hitting hers through the binoculars.

Callie stayed there for a few seconds, holding his gaze feeling the warmth of it slide over her and settle her frazzled nerves.

"Is everything alright?" Dale's concerned voice, startled her and caused her to lower the binoculars. She watched Daryl's figure head over to where Rick was helping Shane to his feet, and then turned to face Dale.

"Yeah," Callie said with a sigh, handing Dale back the binoculars. She ran her hand down her face, cupping it to her mouth for a moment.

"_We're clear_," Rick's voice sounded over the static-filled airwaves of the walkie in Dale's hand and the older man let out a sigh of relief. "_We're gonna do a sweep," _there was a pause as Rick no doubt took in a deep breath to steady his own nerves. "_Make sure there aren't any more. Keep everyone close until we radio." _

"Will do," Dale responded over the walkie before again clipping it back at his waistband. He turned to watch Callie head towards the ladder. "Callie," Dale's voice was concerned, and his brows furrowed as he watched her turn to face him. "What happened out there? With Shane? What did he do?"

Callie wet her bottom lip, and bit it just a little as she looked back at Dale. Waiting for her to answer. _It's what he didn't do,_ she thought as she shifted her eyes to where she could just make out the three figures working their way around the cars. Sweeping for more danger. She shifted her eyes back to Dale, his head tilted to the side just a bit as he waited for her to answer. But he didn't need her to say it, he already knew it.

"Nothing," Callie said rubbing at the back of her neck. "Just a close call, Dale. The important thing is that everyone is okay." Dale stared at her for a good long couple of seconds before slowly nodding his head.

"Yeah, of course," Dale said firming his lips as his gaze slid back to where the three men were doing a sweep for more Walkers. He nodded his head and met Callie's gaze. "Of course, you're right. That's all that matters right now."

Callie made her way down the ladder, and spread the word to the rest of the group. Dale, let his gaze linger on where her form had been standing for only a moment longer, before he returned it to where he could see the three men doing a sweep of the surrounding area. He lifted the binoculars to his eyes and settled his eyes upon the figure of Shane walking at Rick's side.

For now Dale figured Callie was right. All that mattered was that everyone was okay. But what if everyone hadn't been okay? Would what she'd seen matter then?

* * *

By the time Daryl, Rick and Shane walked back into their make-shift camp area in the parking lot of the gas station, all three of them looked like they hadn't showered in months. Not that very morning at the CDC. Daryl stopped at his truck, while Rick and Shane continued on. Tossing his crossbow into the open cab of his truck he scratched at the caked on dirt and sweat that covered his arms. His shirt was stickin' to his body, and he rolled his shoulders and pulled at the uncomfortable feeling of the fabric clinging to him.

Grimacing he ran his hand over his brow and down the one side of his face, before letting his gaze trail Rick and Shane. Rick looked the worst of them all. Covered in gore and guts and whatever else from holdin' that Walker on him. Usin' the fuckin' thing as a silencer while he took out the Walker that had snuck up on Shane. Daryl had to smirk at the memory of helping Rick to his feet after that.

He'd helped roll the Walker off of Rick, worried that the man had been bit, and breathing a sigh of relief when he found out he wasn't. Then he'd just been impressed. Fuckin' impressed by the imaginative use of a Walker as a silencer. Rick had laid there for a few seconds, breathing hard but unharmed, and Daryl had never felt so fuckin' relieved for the life of a cop. He'd looked down at Rick and smirked.

"Gonna start callin' you Deputy Bad-Ass," Daryl had mumbled, and Rick had let out a bit of a stilted chuckle.

"How about Rick," Rick responded and Daryl raised a humored brow. Then he'd gone and put up five wiggling fingers, addin' these two to the three he'd taken out in the convenience store, and Daryl had full of fuckin' smiled at the man.

"Quit your gloatin', Rick." Daryl said with a shake of his head. He'd reached down and pulled Rick to his feet then, and clapped him on the back. He couldn't help it. He really just couldn't fuckin' help it. Rick was fuckin' growin' on him. Just like all the rest of these idiots. Then Rick made his way over to Shane.

Shane. Daryl spat at the ground as he leaned back on the passenger seat of his truck, and stared out at the man. Watching him strippin' off his shirt, and preening like a fuckin' peacock or some shit for the ladies as he tossed a bottle of water over his head. Daryl had the urge to pick up his crossbow and send a bolt right into his ass.

And honestly, bastard was fuckin' lucky that he didn't do just that.

After they'd radioed that they were gonna do a perimeter sweep, Daryl had fallen into step with the two former Sheriff's. But his eyes kept gliding over to where Shane was walking. All friendly and smiley with Rick, when only moments before the fucker had hesitated. Hesitated more than just a bit, more than just the shocked kind of hesitation, and almost cost Rick his life.

When they'd decided to separate, Daryl had sauntered over towards Shane and nudged the man with his shoulder.

"Fuck happened back there?" Daryl asked, actin' like it didn't matter as he let his eyes roam around the cars. Shane had looked back at him, his tongue between his teeth as thought about his response.

"Hesitated," Shane said simply, spitting off to the side and staring at Daryl out of the corner of his eye.

"Hesitated," Daryl had repeated, nodding his head. Yeah, that's what he'd figured. "Good thing Rick didn't hesitate to take out the fucker sneakin' up on you." Shane stopped and Daryl kept walking, his eyes swinging around to meet the dark beady ones of Rick's _best friend_. "You gotta be feelin' all shades a lucky right now, huh?"

Daryl had walked away from Shane at that point, leaving the man to grumble in his wake. Let the fucker grumble. Shane called Rick his brother. You didn't fuckin' hesitate when you knew it was your brother's life.

Growling low, Daryl ran both hands down his sweaty dirt-encrusted face and felt his eyes drag unbidden towards the highway. And that fuckin' white box truck sitting a half hour back down the road. Biting at his thumbnail Daryl glared down the road, and then back to the group of people milling about their little campsite.

You didn't fuckin' hesitate when it was your brother's life.

Rolling his eyes, he grabbed angrily for a new shirt from the bag behind his truck's bench seat. Sliding his crossbow over his shoulder, he took his fuckin' new shirt and went to go find that old hand water-pump that he and Rick had spotted at the back of the convenience store. It worked, they'd checked. And he fuckin' needed to clean off some of this grime.

As he walked he averted his gaze from Shane who was wiping his disgusting shirt around the back of his neck. Still fuckin' shirtless. Rick was talking with Dale near the door to the RV while the women were again milling about in front of the station wagon. Well, all but two.

"Where she at?" Daryl grumbled shuffling his feet a bit as he nodded a hello to Dale. Rick rubbed at his tired face with one hand, before returning to unbuttoning his disgustingly stained Sheriff's shirt, his eyes squinting at Daryl.

"In the store," Rick said nodding his chin in the direction of the store. "She, Miles, Andrea, T-Dog and Glenn are working to clear out the Walker bodies, so that we can sleep some people inside." Daryl shook his head and shared a look with both Rick and Dale.

"Woman don't know the meanin' of takin' a break, does she?" Daryl grumbled, he jutted his chin towards the store. "I'm gonna go wash up. You comin'?"

"In a few," Rick said with a nod, his jaw clenching. His eyes slid back over to where Lori and Carl were sitting, his eyes narrowed to little slits. "Wanna check in first. You go." Rick turned towards Daryl then and smiled. "Remember, try not to kill one another."

"Oh, I ain't even poking that viper," Daryl said waving his hand as he walked. "I'm goin' round that obstacle." Rick laughed as he watched Daryl start his way around the building to where the hand pump was, instead of just going quickly through the building. Rick shook his head.

As he walked, Daryl let his eyes slip to the small group sitting in front of the station wagon. Carol was sitting with her little girl, talking quietly to Jenna. Gracie and Ben were sitting nearby both of them going through what looked like a huge pile of fuckin' batteries. Daryl's eyes lingered on Sophia, watching as the little girl scratched at the tiny little stitches angled along her right temple. Carol looked up at him then, and he averted his eyes and worked his way quickly behind the building.

He wished he would have been able to strip his fuckin' shirt off as soon as he got back like Shane. The fabric just felt heavy on him. But he hadn't ever been the type to pull off and go shirtless in front of people. Too many scars, that led to too many questions. Questions that he just didn't want to answer. He set his crossbow against the brick wall, draping his clean shirt over it, and slid the disgusting one off of his back and over his head. Pumping some water he doused his dirty shirt and used it to wipe off his arms, then moved it quickly down his chest.

Only person in the group that'd seen him without his shirt was Callie. His head perked up and he narrowed his eyes as he thought about that. No, that wasn't true. He'd stripped his shirt off and put it on Callie when Whitmore had stabbed her. He hadn't really been thinking clearly then, just wanted to stop the gush of blood from the woman. He'd walked right past the entire fuckin' camp like that. Eyes on him the whole time. Watching him. Looking at his scarred up back and torso. Questions burning in them eyes.

But no one had asked.

Don't poke the bear, Daryl figured, could easily be translated to 'Don't poke the Dixon' in this group. All these people was scared to death of him. Him and Merle. Too scared to really talk to them.

Everyone 'cept Callie and her kids. None of them had ever been afraid to say anything to him. Or fuckin' Merle. Shit, even he was afraid to say some shit to Merle. But not Callie. She was a different fuckin' breed.

Daryl pumped out more water onto his dirty shirt and then slapped it to the back of his neck, feeling the instant cooling relief over his sweating back as the water ran down. Tiny rivulets of water streamed over the taught muscles in his shoulders, down his chest, and over the each and every scar that littered his body before disappearing into the waistband of his now loose fitting cargo pants. His eyes caught on those scars and his mind went to the woman who'd recently run her fingers across them.

She hadn't asked. She'd seen, more closely than even fuckin' Merle had in years- shit Merle was so hopped up half the time he was pretty sure the man didn't even remember that Daryl had 'em. Yeah, she'd seen, she'd felt, but she hadn't asked. His mind wondered why, while his heart really didn't want to know the fuckin' answer.

Daryl doused the shirt one last time and rubbed it over his head, scrubbing at his face and his hair roughly. Relishing the feel of the water and being relatively clean. After one last scrub he grabbed up his clean shirt and put it on, not bothering to dry off any, 'cause fuck it, he knew he was just gonna get all sweaty again so what did it matter. Picking up his crossbow he shouldered it, and used his wet shirt to again wipe at his neck. Still feeling the dirt and grime of the day settling in his skin.

Walking back to the camp, his eyes again landed on the little form of Sophia. She was itchin' like mad at that little bit of stitches that Callie had put in her days upon days ago. Scratching at his neck, he stopped next to where Carol and the girl were sitting.

"You keep scratchin' your gonna pull 'em out," Daryl grumbled, his eyes averted to the ground as Carol and Sophia both looked up at him. Carol slipped her eyes to her daughter, watching the little girl slowly put her hand down to her lap. Sophia stared at her hands, and bit at her bottom lip.

Daryl took a deep breath, snuck his head back to where he could still hear Callie moving around in the convenience store, then took two more fuckin' deep breaths. Turning his gaze to Ben, he tossed his shirt at the kid's side.

"Little man," Daryl said loud enough to cause the kid to jump and spin around. "Go grab that medical kit that Callie's got and bring it over." Ben got to his feet and wiped his hands on his pants. "C'mon move your feet." Ben dashed towards the Hummer, and Daryl worked his eyes around camp a bit before settling them beside Carol. He flicked his gaze to her quickly, and bit at his thumbnail. "They need to come out."

"Oh," Carol said quietly in return, looking at Sophia with a bit of a sad frown. She pulled the girl closer and then looked around. "We can ask Callie, you don't have to bother-"

"Ain't no bother," Daryl grumbled, spitting to the side and locking his eyes with Carol. "Unless you don't want me to."

"No," Carol said quickly. "I mean," she looked at Sophia and then sighed. "We'd very much appreciate your help." Daryl grunted in response and he heard Jenna let out a bit of a chuckle, he sent her a scathing look and she put her hands up in the air in surrender before getting to her feet. She shared a look with Sophia and Carol then worked her way towards the store.

Daryl grabbed one of the coolers and started to drag it over in front of Sophia. The girl recoiled just a bit when Daryl plopped down and he stared hard at her almost healed up bruise and them stitches. Ben came back then, and settled the medical bag at Daryl's feet.

"You gonna watch?" Daryl asked the boy, who was staring at the three small stitches in wonderment. Ben bit at his bottom lip and finally nodded, earning a nod from Daryl. "Then you're helpin'. Grab me the little scissors."

Daryl worked in silence, snipping at the little bits of thread in the girl's brow. Trying to be gentle, and wincing himself every time he saw the girl flinch or pull away. He'd only grumbled 'stay still' once, and she'd listened. Better than Callie, who was a squirmin' mess. Then again, she'd probably had other things on her mind at the time. He knew he had.

As he snipped the last bit of thread and pulled it from Sophia's brow, the little girl bit at her lip. She looked at him, and as Ben handed him the prepackaged alcohol swabs from inside the medical bag, he could see a question burning on her lips.

"Spit it out, girl." Daryl said gruffly as he dabbed at her forehead.

"Am I gonna have a scar?" Sophia's tiny voice replied back, and Daryl looked down into her eyes for the first time since they had started.

"Yeah," Daryl said quietly, his eyes skipping away from hers. "But it'll be tiny." He dabbed at her cut once more then leaned back, catching her eye again before they both once again looked away. "My daddy cuffed me _real_ good once," he lifted his hand and indicated the general left side of his face, where a smattering of scars could be made out if you looked close enough. He felt the little girl's gaze land on his face, her eyes easily picking out the scars. Suddenly he felt very exposed, and he backed up just a bit. "That," he pointed to the small pink line on her forehead, his eyes on his knees, and his voice barely a whisper. "That ain't nothin'."

"Is your daddy dead, too?" Sophia asked quietly, and Daryl's eyes slipped to hers just as her own eyes went to her hands in her lap. She looked back up, and he caught her eye again.

"Yeah," he said quietly. "Long time now."

Sophia nodded her head. She didn't need to say it, he saw it in her eyes. _Good._ He bit at the inside of his cheek and then moved back. He could feel eyes on him, and when he looked up he saw Callie standing with Jenna at the door to that convenience store. He snarled at Jenna, who honest to fuckin' God, looked like she laughed in return. Callie looked like hell, all covered in sweat and gore, but that look on her face—shit. He wiped his hands along his pants and looked over at Ben.

"Thank you," Carol's quiet voice stopped him from what he was going to say, and he looked at her quick. Biting his thumbnail he stood up and let his eyes slide around the camp.

"Whatever," Daryl said, and again he looked to the doorway where that fuckin' woman was still givin' him eyes. Beside him Ben was putting away the stuff that they'd had out to fix up Sophia, his smiling face angled at Sophia and Carol while he worked. Daryl smacked his hand to the boy's shoulders and felt him flinch, and instantly Daryl's hand shot away.

That was the third time the boy had done that. First had been in the truck when they were driving away from the CDC, and Daryl had dragged him to his side. Second had been when the boy was snuggling up to him trying to will away the nightmares and get some sleep. Now this. Daryl looked down at the boy who was still putting shit away and pretending he hadn't flinched.

"Hey, Ben!" Callie called, and the boy looked up, squinting in the sunlight at the woman calling his name. Daryl watched her come forward, Jenna disappearing back into the store. She smiled at Carol and Sophia, and then held out a hand to Ben. "Come on, got a few things to finish up." She looked at Daryl and smiled slightly. "Heard from a good source that there's a water-pump out back."

"Yeah," Daryl ran his fingers through his still damp hair and watched as the boy got to his feet and made his way quickly to Callie. Daryl watched through squinted eyes as Callie put her hand to the boy's head, not his shoulders, and led him back towards the store.

He was tempted to follow behind, to squelch that horrible feeling that had landed like a brick in the pit of his stomach when he felt that boy flinch away from his touch. He was so tempted that his feet actually moved a few steps towards that store, where he could see Callie skirting around to the back of the building and the water-pump. But he stopped himself, his head shaking as he bent down and angrily grabbed his crossbow and wet fuckin' shirt from the ground.

He had other shit to do. Didn't need to be going out of his way to find out something that didn't fuckin' concern him. Kid wasn't his. Callie was obviously aware of something he wasn't… his eyes slipped back to the convenience store. And just as he was about to go in after the two of them and shake the answer out of the woman, because it _was_ his concern -that was _his_ fuckin' boy, Rick came up behind him.

"I want to talk to you," Rick said quietly, obviously trying not to get anyone else's attention. Daryl shifted his eyes to the still dirt-covered man, and furrowed his brow as Rick continued in a hushed tone. "I'm going with you."

* * *

"Okay," Callie said, crouching down and looking in Ben's eyes. "Let's see," she wiggled one finger at the boy indicating for him to take his shirt off. Ben wrinkled his face a bit in dismay, but at one more look from Callie he started to take off his little Braves t-shirt.

Callie wiped her hand down her face, and settled her other hand to her thigh to steady herself. She'd taken Ben around to the back of the building only minutes after she'd taken him away from Daryl. She felt the man's gaze on her when she'd been leading Ben around the building, and to be honest she was surprised he hadn't followed. But when she looked back just before turning the corner with Ben, she saw Rick with him.

Watched for a second as they talked. Or rather argued quietly, looking around so as not to drawn any attention to what they were talking about. Daryl's head had been shaking, and his eyes had been narrowed back down that stretch of highway. And she knew exactly what it was that the two men were discussing.

Callie shifted her eyes back to Ben, watching as the boy finally got the shirt over his head. She knew what to expect, but that really didn't make seeing it any easier. Ben was holding his shirt in front of him, his head down like he'd done something wrong. Callie firmed her lips and put her fingers to them, before shooting the boy a very small smile.

"Okay, buddy," Callie said quietly, getting Ben's eyes from the ground and on her. His shirt was off now, held tightly in his little hands. She could see the smattering of bruises around his collar bone, and it turned her stomach. "Turn around for me, let me take a look."

Ben lowered his head, and slowly turned, revealing his back to her. And finally she brought both hands to her mouth, to stifle the tiny sob that wanted to escape. Wetness stained her eyes as she looked upon Ben's shoulders.

Bruises. Angry purple-red bruises, some already yellowing around the edges scattered along the upper portion of his shoulders, and a bit up the back of his neck. It matched the finger-sized ones that littered his little collar bone. Callie stared at those bruises, and the boy's down turned head and felt the tear slip down her cheek. She took in a deep breath through her nose, and finally shook her head. Wiping the tear away, she put her fingers gently to the boy's shoulders.

He flinched, and she lifted them instantly.

"Sorry," Ben mumbled, and Callie reached out and put her hands gently to his bare upper arms. Turning the boy around, she pulled him to her chest, her hand resting at the back of his head holding him to her.

"I'm so sorry," Callie said, ignoring the boy's words. Ben wrapped his arms around her and she hugged him to her. "I'm so sorry."

"I told you, man. I don't need you to come," Daryl's gruff voice echoed around the area, and Callie felt Ben stiffen in her arms. She pulled the boy away, and started to help him into his shirt just as she heard Rick's voice and saw the men turn the corner.

"I know," Rick responded. "I need to come."

Callie was just pulling the shirt over Ben's face, the fabric pooling on his little bruised shoulders when she looked over his head to see both men at a standstill staring. She grimaced and shook her head, trying to will them not to say anything. But the look in Daryl's eyes when she met them, pretty much threw that out the window.

"The fuck happened?" Daryl growled his angry steps eating up the distance between him and the boy in seconds. He made to grab for Ben, but his hand shot back to his body and he stared down at him instead. Ben's head was bowed, embarrassment riding over his little form and Callie shook her head. Daryl crouched down, his eyes taking in the bruising along Ben's shoulders with an expression that Callie just couldn't read. Finally, his brow narrowed and he looked up at her for a fleeting second. "Did I do that?" Daryl said, in a voice that was angry and pained, and utterly dejected.

Ben's eyes shot open, as did Callie's. That had been the last thing she'd expected to hear him say. She looked at his face, because he was staring so harshly at the bruising that Ben was working to cover up and she couldn't get his eyes to meet hers. Daryl's hands were hovering over the back of the boy's body, face contorting as his eyes roved left and right, jaw clenching tight after the bruises were finally covered and Ben pulled his shirt down.

"No," Callie said shaking her head, waking herself from the stupor she been in. "God no, Daryl. That wasn't you. That was-"

"The bad man," Ben supplied, his head still hung low. Callie pulled him to her again, giving him a quick kiss to his head and then smiled widely at him.

"Ben," Callie said, her voice clear and as cheerful as she could make it. "Can you go back and check on Gracie for me. I need to talk to Rick and Daryl." Ben nodded his head and quickly walked past the still crouching Daryl and the staring Rick. Rick's eyes followed the small boy, his jaw clenched. Finally he returned his gaze to Callie, standing now and wiping her hands on her pants.

She looked up, caught Rick and then Daryl's gaze and instantly turned her back. Her hands pushed tightly to her eyes, and then slid down her face to cover her mouth. The feel of her bruises and the cut in her cheek and lip reminding her even further of what had happened to her and those boys only hours ago. Three deep breaths, then three more.

"Carl?" Rick's voice was shaking when it sounded, and Callie shook her head, her back still to him. "Do I need to check—"

"No," Callie turned then, her hand running up and pushing strands of her hair out of her face. "No, he didn't touch Carl." She shook her head at the ground before lifting her eyes to Rick. "Carl wasn't mine."

Daryl was still crouched on the ground, his hand fisted and his head shaking back and forth. She looked down at him, and immediately reached a hand down to touch him but he flinched away. He shook his head pushed angrily to his feet and began pacing around.

"What happened down there?" Rick asked, watching Daryl pace, sliding himself closer to Callie. Trying to offer support, or whatever she may have needed.

"A lot of shit happened down there," Callie said quietly, and Daryl finally turned to face her. Piercing blue eyes blazing a path right down to her fucking soul. "None of which I want to talk about right now."

"What happened to Ben?" Daryl growled not really caring what she wanted at the moment.

"Daryl," Callie pleaded, but he advanced on her and snarled in frustration and she sighed in defeat. "Santos manhandled Ben. Used him to control me, make sure I wouldn't fight—" she cut herself off and took a breath before continuing. "He grabbed him by his shoulders, held him so tight—" she took another breath. She really didn't want to talk about this. "Ben was trying so hard to be strong, and keep from crying. He was whimpering," she shook her head and again rand her hands over her head. She could feel the tears welling in her eyes. "The fucker forced Ben to stand and watch as Paul lay bleeding barely clinging to life. And I didn't do a damn-"

"You saved his life," Rick said immediately cutting her off, his hand settling on her arm. She looked up at him, and he firmed his lips to a straight line. "You saved his life."

"What he do to you?" Daryl said, the words cutting through his clenched teeth forcefully. He stepped forward, his teeth biting angrily at his lips and then the inside of his cheek. He stared right into her wet eyes, and she could see that his eyes were starting to well just a bit too. Anger, and fear, and all of that emotion just trying to find some outlet in the man.

"What you think happened," Callie started, her gaze slipping to Rick then back to Daryl. "Didn't." Both men let out a breath, but kept staring at her. "Not for lack of trying." Rick's head was shaking back and forth, and Daryl was growling again, hand raking through his hair angrily. She watched them for a few minutes, her own body wanting to shut down and fall. Daryl was breathing deep through his nose, his shoulders rising and falling heavily with the deep breaths he was taking.

"He's dead," Callie said finally. "No point in being angry now. I took care of it," both men looked at her and she turned her back and pumped out some water into her hands. Splashing her face and arms she felt their gazes on her back. Smiling tightly she stood up and turned to face them. She needed to get her mind on things that actually mattered. "We have more important things to talk about," she shifted her eyes to Daryl, watching the man's brow raise in confusion. "When are we leaving?"

* * *

"You can't be serious," Lori's voice was utterly dejected and honest to God pissed off when she uttered those words to Rick moments later. Callie shifted her butt against the front bumper of the Hummer and crossed her arms over her chest, watching as Rick was yet again berated for wanting to leave.

The round and round conversation going strong and raking on her last nerve. Callie shifted her eyes to Daryl. He was leaning against his truck, one foot propped up on the door behind him. Arms that seemed much larger than she remembered crossed tightly over his chest. He caught her eye and then rolled his as they listened to Rick get a verbal beat down. Again.

"Merle Dixon," Shane seethed, his eyes skimming over to where Daryl was now glowering at him from his position near his truck. "Merle fucking Dixon. Again?"

"Rick—"Lori began but Rick raised a hand.

"We're not going after him," Rick said quietly his eyes boring into his wife's, pleading with her to understand. "Just checking it out."

Lori's jaw clenched and her eyes widened sliding from Rick, to Daryl and then to Callie.

Callie turned her back on the woman and her scathing looks and grabbed a clean shirt. She stripped off the dirty one tossing it to the back seat of the Hummer, and then let the wonderful feel of the clean fabric of her new shirt sooth her a bit. But it really didn't help. Honest to fucking God she was gonna slap that woman pretty soon.

"You're really gonna do this?" Shane was saying, and Callie turned just a bit to look over her shoulder. "You're really gonna head off and chase after a fuckin' ghost. A fuckin' methed-out son of a bitch," Shane was shaking his head and throwing his arms around. He stopped then, turned on a heel and put a finger to Rick's fresh clean t-shirt. "You got to get your priorities straight man. Do I need to remind you what happened last time! Fuck Rick! What are you thinking? Going out after Merle Dixon."

"I'm thinking that I'm not letting Daryl go alone," Rick said angrily, pushing Shane's hand away. Shane stalked off again and began pacing, and Rick let his eyes slide over the people in the group. All a bit on edge now thanks to Shane. Callie shook her head and watched Rick slide his hands over his head, before turning her attention to her backpack. She shoved a few bottles of water in and her extra clips, listening to Rick continue. "Half hour there, and hour looking, and half hour back. Two hours, not three days, people."

Callie nodded her head, hoping it would be that easy. She zipped up her bag and settled her fingers around the straps. Rick and Daryl had put up a valiant fight with her back at that water-pump. Just like they had when they told her to sit out of clearing the store, or going out to take on the Walkers on the perimeter of their little set-up. But in the end she'd won, with one simple statement.

"Boys," Callie had said smiling, hands in her back pockets as she rocked back on her heels. "Either you let me come with you now, or I follow behind in the Hummer. Choice is yours." Rick and Daryl had both stared at her, trying to figure out what to say. But there wasn't anything. They knew she was serious. Knew they didn't really have any other choice.

They weren't letting Daryl go alone. Not after all they'd been through before.

"Honest to God!" Shane yelled again, apparently utterly angered by the calm tone of Rick's voice. And the fact that Rick was winning the crowd over. "You got your head up your ass if you think that is gonna matter. What about when we get fuckin' over run again in those two fuckin' hours, Rick. What—"

"Hey!" A new gravely voice entered the equation and Callie spun on her heel. "Got a fuckin' injured man tryin' to sleep in here, and all you do is yack, yack, yack." Danny was teetering in the doorway of the RV, deathly pale and squinting hard in the sunlight. He was in only his boxers, his left leg a mass of bloody bandages at his thigh, with small trails of blood running down his calf to his bare foot. His left arm was plastered over his abdomen, where you could see the blood seeping through the bandages there. All of his weight was balanced on his right leg, which Callie could see buckling as he teetered a bit more.

"Miles!" Callie yelled out as her feet started moving. She didn't really need to, the boy had jumped to his feet the second he heard Danny's voice. Miles and Glenn made it to Danny just before he fell forward, their hands catching him and pulling him up from the ground.

"Thanks," Danny muttered with a grin as he looked up at Glenn and Miles. Callie skidded to a stop, Daryl at her side his hand settled at the back of her jeans holding her from moving forward. 'They got him,' was muttered in a gravely voice, and she looked over her shoulder at him.

"We woke you, huh?" Glenn said with a bit of a smile at his friend.

"Yeah, G-man. Stupidity is one of those things you can't ignore for long," Danny said with a tight smirk at his buddy. "Especially when it's fuckin' yelled and screamed." He looked at Shane and lifted a very heavy finger. "Stop pulling that shit. What happened at the Quarry-" Danny winced and slumped forward and practically everyone moved a step closer, but were stopped by Danny raising his head again. "Blaming Rick, or anyone else for that shit, is like blaming the weatherman for the rain. We all knew it was comin' sooner or later, we knew it wasn't safe. Nowhere is for long. You can't lay that on one man's shoulders."

Danny pitched forward and Dale put his hand to Danny's chest, while Glenn and Miles shifted him in their arms. A low pain-filled growl escaped Danny and Callie again felt the tug at the back of her pants, stopping her from moving forward. Daryl's hand skirted out and around her hip and her back was pulled flush to his chest.

"They got him," again grumbled low against her ear followed by "He's okay. You don't have to carry them all." Callie looked back at Daryl, who averted his eyes and looked forward at Danny. "Not anymore," was mumbled low at the back of her neck, Daryl's eyes still on Danny and the rest.

"You should go back and lay down," Dale said quietly to Danny, his hand still at his chest. Danny shot him a look, and a smile and Dale couldn't help but smile back. Deathly pale, bleeding and in pain and Danny was still smiling.

"Yeah," Danny said nodding his head and looking up at Dale. "Got a fuckin' headache." Dale couldn't help but smile just a bit at the little inside joke they shared, as he patted Danny on the shoulder. Danny closed his eyes tight and shook his head. "Y'all done yellin' now?"

"Yeah," Rick said, firming his lips and nodding his head. Danny looked up and caught his eye. "Thanks," Rick said and Danny nodded once before letting Dale, Glenn and Miles practically carry him back into the RV. Rick adjusted his gun in its holster and walked off towards Daryl's truck, leaving the rest of the group to follow his retreating form with slightly shocked eyes. Callie and Daryl watched Rick stop, and drag his hand through his hair, before turning back to face them. "You comin' or am I goin' alone?"

"Deputy Bad-ass," Daryl mumbled and Callie raised a brow as he slipped his hand around her hip and turned her towards Rick and his truck. He looked down at her, and smirked. "You're sittin' bitch."

_It's a hard, and it's a rough road_

_It's a hard, and it's a rough road_

_It's a long, long ways to go_

_Till you lay down your heavy load_

_You will walk it all alone,_

_You will walk it all alone_

_None will save your weary soul_

_Till you lay down your heavy load._

_~Till You Lay Down Your Heavy Load/ Eilen Jewell_

_AN: Ladies… I gave you the closest thing I could manage to a damn Daryl Dixon shower scene at this point. Can I get a little love for that? So, Rick, Daryl and Callie are heading to go check out the abandoned box truck, Shane's got all sorts of shit going on, and Danny –that loveable son of a bitch- finally decided to wake his ass up. Should make for an interesting next chapter, huh?_

_And just to sum up the reviews from last chapter, I have learned this: The hate, she is STRONG for Lori _

_Without further ado:_

_To my anonymous Guest: That was fun! Booyah! She did get told! Thanks for the review._

_LadyLecter47: So glad you liked the chapter, and the kids sticking up for Callie. One of my favorite lines to write was when Jenna said "And you all call us children." Miles and Shane… yeah, that was awesome too. Glad you enjoyed it, and hope this one didn't disappoint. Thanks!_

_Alessandra: Sorry! At least I didn't keep you waiting for too long though, right? My goal of that chapter was to really get to a point with both Lori and Shane's characters that would build on things that are going to happen throughout. Seeing people's reactions – like yours- makes me so happy, and thinking that I'm doing my job. Thank you so much for your review, I appreciate it! _

_AlabastR: Yes, Suck it! Shane's still a dick, and probably more so now, and Lori….well, yeah she can kind of suck it still too. But! Hopefully you're not as worried about Danny! So yay there! Thanks for reviewing!_

_Emberka-2012: Good point! I think maybe Lori is having a bit of trouble adjusting to life and possibly connecting to a woman who isn't a house-wife… Someone does need to teach her how to deal with people, and maybe it will have to be Callie. Rick and Daryl, yeah that's one of my favorite things to write right now, and the little 'how many Walkers I killed' thing is just a way for them to break the tension and keep their heads. Zen you know. Thanks for the review. _

_Rednecks 'n Angels: Gonna do both your reviews here. I think Daryl's boys will be okay. Glenn's life, pretty sure he's gonna be holding on to that, though I would possibly worry for his boys once Daryl gets a load of him and Maggie… just saying. Daryl is gonna be fun in this Season. I think it really explored his character, which gives me a lot to work with, and I'm trying to work slowly, and keep it real. As for Shane being a dick, well I think he's seeing Rick go to Callie and Daryl a bit more for help, and depending on them more than him and it's starting to eat at him…and he's just flipping a bit you know. I'm so glad that you like the way that Daryl and Rick are clicking… I really like exploring that, and honestly I was smiling when I wrote that little exchange 'Have we fuckin' met?' -it's good to know other people enjoyed it too. 5 Including Danny-that made me laugh and the nod, because that is exactly as Callie sees it. And Lori, well that was the exact reaction I was hoping to get out of my readers when I wrote that exchange so… AWESOME! Glad you like how it's going. I'm so flattered that this would be your Favorite 'Favorite' Story, that means so much to me. Thanks for reviewing, and being so damned good at it! _

_Bettybuzzkill: I think this is your first review to my story, so first let me say thank you and welcome to the story! I love that you referred to it as having a 'torrid love affair' with my story. That was perfect. I'm so glad that everyone seems to be in love with all of the characters that I've created. For a while I thought I had bit off a bit more than I could chew with them (Oooo pun not intended but I love that it just happened). Thank you so much for your review! _

_AngieInWonderland: Welcome to Season 2 ! Girl, you and your reviews. Let me count the ways I love getting them. Danny's cauterization scene was something I was actually really proud of, and you're right, it did shake up Daryl a lot more than he's letting on. But it's Daryl, so if he'll ever really come out and say it is left up to the Gods. The Daryl /Callie scene was actually the first one I outlined for this story, and boy did it turn out! I'm glad you liked it, and that you are enjoying the way that Daryl's character is developing. He's obviously not Daryl from the TV series, he's MY Daryl, and I'm trying to be as true to my Daryl as I can possibly be. Lori and Shane, my two antagonists for the first part of this. They are both just so eaten up by guilt that they are projecting things everywhere….seeing things that simply don't exist. Lori's scene by Danny's bedside was actually another one that I was super proud of. Having Jenner whisper to Lori as she was leaving the CDC was something that was such a small snippet in the last story, that I think a lot of people may have missed it. So I wanted to make sure to bring it to the forefront. The woman's going through so much right now, and yeah, she's just a plain bitch to Callie. But sadly we know it will come back on her… we'll just have to see how that all plays out. Your rant was awesome, and exactly what I was feeling when I wrote that scene. So it was very appreciated to hear that someone else feels that way about Callie and her mothering skills. Jenna and Miles are growing up, and they're going to have to grow up a lot more in the coming chapters (no spoilers for you so I'll leave it at that). I promise a good bit of your questions will be answered…SOON! Thanks for the review! _

_Elianna Silvertread: Thank you so much for taking the time to review! I'm so glad that you are liking the story. The kids, oh the kids… (no spoilers for you ) As for the doc and Maggie, yep..i will be having the crew at the farm, so you can expect to see them._

_To all the people who have put this on their alerts, and favorites a huge THANK YOU. Let me know how you're liking things! I'd love to hear from you. _

_See you next chapter!_


	4. Simple Man

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_Hi! So we're three chapters in and already at 20+ reviews. Thank you all so much for the love! _

_So, we've got Callie, Rick and Daryl on the road to the box truck to find out what it have to offer…and the rest of the crew anxiously waiting at the gas station… and a bit of singing Enjoy!_

_As always, read, review and most of all enjoy!_

_~SWW_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Chapter 4: Simple Man**

Callie was in fact 'sitting bitch' in the bench seat of Daryl's truck.

A fact that on a normal day would have had her more than a little pissed. Especially with the oppressive heat of the late summer day, and the piss-poor job that the open windows did to alleviate said heat. But instead of pissed off, she found herself comfortable. Her shoulders sagged just a bit, as the weight of the day seemed to lift off of her tired muscles. She closed her eyes, and let out a long held sigh as she let her head settle back on the seat behind her.

They'd only just started out, and they had a good bit of driving to go. Probably twenty minutes, give or take. As long as they didn't run into any unwanted trouble. Another sigh, and she rolled her head along the back of that seat. Taking in a deep breath of Daryl – a smell that seemed to permeate the entire cab of the truck- and once again settled her back against the worn seat behind her.

Even though Rick had been more than eager to get away after the argument that had ensued upon them telling everyone where they were going, they hadn't gone right away. He'd walked away, quipped some wiseass remark about going alone, and then stalked over to the truck. When Daryl and Callie had got there though, Rick grimaced, and paced. And finally his good-natured spirit won out and he turned back to his family.

Daryl and Callie had settled along the side of his truck watching. Daryl shaking his head, grumbling something about Deputy Bad-ass needing to get his shit together and re-grow his fuckin' balls. Callie had slapped him on the chest at that point, and shook her head. They watched Rick get to his knees in front of Carl and hold the boy by his shoulders, explaining to his son why he was going, why it was important. And in that moment Callie had felt very, very guilty.

Her eyes had slipped over the form of Jenna standing near the door to the RV talking with Andrea. The girl slipped her eyes over her shoulder, red hair shining in the sun, and smiled at her. At that point Miles had stuck his head out the RV door and flicked a hand at her in mock salute, a big ass grin on his face, before turning his attention to Jenna and Andrea. Thoughts of Danny laying in that RV, in pain and probably more worried about her than he had let on, had her biting at her lip. Beside her Daryl had shifted on his feet, his arms again crossing over his chest.

Strong arms, with muscles tightly coiled against the unease that she felt in his stiff stance beside her, barely brushed against her own arm. She shifted her eyes to him quickly, then followed his eyes to the tiny forms of Ben and Gracie sitting with T-Dog, Carol and Sophia. Looking back to Daryl, she saw him biting at that dirty thumbnail of his. He must have felt her gaze, because in the next moment he was snatching his hand away from his mouth and pushing away from the truck. He skulked around the front bumper to the driver's side door and threw himself inside.

Shaking her head at him, Callie had tossed her backpack into the empty bed of his truck and opened the passenger door. Daryl didn't look up at her, just fixed his gaze to his hands on the steering wheel. And he'd kept them there as she and the newly returned Rick slid into the cab.

No words had been spoke between the trio as they drove out of the little parking lot and slipped back onto the highway.

The ten minutes of silence had helped to calm Callie's nerves to the point of utter relaxation. But that welcoming silence wasn't the only thing that settled her nerves. The power and strength of the protective cocoon she found herself in, nestled between two men that she trusted so implicitly with her life, that had really been the thing she needed. Especially after the way this day had started out.

Callie's head lolled back a bit, and she felt a slight jerk under her bruised cheek. Warm skin pressed to warm skin again, she smiled and rubbed her cheek a bit against it. Lost in that feeling for a minute.

"You bitch an' moan 'bout comin' along and then you decide it's alright to take a fuckin' siesta? Women." Daryl's mock-exasperated voice startled Callie's eyes open and slowly she lifted her head. His eyes were on the road but slipped to her, a bit of a smirk on his lips. He jerked his shoulder again and she lifted her head the rest of the way, her lips just barely dragging on his shoulder. And she felt him shudder just a bit and then watched him squirm and jerk her away with his shoulder. "Can't fuckin' drive with you rubbin' all up on me, girl. It's too damn hot."

At her left she heard a low chuckle and she rubbed at her face with one hand while the other flipped off the man smirking at her in the driver's seat.

"Fuck you," Callie grumbled, pushing her palm tight to her eyes. She winced slightly as she pushed against her bruised cheek and felt Daryl's eyes slide to her again. She actively ignored him, and scratched at the cut on her cheek while turning to face Rick. "How long was I out?"

"He lasted a whole fifteen minutes or so with you '_rubbin' all up on him'_," Rick quipped earning a growled 'fuck both y'all' from their driver. "We're almost there," Rick said sliding his humored glance from the side of Daryl's face and jutting his chin toward the windshield.

Callie's gaze slipped forward seeing the white box truck coming into view. A small smile cracked her lips, and she slid her gaze again to Daryl. His hands tightened on the wheel a bit, as he no doubt felt her looking at him. She smiled, and his eyes dipped to her. She mouthed 'thank you' to him, realizing only now that he'd let her fall asleep and stay asleep on his shoulder for pretty much the entire drive. His lip twitched, nose scrunching as he looked at her. She thought she heard him mumble something about 'giving him eyes' and 'not needin' to be worryin' bout that shit right now'. But his words were so jumbled and low that she wasn't sure he said them at all.

Rick was sitting forward, apparently unaware that Daryl was even so much as grumbling anything. His eyes were squinted at the white box truck as Daryl pulled his truck off to the side of the road and put it in park.

"It looks abandoned," Rick said opening his door, and sliding out slowly. His eyes scanned the area quickly, a hand up holding off Callie from exiting. Daryl grabbed his keys, and opened his door eyes also scanning as he blocked her from exiting on his side.

"Oh for fuck's sake," Callie swung her feet up and kicked playfully at Rick as he moved back out of her way. "Move it, Rick." She settled to the ground, wagging a finger at the man as he lifted his hands in surrender but still continued to watch for unwelcome visitors. "You both need to stop acting like jackasses, or so help me God I'm gonna shoot you both."

Grabbing her backpack out of the bed of the truck she caught Daryl's eye as he grabbed his crossbow. He shook his head at her and she merely raised a brow, daring him to comment. Slinging her backpack over her left shoulder out of habit, she winced and immediately regretted it.

"Not a word," Callie muttered as she passed Rick, and his worried fucking expression. "Not one single word." She slipped past him, leaving him to listen as Daryl muttered something to him, and started making her way towards the box truck.

Anger at the two men was propelling her forward, but the closer she got to that abandoned truck the slower her steps got. Her feet slipped in the slightly wet grass, and a familiar warm hand settled around her upper arm keeping her from falling completely. She looked over her shoulder, expecting some wiseass remark, but her own agitation and flippant remark died on her lips at the look on Daryl's face. He was staring at the ground where her feet had slipped, and his hand had tightened to an almost painful degree. Callie looked down and choked back her gasp of alarm, her feet backpedalling just a bit, causing Daryl to move with her.

Blood.

A whole lot of fucking blood.

The dry yellowed grass below her boots was saturated in it. A nice little trail, that lead right to that little, now fucking really ominous, white truck. Callie's eyes were stuck on the sight of her boots, and then the smell hit her like a ton of bricks and she closed her eyes. She felt Rick move slowly and carefully past her, his arm just barely brushing hers, causing her to open her eyes.

"You good?" Rick asked, his eyes sliding behind him to where Callie and Daryl still stood.

Daryl's thumb moved along the inside of Callie's arm, his hold on her loosening just a bit to allow him that small comforting gesture. She didn't look at him, didn't want to see whatever emotions were playing on his face. Instead she simply nodded, and pulled her gun taking a few unsteady steps through the blood covered grass.

"Not in the slightest," Callie said letting out a long heavy sigh, Daryl's hand slipped slowly from her arm and settled in the it's familiar spot at belt loop of her jeans. A single finger snaked in and pulled her slightly back to him, making sure she didn't fall on her ass in the blood. Callie's eyes slipped up to where Rick was now standing and she shook her head again.

"It's coming from inside," Rick let his gaze fall from where blood was dripping from the small crack beneath the sliding door and pooling on the ground. Daryl's finger slipped out of her belt loop as he moved past her to stand at the back of the truck with Rick.

"Of course it is," Callie said with a grimace of dismay as she ran her hand over her face and head. She side-stepped and moved around where Rick was standing, heading to the passenger side wheel base. Rick's hand shot out, but she moved out of his grasp. Laying her backpack on the ground she unzipped it and pulled two flashlights. Keeping one she handed the other to Rick.

She flicked on her flashlight and put her knees to the ground, taking three deep breaths before bending down and putting her eyes and light to the underneath of the truck.

"Callie," Rick was at her back, his hand pulling on her as she ducked down and swept the dark undercarriage of the truck. Clear. She came back up, one hand stained by the blood and muck that seemed to have seeped out of the truck and pooled below the truck as well. He pulled her up to her feet, his head shaking as he did it.

"Look," Callie said flicking off her flashlight and wiping her hand on her jeans. "Danny and I traveled a hell of a long time on the road before we hit the camp at the Quarry," her eyes flicked to Daryl who had hopped up the blood-slicked stairs at the side of the truck and was waiting to open the door. He looked at her, his crossbow held tight in one hand while the other was gripping the gore covered leather strap that would lift the door. "I've had more opportunity to learn what to check for out on the road than either of you. So if you'd both drop the fuckin' macho bullshit and let me help out, I'd really appreciate that."

"C'mon then GI Jane," Daryl said with a smirk. "Get your ass ready, 'cause I'm 'bout to open this fucker."

Rick shook his head and just couldn't stop himself from keeping his hand to her arm as she worked her way through the blood and muck. She shook her head and smiled just a bit as they settled at the back of the truck. Flashlights on, and guns ready, Rick gave Daryl a nod. Daryl let out a rough groan and pulled at the strap, his arm muscles bunching at the weight and his body hanging precariously from the rung of the tiny little ladder he was perched on. He tugged one more time, and the door started to squeak open. The stench of whatever was inside hit Callie and Rick like a ton of bricks and both of them were working to bring fresh air in through their mouths.

A guttural groan escaped Daryl's mouth as he tugged one last time and the door flew up in a rattling commotion, that Callie was sure would attract anything and everything in a ten mile radius. He jumped down in the next second and was at Callie side in as much time as it took her to let out a ragged breath. Their flashlights illuminated the dark interior of the box truck, and they all grimaced at the sight inside.

Carcasses hung from rope strung across the width of the cargo area. At least four rows of assorted dead animals, gutted, bleeding and festering. On the floor lay two dead deer. And one fucking Walker gnawing on the innards of a third. The Walker looked up at them as their flashlight beams swept over its kneeling form, and Callie's breath held as she took in the very familiar black leather vest.

There was a single beat of complete and utter silence as the three of them stared at the Walker in the truck. It's undead face covered in blood, entrails and what-not hanging from its mouth as it growled low and vehemently at them. The Walker's hands fell, and it's body began to move slowly toward them.

The thwang of Daryl's crossbow startled her, and an arrow pierced the head of the Walker in the next second. Callie's mouth was agape as both Rick and Daryl moved forward, the beam of light she was holding started to shake as her hand trembled. Finally she let out a shuddering breath and finally brought the back of her gun hand to her mouth. She watched in stunned disbelief as Daryl and Rick both hopped up into the back of the truck and towards the downed Walker.

"It ain't Merle," Daryl's voice was clipped, and dare she say relieved, as he kicked out and knocked the Walker's prone body from the deer carcass where it landed. He looked out the back of the truck at her, his eyes squinting as they hit off the light of her flashlight. She clenched her jaw and shook her head, letting her gun hand fall from her mouth. "But he's got his fuckin' vest."

"Yeah," Callie said nodding her head and finally willing herself to take a few steps closer. "I noticed that." Daryl's eyes again flicked from the Walker to her, and he nodded his head once. "Lanky Hank said that Merle had found himself some friends." Callie continued as Daryl's jaw clenched tight. "Guess this might be one of 'em."

Rick was kneeling down on the other side of the dead deer, his eyes on the Walker as he ran the back of his own hand over his grimacing mouth. He looked up and watched as Daryl again kicked at the Walker, getting the thing onto its back. Daryl looked at Rick, and without so much as a word Rick lit up the face and body of the Walker.

It wasn't Merle, but it could have been—at least a much younger version. This was a kid, maybe a bit older than Miles, close to Glenn's age. Shaved head, white wife beater, that fucking black leather vest. The only thing that made them completely sure that it wasn't, were the two bloody hands laying at the Walker's side. Daryl nodded his head, and Rick slipped the beam of light up from the Walker and joined Callie's as it roamed the inside of the truck.

"Merle made himself a butcher truck," Daryl said, getting to his feet. His nose scrunched just a bit as he used his crossbow to move a few of the smaller animal bodies out of his way as he walked. "He gutted 'em here, locked 'em in to keep from attractin' attention. Fuckin' genius." Daryl said with a bit of a smirk as he let the body of the dead bunny swing.

"Yeah, well," Callie said with a grimace as she slowly stepped behind where Rick was slowly getting to his feet. "Merle's intelligence was never in question," Callie continued as she worked her way towards the cab of the truck. "Just how he chose to apply it." Daryl snorted out a sound of agreement and watched her as she gingerly sidestepped one of the dead deer on the ground.

"Was he living here?" Rick asked his face scrunching as his boots slid and squished in the blood and guts on the ground.

"Nah," Daryl said looking around. "Wouldn't a stayed here with this much fuckin' blood. Meat's been stripped from most of 'em." Daryl again put the tip of his crossbow to a carcass.

"How long ago would you say these things were killed?" Rick asked, finally giving in and covering his mouth with his hand as he slowly stepped over the body of the Walker and towards where Daryl was. He watched the man's eyes slip over the dead animals, and stepped out of the way as Daryl went to kneel by the dead deer that the Walker had been tearing into.

"Couple days, if I had to guess," Daryl said quietly. He toed at the body of the deer and bent down to give it a good sniff. Rick shook his head and let out a rough sigh as he watched Daryl get a bit closer, elbowing one of the legs so that he could see the animal better. "Maybe four. Most these things are festering and rotting, but this one-" he stood up and toed it with his boot. "This one was fresh enough to keep buddy boy here busy." He looked at where Callie was slipping into the cab of the truck. "There's still a lot of meat on it too, so Merle musta left in a hurry."

Callie let out a sigh as she stepped over a very disgusting pile of what she figured was excrement from something, and slid herself towards the driver's seat. Blood covered the entire seat and squelched the idea of sitting. Instead she slipped her gaze down and saw the keys sitting idly in the ignition. Her gaze went up to the wooded area beyond, and she squinted at the darkness of those woods. Slipping her flashlight into her back pocket, and feeling her pants sag just that little bit of uncomfortable on her hips, she set her hand to the keys. Turning them back and juicing the battery, but not the engine, she let the headlights illuminate the darkened woods.

"Hey guys," Callie called back over her shoulder, her head turned, just as a familiar warm hand slipped around the now exposed small of her back and settled on her hip. Daryl leaned over her, his eyes looking at the seat covered in blood, his front pressing quite distractingly into her backside. But it wasn't sexual, it was supportive, his hand squeezing and holding her close as he looked out the windshield. Daryl was squinting ahead his jaw clenching, as Rick's upper half slid into her periphery. Callie watched Rick's eyes narrow on what she'd just illuminated, and she let her own eyes slide forward. "I'm no expert, but those looks like tire tracks."

* * *

"You're a stupid, stubborn, son of a bitch," Andrea's voice was filled with anger, and the expression on her face could best be described as livid. And Danny couldn't help but switch on his hundred-watt smile and admire her as she settled herself inside the doorway to the small back room of the RV.

"Well, hello to you too, sunshine." Danny said back, his voice still hoarse. His head swam just a bit as he worked to sit up a bit more on the pillows that Glenn and Miles had settled behind him. He winced and let his head fall back just a bit at the pain that shot from the still openly bleeding wound in his side. He placed his hand over the wad of bandages that had been stuffed on the wound and worked his way slowly upwards in the small bed.

Andrea's eyes took in his discomfort, and he watched amusedly as he saw the anger flicker away to concern. And he damn near chuckled when the concern quickly reverted to anger as she got closer. And finally she was back to being fuckin' livid by the time her hands gently settled at his upper right arm and helped him to the somewhat sitting position that he was working towards.

"You're an asshole," Andrea muttered her head shaking, but her hands still gently helping him to settle back against the pillows.

With the doorway clear now, Danny's gaze slipped up to see Glenn shoving a highly amused Miles out the door of the RV. He distinctly heard Miles saying 'Oh come on, you know you wanna watch this show. It's like a fuckin' train wreck'. Danny smiled, and shook his head, another sharp pain tangling through his midsection and down into his entire left leg. He let out another harsh groan and then shifted his eyes to the beautiful, livid woman sitting on the stool next to his beside.

"Been called that a lot in my life," Danny said watching as Andrea finally lifted her hand from his arm and ran her fingers through her long blonde locks. Her eyes were fixed on the bloody bandages, and he made a very painful move to pull the thin top blanket over them. Blocking them from her view. "For good reasons, and reasons I'll never really be able to understand. Unfortunately for you this is one of them 'not understandable' times. So I'm gonna have to ask," He smiled at her as her eyes lifted from his now covered, mangled body. "What the fuck did I do now?"

"Dale told me that you're refusing to take the pain meds," Andrea scowled at him, her voice tight and clipped and just plain tired. She looked at him, stared at him and was desperately trying to understand what was going on in his head. And Danny couldn't help but smile at her, and reach out his right hand to her. She flinched away, and shook her head. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Glutton for punishment?" Danny quipped, a bit of a smirk before a harsh dizziness had his head spinning and his hand falling back to the mattress. His fingers dug into the sheets, and he pressed his head tight to the pillows behind him. "Sonofabitch!" the mingled words of his explicative had Andrea grimacing and sitting forward just a bit, her hands flying out to try and help.

Her hands fell helplessly to her knees, and she squeezed tightly as she shook her head at the obviously in pain man laying before her. When Dale had come out of the RV after helping to lay Danny back down, he looked so utterly lost. Angry, and defeated. And defeated just wasn't a look she was used to seeing on Dale. The man was good at getting people to see things his way. He was calm, but passionate, and utterly truthful when explaining the pros and cons of any situation.

So to see him looking like he'd just tried to talk a man off a ledge, and failed, was disconcerting to say the least. When Andrea had approached the older man, he had shook his head and directed her somewhere private. Wringing his bucket hat in his hands, and running his hand along his bald head he shook his head and looked at her with those wide unbelieving eyes.

"He won't take them," Dale said his head continuing to shake as he threw one hand up in the air in astonishment. "He's in pain, Andrea. It's wracking his body with each little twitch, and it's like he just doesn't care." Dale spread his fingers of his raised hand wide and again lifted it to the air, as if he could reach out and grab the answer that was alluding him. "I don't understand."

"What did he say?" Andrea asked, her eyes sliding back to the RV. She spotted Miles cleaning off the aluminum crutch that he'd found earlier, wiping the sweat away from his brow with the back of his cast.

"Ain't gonna happen, Dale." Dale said in his best effort to mimic Danny's recognizable tone. Andrea's eyes drifted back to Dale and watched as he put his hat back to his head, his wide eyes staring at her as his head moved back and forth. "He just kept repeating it. Through every wince and painful movement. Just kept saying, 'ain't gonna happen, Dale,' and then smiling like he was fine."

"Have you asked Miles?" Andrea said once again shifting her attention to the kid, watching as he got to his feet and headed back into the RV.

"Yes," Dale said with a humorless smile, Andrea turned to look at the older man. "I was told, rather succinctly, that it was 'Danny's fucking choice'." Dale raised a brow at Andrea who looked just as shocked as Dale had been by Miles' language towards the older man. They both knew that Miles had pretty much adopted Danny's colorful vocabulary and attitude, but there had always been a bit of respect when it came to talking to Dale. Respect from both Danny and Miles, that for some reason seemed to be a bit unhinged right now. "I think we may need a bit of leverage in the form of Callie to get him to see reason."

Dale had looked at her for a moment, and then out to where Daryl's truck had disappeared nearly a half an hour ago. She nodded her head a bit in agreement, not really wanting to admit it, but understanding nonetheless. There was a very deep bond between Callie and Danny. Nothing romantic, at least nothing that Andrea could ever remember seeing. But a bond that ran deeper than that, if possible.

Too many months of depending on one another. Of risking their lives to save these kids that they'd adopted. Too many shared secrets between them.

Andrea's eyes had skimmed back to the RV, and she shook her own head. While Callie and Danny may have had a bond that ran deep, she and Danny had one too. It was his damn fault that she was here after all. He owed her.

"I'll go talk to him," Andrea said at that point, and Dale had nodded watching her go.

When she'd entered the RV, she'd cast her gaze instantly on Glenn and Miles who were working to keep the pain-riddled man smiling and as comfortable as they could. Glenn had looked up and with wide eyes started to practically drag Miles away. Andrea huffed just a bit before catching her reflection in the small mirror nearby.

_If looks could kill_, she'd thought, as she tried to control the degree of her temper. By the time Glenn was scooting past her tugging on the reluctant and wisecracking Miles, Andrea had thought she had cooled herself down. And she had, until the dumbass had opened his mouth.

"Danny," Andrea said, watching as Danny struggled to breathe through the obvious discomfort of his wounds. She let out a breath and leaned forward just a bit. "Why the sudden need to prove your how much of a man you are? Take the damn pills."

"Honey, if I was trying to prove what a man I was, we'd be naked." Danny quipped, eyes closed and head pressed back into the pillows behind him as he worked to steady his breathing. He peeked one eye open at her, and she honestly couldn't help but smile just a bit at him when he cracked a grin at her. "I'm fine, let it go."

"You owe me," Andrea said quickly, her finger pointing at him in agitation. He opened both of his eyes then, a single brow raised in confusion as he watched her lean closer. "You owe me. You made me come here—"

"Jesus, Andrea," Danny said tiredly rolling his head along the pillows behind him so that he was looking directly at her. "Don't you lay that on me. We both know that if you had really wanted to fuckin' stay there, nothing—not a damn thing, I or anyone else said, would have gotten you to leave with us." He took a deep breath, willing his eyes to stay locked with hers even though the pain coursing through him made him want to close his eyes and pray. "So don't you fuckin' lay that on me."

Andrea stared at Danny, watching his eyes as they held hers no matter the pain, no matter how much he wanted to look away. Finally he let out a breath and his eyes rolled back a bit.

"Take the pills Danny," Andrea said the anger fading and just getting lost to the worry. His skin still looked ashen, sweat slicked his brow and ran like a river down his neck disappearing below the blanket he'd pulled over himself to hide his bandages.

"Ain't gonna happen, Andrea." Danny said, repeating the statement that he'd said to Dale only a few moments ago. "It just ain't gonna happen."

"Hey," Shane's voice startled Andrea, and had Danny opening his eyes again and sliding his glance over to the doorway. Shane's lips twitched in a bit of a smile, and Danny returned it as the man slid further in. Nodding his head to Andrea, Shane glanced around the small room before landing his eyes on Danny. "We found an ambulance down the road a bit," Shane nodded his chin to the clean crutch sitting in the corner. "I see Miles showed you what he found already."

"Yeah," Danny said letting his head roll painfully to the side to look at the now clean aluminum crutch. "Can't wait to get up on my feet and make a damn fool out of myself on that thing."

"Well, honestly, we're all eager to see you up on your feet again," Shane shifted the large bag he had slung over his shoulder. "The makin' a fool of yourself part is optional."

"I'll keep that in mind," Danny said and shifted just a bit and let out a ragged breath. Andrea shook her head and watched as Shane set the large EMT bag down on the floor, and put his hands to his hips. A bit of rustling near the door had Danny shifting to see Dale smiling in at him. "Uh oh," Danny said angling his eyes back to Shane and Andrea. "The gang's all here." He shifted his eyes to the EMT bag. "What's in your new bag?"

"Glenn found it," Shane toed the bag and looked at Danny. "It's an IV. Nice clean needles, two whole bags."

"My lucky day," Danny smiled and shifted his eyes to Dale. "Gotta remember to thank Glenn." Dale nodded his head and smiled tightly at Danny. "So who gets to stick me?"

"We figured we'd leave it up to you," Shane said, his eyes skittered to Dale and then back to Danny. "No one has any training, any real clue what to do with this." Shane shook his head and ran his hand through his hair while expelling a long sigh of frustration. "I've had some trauma training, but it was years ago. I don't know if I remember what I'm supposed to be looking for."

"I can do it," Danny said pushing up in bed a bit, and then regretting it. "Fuuuuck," Danny let out a low moan and Andrea was on her feet, her hands to his chest trying to get him to stop moving. "I'm good," Danny seethed through his teeth. He stilled her hands with his and pushed her away a bit, before looking at Shane. "I can do it," Danny said, still pushing Andrea a bit. "I just need help sitting up."

"You know how?" Dale asked, stepping forward and taking Andrea by the shoulders. She shrugged angrily out of the older man's hold and stepped back.

"Finding a vein is finding a vein," Danny said as Shane bent down to gingerly help him to a sitting position. "Can I see one of the bags?" Danny groaned as he was propped up higher, the feel of the biting pain in his abdomen just enough to make him need to throw up. But he held it in, reaching for the bag that Shane held out.

"What are you looking for?" Dale asked quietly, watching as Danny tried to focus his eyes on the bag.

"No narcotics," Danny said simply, he nodded his head at the simple bag of saline in his hands and set it beside him. He looked up at the people in the room with him and shook his head.

"Is this about the whole alcoholic thing?" Andrea asked, shaking her head at him. "Danny it's pain medication."

"Look," Danny said angrily as he shifted his eyes to her, and then to the two men. He took a deep breath, and then closed his eyes against the wave of nausea and pain. "Merle Dixon wasn't the only meth-head waltzin' around the Quarry." He opened his eyes and caught the gaze of each and every one of them, shaking his head. "You all knew he was on something, I know you ain't that fuckin' dense. I was clean when I made it to you guys. And stayed clean, despite Merle tempting me every other fuckin' day," he took a breath and shook his head at the memories of those tortuous first days, his eyes went to the ceiling. "And I plan on staying that way until I die. Which means no fuckin' narcotics." He looked at Shane and Dale, knowing that they would listen. "No matter what."

Silence filled the tiny room in the RV. Dale and Andrea were staring at Danny in a mix of disbelief and sadness, with just that right hint of disappointment in their eyes. Shane for his part was clenching his jaw and staring right at Danny. No hint of disbelief. No sadness. And strangely no disappointment. Guess the cop in Shane had been able to pick that one out on his own. Finally Shane started pulling the rest of the tubes out of the bag and when Danny shot his hand out for the needle it was placed in his palm without a moment's hesitation.

"You're sure about the pain meds," Shane said quietly as he tied the tourniquet onto Danny's arm. "It's not gonna be a smooth ride, man. Shit's gonna get painful."

"I'm sure," Danny winced as he plunged the needle into his vein, first try. His head fell back, and Shane took over fixing up the IV. Danny lifted his eyes to watch as Andrea and Dale made their way slowly from the room. No more words to be spoken. No more pushing of the subject. Both looked back at him, and for a moment, he saw just a hint of pity ride their eyes. "I'm fuckin' sure."

* * *

The sky above was slowly making its transition from day into evening. The long days of summer the only thing Callie, Rick and Daryl had to thank for the dappling of sunlight filtering down through the leaves of the trees that they were working their way through. Daryl was at point, and Rick and Callie were fanned out a couple steps behind at either side like his faithful little puppies.

Callie slipped her eyes to Daryl, taking in the tightness of his shoulders and the shifting of his head. He was in a zone. Not even talking anymore, just pushing his way through the underbrush as if she and Rick weren't even there. Beside her Rick was moving just as determinedly, the weight of everything that happened in Atlanta before- leaving Merle, going back for Merle, the Quarry getting over run-all of it, was settling back on his shoulders. Sliding her gaze between the two men she let out a breath and flicked her flashlight over the woods around her.

With any luck, this trip would serve to finally lift that weight from the shoulders of both men. Because there was no way either man was gonna survive if they kept getting weighed down by it. She should know, she carried a similar weight on her back that had damn near got her killed just this fuckin' morning.

Callie's steps slowed as a small clearing in the trees came into view. Daryl's hand slipped to the air and both Callie and Rick came to a dead stop, weapons raised and ready. Rick and Callie used their flashlights to give just a bit more light to what lay beyond the trees, and they shared a glance.

Three tents stood in a camp area that was in utter shambles. The smell of blood again assaulted Callie's senses and she once again brought the back of her gun hand to her mouth. Daryl's head was moving from left to right as he took in the camp area, searching for the same thing that they were all searching for. The source of the smell.

"Slow and quiet," Daryl was growling at the two behind him, and again Callie and Rick shared a glance. "And keep your fuckin' eyes open."

Moving to follow behind Daryl as he entered into the camp grounds, Callie let her eyes slip to the tents. She sidled closer to one as Daryl and Rick worked towards the center of the area. A fire pit, a very large fire pit. Callie's eyes slipped to the two men, as they kicked at the ground.

"What is it?" Callie asked, her voice low as her feet moved closer to where the boys were standing. Rick was running his hand through his hair and then cupping it over his mouth as he stared down at the ground. Daryl was just staring. Staring harder at that fire pit than she'd ever seen him stare at anything before. "Guys?"

"Don't—" Rick put up a hand to stop her from advancing anymore, but it was too late. Her eyes landed on what was sitting in that big pit and her stomach lurched.

"Oh God," Callie's hand went to her mouth, flashlight falling from her finger tips and rolling towards Daryl's feet. He stepped with one boot to stop the flashlight from moving and put his hand roughly to her arm dragging her away. "Oh God."

"Don't look," Daryl was saying, and then he shook her, jarring her eyes from the pit. "Callie," Daryl said, and as it always did, his use of her actual name had her staring at him. "Stay here."

She nodded, just not having it in her to really push the 'I can handle it' button anymore. She simply nodded and watched as Daryl returned to the pit with Rick. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply through her nose three times. A wave of dizziness overtook her and she did it again, letting her head fall back and her eyes stare at the sun slipping between the leaves above their heads.

Bodies. A couple bodies, by the looks of it. Piled one on top of the other, two men, a woman and two children no older than Carl or Sophia, lay in that once smoldering pit. They weren't burnt though. Not even a little. They were simply piled there, as if they'd fallen asleep with their eyes open staring at the sky above. Hell, if it wasn't for the bullet hole through their heads she would have thought they were sleeping.

That explained the smell. The rotting flesh of the recently killed people in that pit was potent.

"Walkers?" Rick asked, kneeling down and grimacing. Daryl knelt down as well, his eyes skipping to Rick and then back to the pit.

"Don't look like they go any bites," Daryl said his head moving this way and that as he used his crossbow to lift the arms of the body on top. "Scratched maybe."

"Maybe," Rick said idly, his hand rubbing along his mouth as he stared down at the bodies. His eyes flicked up then and caught Callie's gaze as it slipped down to his. After a beat, where they shared in their little secret that wasn't a secret, Rick slipped his gaze from hers and put it to Daryl. "What do you think happened here?"

"Don't know," Daryl said letting his eyes roam the campsite from his crouched position. He picked up Callie's flashlight and slid it around the campsite. "Place is a fuckin' wreck, so I'd assume Walkers hit it." His eyes skipped over the tents, and narrowed at a spot settled between the other two across from him. "Something was dragged," Daryl nodded down at the ground in front of him, to that spot between the tents, sending his beam of light down that way. "Something big, and something injured."

Rick nodded his head and got to his feet as Daryl did. Callie's feet began to move, almost unbidden, and completely unnoticed by the two men who were following the drag marks and blood trail that led from the pit to parts unknown. Her eyes skipped into the pit as she walked, once again taking in the features of that little boy piled into a pit of bodies. Her stomach again lurched, and she felt the hot acrid taste of bile rise high in the back of her throat. With a whimper that she tried to contain the sound of she moved her eyes and firmed her lips. Swallowing, she took a shaking breath and followed behind Rick and Daryl , just now disappearing between the tents.

"Dear God," Rick's voice was strangled and when Callie stepped past the two tents she prepared herself. But honestly, nothing could have prepared her for what she saw.

A man, or what used to be a man, was tied to a tree. His naked body a good two feet off the ground, obviously lifted there by the rope tied tightly around his neck. He was missing both of his legs at the knee, and one arm was broken and hanging by a thread of a tendon from its socket. His stomach had been sliced neatly open and what had to be the small intestine due to the sheer length, was hanging from the body. Some of it still neatly inside, while the rest of the twenty-some-foot length pooled at the base of the tree.

Callie's eyes were wide, as she stared, and as her gaze slipped back up to the face of the naked man her breath hitched. Rick looked back at that point and had just made it to her side, his arm circling her waist and holding her as she pitched to the side and heaved, emptying her stomach as her body convulsed with the motion.

The fuckers mouth was moving in a strange almost mechanical open – close motion, head twitching from side to side. Undead eyes staring down at them.

"Fuck," Callie said, wiping her hand along her free hand along her mouth, while her gun hand held her collapsing body off of the ground. "Fuckin' Christ." Rick's gun hand was still settled around her midsection, while his other had abandoned the flashlight and rubbed at her back while she heaved again.

Daryl was moving his flashlight along the body, and the area around the tree. His mind so in the zone he hadn't even registered that Callie had followed them.

"Daryl," Rick's voice was a harsh whisper; and as Callie tried to settle her nerves and get herself together she missed what could best be described as a fuckin' comical moment between the two men.

Daryl looked back, his brow narrowed in confusion for a moment. Anger played at the outer edges for that single moment, anger that Rick wouldn't just let him try and figure this shit out. Then he saw Callie, on all fours, her body constricting with the waves of nausea that rocketed through her. Shit, he'd told her to fuckin' stay put, didn't he? He rolled his eyes and caught Rick's wide-eyed stare.

Rick lifted his chin and from his position kneelin' beside the girl he jutted his head at her twice. The movement was obvious, and the unsaid words were loud and clear.

_Get your ass over here and comfort your woman._

Daryl, opened his mouth in slack-jawed annoyance for a second before slamming it shut. He glared at the other man and waved a hand at the body hangin' from the fuckin' tree and the area. Shakin' his head he pointed a finger at Rick.

_I got shit to do here. You got it handled. So you fuckin' comfort her._

Rick's head tilted, and his jaw clenched and he again nodded his head once at Callie who was pushing up from her staring contest with her own pool of vomit and slowly working to sit back on her heels. Rick's arm disengaged from her waist and he again looked at Daryl in wide-eyed annoyance and disbelief.

_Get your ass over here. Now._

Callie pushed to her feet just as Daryl let out a sigh of frustration and shouldered his crossbow. He pushed Rick away and roughly took a hold of Callie's arm, at which point she looked up at him. Her eyes were wet with unshed tears, and her mouth was open in a sort of shocked awe and horror that pretty much stopped him short. Daryl's jaw clenched and his hand tightened on her arm. There had been a reason that he and Rick had been trying to keep her away from running headlong into trouble today—a reason that he'd forgotten when they got here. When his mind had been overrun by thoughts of Merle, and only Merle.

She'd been through so much at the CDC. So much in just those two fuckin' short hours that they to get the fuck out of there this morning. She was at her breaking point. And this little trip may have just sent her careening over it.

"I told you to stay put," Daryl said pulling her to him and burying her head into his chest. His hand tangled in her hair, and he lifted his head to the sky. "Deep breaths. Come on. Three deep breaths." She was nodding into his chest, her hands clenched tight into the fabric of his shirt, as her entire body lifted and fell with the deep breaths she was taking in.

Rick bent down and picked up Callie's gun from the ground. Daryl slipped his eyes to the man beside him and grimaced. It was as close as he was going to get to saying 'Sorry there, Rick you were right,' and Rick returned the grimace with a small tight smile. Placing her gun at the small of his back he clapped his hand to Daryl's shoulder.

Both men looked back at the body hanging from the tree, and took in deep breaths. Rick raised his gun, and Daryl lifted his hand and pushed it down.

"Leave it," Daryl said quietly, his eyes still on the twitching body. "Just fuckin' leave it."

Rick stared at Daryl for a few moments, then let his eyes slide to Callie who was still hiding her head in Daryl's chest. Finally, he nodded and held out his hand to Daryl.

"Give me the keys," Rick said quietly, and that had Callie slipping her eyes up to shift between the two men. Daryl stared at Rick, then took a deep breath, his hand tightening just a bit and holding Callie's head tighter to him. A nod of defeat and he was digging in his pockets and slamming his keys into Rick's waiting hand.

Rick closed his hands on the keys and looked at Callie, her head lifting all the way from Daryl's chest now the man's hand still tangled in the mess of her waving hair destroying her well groomed ponytail. He slipped her gun from the back of his pants and handed it to her, knowing she wouldn't want to be walking without it. "Let's go."

They walked together, Rick at point, while Callie and Daryl brought up the rear. Daryl's hand was settled at the small of her back, his chest pressed to her back just as it had been when they'd trekked back from Atlanta to the Quarry. His breath was fanning along the side of her neck and in her ear, while his calloused fingers worked a gentle sort of soothing motion at the base of her spine.

Callie bit at her bottom lip as they walked, her body and mind just finally reaching a numb point and ready to shut down. Daryl's hand at her back, his breath on her neck, and his constant strength and presence at her back was the only thing tethering her to the ground and reality. The only thing keeping her from just sitting down and crying.

They made it to Daryl's truck in no time at all. Rick had at some point picked up Callie's backpack, and shut the door to the cube van, locking in the smell of blood and death and hopefully making sure not to draw any more Walkers within close proximity to their camp at the gas station. Rick circled around to the driver's side, tossing Callie's backpack into the bed of the truck, while Daryl and Callie stopped at the passenger door.

Rick had turned the key in the ignition, the engine of Daryl's truck roaring to life, just as Daryl tossed his crossbow into the bed. Callie's hand reached out for the door handle but Daryl reached out and stopped her. He reached forward and took her gun from her pants sliding it to the small of his back. When she didn't say anything, and simply turned to open the door he growled. Both hands went to her shoulders and he turned her around to face him, her back against the door. He looked at her, for a long moment, his eyes shifting between hers reading her.

"You going quiet on me, girl?" Daryl said finally, and Callie let a very small smile tilt her lips. She shook her head.

"No," Callie said quietly, relishing the feel of his thumbs as they smoothed the skin of her upper arms. He stared at her for a few seconds longer, those piercing blue eyes of his still searching hers. Looking for an answer to another question. One he hadn't asked. One that maybe he was asking himself.

Daryl let his fingers slide off of her and she turned and opened the door. Callie smiled a very small smile at Rick, and he nodded his head in return as she slid towards him. Daryl threw himself inside the cab, and slammed the door shut, his eyes sliding back down to that white box truck. Callie put both hands to her face, and rubbed hard at her eyes. Again the feel of the bruise at her cheek had her wincing and gained the attention of both men.

As they pulled away, and headed back towards the gas station and the rest of their group, Callie continued to rub at her face. Hands sliding down the sides of her face she looked at her feet, instantly seeing her blood covered boots.

"I get it now," Callie said quietly to both men, her eyes still on those boots. She looked up and caught Rick's gaze on her, giving him a sad little smile before returning her gaze to her boots. "I get what you were doing all day now."

Suddenly she felt Daryl shift beside her, his left arm raising behind her and settling over her shoulders. He pulled roughly, and settled her into his side, shifting around a bit to get himself more comfortable. Callie's face titled up to his but he shifted her again and settled her head against his chest, his chin resting on her head.

"Good," Daryl said quietly, anger still riding in his voice as he tightened his hold on her. His other hand was riding the edge of the open window, eyes following the landscape. The sky was the golden amber color of dusk now, the sun just barely peeking out over the horizon as it settled low in the west. "Now shut your fuckin' eyes and try and sleep."

Callie pulled her feet up on the seat and snuggled her body into the welcoming embrace of the man holding her. She felt his body tense just a bit as she brought her hand up and settled it on his chest, under her chin. Her fingers splayed there, feeling the beat of his heart. Using that rhythm to soothe herself. His other arm fell from the window and settled on her shoulder, then rose up to her cheek holding her head just a bit tighter to him.

She didn't really expect to find sleep. Too many horrors. Too many thoughts and too many worries plagued her. But as Daryl's thumbs began to once again smooth over her skin, and his heartbeat slowed to a calming rhythm in her ear, she felt herself sagging into him. That protective cocoon, now really all Daryl, lulled her and helped to keep the monsters at bay.

At least for now.

_Boy, don't you worry,_

_You'll find yourself._

_Follow your hear, and nothing else._

_You can do this,_

_If you try._

_All I want for you my son, is to be satisfied._

_And be a simple kind of man_

_Be something you love and understand._

_Be a simple kind of man._

_Won't you do this for me son, _

_If you can?_

_~ Simple Man/ Lynyrd Skynyrd _

_AN: Well, I can only hope that this was not disappointing. So much to write about. So much to try and fit in…and I always feel like I'm missing something. Fuckin' 9,000 plus words and I feel like I'm missing something. I give you all permission to smack me. _

_So, I have to tell you all that I watched the Season 3 trailer and while I'm uber-beyond excited to watch it…I'm scared that I'm going to have a tough time writing something as equally awesome when I get there. If you haven't seen it… go find it. AWESOME!_

_Okay, so without further ado:_

_Nymph. Naji: Thank you for the review, it's so great to hear from the readers. Lori, she's a bit of a handful and irks me too. I gave y'all a break in this chapter…but don't worry I'm sure she'll be back to irk you more. Thanks for the love!_

_LadyLecter47: Shane…yeah, he's a douche…but I'm having fun playing this little seesaw action where you all think he's a douche, then he does something slightly redeeming…but you know deep down he's still a douche. It's fun, you know. As for Rick and Daryl… yeah, the relationship I'm working to build between those two is just too much fun to write. I'm glad you had such a vivid picture…I was sitting there, wiggling my own fingers while I was writing it. And yay Danny…except…gee poor Danny. _

_Alessandra: I think it may be safe to say we all love us some Daryl. And that we all apparently hate us some Shane and Lori. Big arms…yes, there is multiple mention of Daryl's big arms…for a very important reason. Daryl is Callie's rock, her protection her strength, a much needed thing for her, which I hope you saw in this chapter. But yeah, don't worry…we'll get to the clothes ripping off _

_Kol and Elena: Yay! Team Daryl indeed. Rick, Callie and Daryl to me make this awesome team that has such a good chemistry. I'm actually very proud of it. Thanks for the review!_

_Emberka-2012: Yeah, Callie and Daryl I think have both had an eye on Shane for a while, really because Rick's been noticeably not asking his opinion on things. As for Rick noticing…I think I'll just say that Rick's had his eye on Shane since the CDC…he's not as in the dark in regards to Shane's motives and actions as he may seem._

_AlabastR: I like the 'Danny is Shane's tether to sanity' pick up-very astute of you. That's pretty much exactly what he is. Just like Danny is a mirror for Lori, he's one for Shane too…we can only hope that Danny doesn't end up fucked over. As for Daryl and Sophia, there is a lot coming up for the two of them as Season 2 progresses…maybe…either way I think he needed to have some kind of interaction with her and that just fit so nicely into the way the chapter was going. I'm trying to build on established relationships and really get into the nitty-gritty. And I'm glad you liked it. As for his thoughts on Ben, I think there was a lot going through Daryl's head in that chapter. The reminder of his childhood with Sophia, and then the blatant physical reminder with the bruises on Ben's shoulders… it was heavy for him, and for me I would think the one thing Daryl would fear the most is becoming what his father was… _

_Phantasmal Killer: Hi there! Thank you so much for reviewing, and your wonderful words about NM: SAFE. I'm so glad that you're enjoying all the relationships I'm building and hope you continue to like where we are going. Thanks again!_

_Pirates Life: asdfalkj;afwief…. I mean Thank you! Your review was so kind, and it made me smile so wide when I read it. I appreciate all of your kind words and can only hope I don't disappoint you with this sequel. My OC's are my babies and I am always happy to hear that a reader feels that they fit into the story and are not just some superfluous add in. Daryl and Ben (hell even Merle and Ben) are just so much fun for me to write…and is a way for me to really dissect Daryl in the childish manner that I think he needs to be. To have him relate to a child that his as emotionally raw and untried as he is. I'm so glad that you took the time to review, and please just continue to read and enjoy..and review if you feel it baby!_

_Surplus Imagination: Thank you for your awesome review. I hope you continue to read and enjoy the story._

_SunnyM: My girl! Woo hoo indeed, Danny is back with a motherfuckin' vengeance. _

_GrimmSapphire: Thank you so much for your review. I plan to continue the Callie/Rick/Lori dynamic and I'm still up in the air on if Callie's gonna get to slap a bitch. I guess we'll just have to see._

_Vaughn Zomby: Much love right back at ya! Glad to see your still reading, and thanks for reviewing. As for Danny…he's my boy! I try to give him the best lines…'cause I think he deserves them. _

_Okay, that's all I've got. Thank you all for the awesomeness of your reviews, alerts, and favorites. You make me feel the love and want to pump this story out at a fuckin' ridiculous speed. Thank you!_


	5. Vignette Dream A Little Dream Of Me

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_Okay, so this one is short…. Like super short (at least for me). _

_As always, read, review and enjoy!_

_~SWW_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Vignette: Dream A Little Dream of Me**

_Stars shining bright above you,_

_Night breezes seem to whisper, "I love you";_

_Birds singin' in the sycamore tree;_

_Dream a little dream of me…_

_Say nighty-night and kiss me,_

_Just hold me tight and tell me you miss me;_

_While I'm alone and blue as can be,_

_Dream a little dream of me…_

Her feet were stuck.

Callie looked down at the ground, her body swaying from side to side as panic began to set in.

Her feet were stuck.

Shifting around a bit more, she felt a cold sweat break out all over her body, and her head instantly perked up as she remembered. Flashlight. Grabbing quickly for towards back pocket, she couldn't help but shake her head in annoyance.

Why the fuck was she stuck? What the fuck was she in?

She got a hold of the flashlight and was finally able to flick the switch. There was a moment of blindness, as the beam seemed to be almost too bright for her eyes that had grown accustomed to the darkness of her surroundings. She blinked back the blinding pain of the light and continued to wiggle her legs to try and dislodge her feet from whatever the fuck they were stuck in. And just as she was turning that all too bright flashlight down to her feet, she heard it.

The very familiar, and very terrifying sounds of the dead walking. Callie's breath hitched in her throat, and her eyes went wide as she arced the light of the flashlight from the ground to her surroundings. She was in the woods, at least that's what it sounded like. The sound of the breeze through the leaves overhead mixed with the heavy breathing moans and groans of the dead.

Somewhere in the darkness that surrounded her. But she couldn't see anything. The light from her flashlight, a light that not two seconds before had been too fucking bright, wasn't penetrating the invading darkness that she stood in.

The shuffling sounds, and the moans were growing louder and Callie swung the light of the flashlight around her. Working her legs frantically, her hips moving and jutting from side to side at an almost impossible speed, she continued to try and free her feet. If she could at least wiggle out of her boots. She could care less right now, she would run barefoot if she had to. She just needed to be able to run.

It was hot. Suddenly, it was very, very hot, and she was thrashing against the feel of the sticky air on her skin. The moans were all around her now, echoing in the darkness, making it so she couldn't tell which direction they were coming from.

Her gun.

She needed her gun.

Callie grabbed for her gun at the front of her pants, and pulled it. But the feel was off. Not what she'd been expecting at all. Her hands tightened around the tiny little gun, and she used her flashlight to shed light on it.

The Fat Lady stared back at her. Small and silver and shining in the once again too bright light of her flashlight. She squinted against the sheen and felt her breath begin to come out in labored gasps. She stopped wiggling against the force that was still holding her feet to the ground, and instead focused on the gun in her hand. Settling her flashlight between her shoulder and her chin, she used both hands to flip the cylinder and check her bullets.

One bullet. One single bullet sitting in the cylinder. Glaring back at her in the mockingly bright fucking light of her flashlight.

Groans again, followed by the sounds of rustling leaves as the Walkers somewhere in the darkness gained on her. Her eyes frantically searched around her, as if her brain only now registered she was alone. Where was everyone? Names left her unopened mouth and echoed around her, everyone's name, seemingly said at the same time.

Something moved along her calf, startling her into moving. But her feet were still stuck. And something was grabbing her leg. A hand was clawing at her jeans, sliding long fingers down the fabric and pulling down. Holding her down. Someone was holding on to her feet.

She held tight to the flashlight, and finally focused it down at the ground.

"Oh God," she heard herself say, as her flashlight fell from her now numb fingertips. One hand flew to her mouth, as the other struggled to point her gun at what she was stuck in. Not stuck. Held in.

The fire pit. The fire pit full of bodies that they found in the woods earlier. Only now those bodies weren't nameless faceless poor sons of bitches. It was all of her friends, the people at camp…people she cared about. Dead eyes stared up at her, bullet holes between their eyes. And hands, small and large clung to her legs. Red reflected up around them in that shockingly bright light of her flashlight.

Blood. Lots of fucking blood.

And moans. The now louder moans and groans of the hungry fucking dead that were surrounding her.

Callie began to wiggle, frantic again to get her feet free from the pit of bodies. A hand wrapped around her arm, and she turned, one foot finally coming free. She began to teeter backwards, her other foot still stuck in the pit of bodies. But the hand, the cold dead hand that had encircled her arm was keeping her from falling. Suddenly, her eyes adjusted fully to the dark, and she saw the face of the man that had grabbed her.

Wallace, his wire rimmed spectacles askew and splattered with blood. His hair stuck out wildly in clumps of unimaginable gore and blood, while his mouth seemed to hang open at such an odd angle. Teeth gleaming in the darkness as he lunged for her.

Callie pulled herself backwards, her hand holding the Fat Lady flew up. But her mind wouldn't let her pull the trigger. Wallace's teeth got closer to her skin, his dead hand pulling her towards him.

There were more out there.

She only had one bullet.

She only had one…

A familiar, warm, calloused hand closed around hers, and around the Fat Lady. His finger slipping over hers on the trigger. A sense of profound relief coursed through her, when she looked over her shoulder to see Daryl standing at her back. His chest pressed flush to her spine, his other strong arm wrapped around her waist. She let out a sigh, forgetting for a moment that Wallace was there.

Daryl squeezed her hand, slightly, and just looked at her. Staring for what seemed like forever into her eyes. Then he tilted the Fat Lady slowly backwards away from the snarling and snapping face of Wallace, placing the cool barrel to her temple.

"I told you I'd take care of you," Daryl said his whispering hot breath fanning her ear. Then he pulled the trigger.

_Stars fading, but I linger on, dear,_

_Still craving your kiss;_

_I'm longing to linger till dawn dear,_

_Just saying this:_

_Sweet dreams till sunbeams find you,_

_Sweet dreams that leave your worries far behind you;_

_But in your dreams whatever they be,_

_Dream a little dream of me. _

_~Dream A Little Dream of Me/ Mama Cass Elliot_

_AN: Yeah, I know, you're all probably confused…but I swear if you just click to the next chapter you'll understand. _

_As a result of the very shortness of this chapter, the length of the next one and the amount of reviews I got for Simple Man I'm gonna do the response part in this one…_

_So without further ado: _

_LadyLecter47: I'm so glad that you're loving not only the Shane characterization and his back and forth, but the Callie/Rick/Daryl team. As for Danny, he's my boy(as I've said to others) I'm happy to have him up and about again too. Reading is like a movie for me too, and I try really hard to make sure that I convey that same sense when I write. Thank you so much for that compliment, I really truly appreciate it. _

_Kol and Elena: OMFG! I KNOW! Badass right!_

_Emberka-2012: I'm so glad that you enjoyed the action, I strive to make it as interesting as possible. As for the questions about Merle… You will just have to read on… I've got a few plans but you may have to wait until Season 3_

_Rednecks 'n Angels: *ducks* Sorry! When I get the bug, I get the bug. And then I want to share it… that came out wrong. But I think you know what I mean *grins*-so in response to your two reviews. Thanks for my props on the Daryl shower scene. It didn't feel right to do it all sexy like, but I'm glad it seemed to have given you the good vibrations I was going for. Miles is really going to grow into his own in this Season I think… as will a lot of the kids. And Daryl…MY Daryl…I'm so glad you like his progression. I too have read those fics where he's in love at first sight and while it may work for some (for THEIR Daryl) for me he needed to kind of get there on his own. And honestly… we all know that's a long damn road. As for all my little couples, my Rick/Daryl Bromance of sorts, and Andrea—I'm glad I got you liking her. She's a fav character of mine. 'Cause honestly Dale's right… everyone's wanted to shoot Daryl Much Love! And thank you so much for your reviews they mean the world to me._

_Honeyconcha: Girl you make me blush! Thank you for that vote of confidence. Thank you. Thank you._

_AngieInWonderland: Two reviews, mixed in together here… All Daryl's are beautiful in their own way, and I'm so glad that you LOVE mine. I do too! When I was writing that chapter it kind of evolved on its own into being this really intense kind of exploration of Daryl and his thoughts. From kneeling down in front of Sophia and playing the avert your eyes game, to Callie and Ben, and then Daryl finding bruised Ben… it really sort of became this monster for me. The shower scene, that was I think very necessary, on a lot of levels. Because I know that there are a lot of fangirls (like me) out there waiting for that stuff, and honestly… after the day that they've all had I think everyone really deserves their own little shower scene. Thank you so much for getting everything out of those scenes that I was putting into them. As for Gracie and Daryl,…NO SPOILERS FOR YOU! Regarding Simple Man: yeah, totally one of my favorites to, and I love the Shinedown version of it. For me the song was really speaking to all of the men: Rick, Daryl, Merle and Danny. The whole truck of horrors and the campground… I know I probably just threw a lot more questions about Merle into the mix but I couldn't help it. I'm honestly glad it made you queasy too, because that to me is validation. Danny and Andrea-Oh the line about proving himself a man… I LOVE the fact that you called it Classic Danny. A part of me is so excited that I've created a character that people love so much, that has apparently become Classic. His scene with Dale, Andrea and Shane was hard to write. Danny's my known little wiseass, and having him not only in physical pain as well as having to admit his past mistakes to people who he's come to care about and love, and had hoped never to really have to admit that too-that was painful for me to write. There is going to be many ramifications from this gunshot wound that'll play out and change our boy a bit. Thank you so much as always for your awesome reviews… Much love, honey!_

_GrimmSapphire: Thanks for your review! The answers to your Merle questions may be a bit of a ways off…sorry to say. I am however, just as excited to write the Greene's and get to the farm. We're on our way soon, I promise._

_LittleNikki: Thanks so much, sorry you're stuck reading and waiting with the rest of the crew now. I appreciate the love and the time you took to review. And I agree. Poor Callie. She has pretty much hit the wall of 'I can handle this' and shut it down for a while, but you're right, those strong arms are there to lessen the blow. Thanks again for the review._

_CottonStrings: Where you been! Welcome to Season 2! I'm glad you're enjoying all of the horror, the romance, the downward spirals, and the mid-life crisis of Lori ( I too decided not to write her off-guess we'll have to see how Season 3 pregnant Lori is, huh?) thanks for the review, and keep on reading!_

_Alright, that's all…now I posted two at a time so get to readin' people…I promise it will be worth it _


	6. Cupid's Got A Brand New Gun

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_Chapter 5…and I'm not gonna say much about this one, just three very important and much needed words…An Uninterrupted Moment._

_As always, read, review and most of all ENJOY! _

_~SWW_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Chapter 5: Cupid's Got A Brand New Gun**

Callie woke with a start, her heart just about beating out of her chest as her eyes widely scanned the area around her. She was in the back of the Hummer. In her makeshift bed, the backseats still flattened to give her the room she needed to lay down. Her breathing was coming in harsh gasps as she tried to steady her nerves from the very real nightmare she just had. Her eyes still wide as she looked around at the dark interior.

Dark?

The last thing she remembered was leaning into Daryl in his truck while they drove away from that white box truck and that fucking camp ground of horrors. An image of that man hanging from the tree slipped into her semi-conscious mind and had her pulling at the blankets that had tangled themselves around her body. Her efforts to move were hindered by something wrapped around her feet.

_Her feet were stuck._

The harsh reminder of her nightmare had her clawing at her legs in the dark confines of the Hummer. She yanked hard at the blanket that had apparently wrapped itself around her ankles, and let out a bit of an anxious chuckle. Realizing now, why her legs had been held in place in her nightmare.

Running a still shaking hand through her ratted tangle of waves she let her eyes slide out the window to the gas station parking lot. There was no one to be seen at the little area that had been set up in front of the station wagon near the RV. Which meant that everyone must have been either inside the RV or the convenience store. Cupping her hand over her mouth she closed her eyes and took in three deep breaths.

The nightmare was still settled on the fringe of her conscious mind, but her slowly awakening brain was finding it easier and easier to lock away. She'd always been lucky before. Her own nightmares, the ones that they all had-but never talked about, had been tame. Not nearly so vivid, as the one she'd just been subjected to. But it seemed as though her luck was ending. Pushing up and sitting Indian-style in the makeshift bed in the back of the Hummer she looked at her sock clad feet and wiggled her toes.

Sighing Callie grabbed for her boots near the end of the Hummer and started putting them on. She really only had herself to blame for the fucking nightmare. She never should have gone with Rick and Daryl to that truck. She saw that now. She'd been so adamant about being able to deal with everything that she hadn't even realized just how close to breaking she had been. But they had.

Callie reached forward, grabbed her pack of cigarettes from the center console and her gun from where it had been set on the front passenger seat and climbed out the back door. The air had cooled considerably from the sweltering mess of the day, and the breeze felt ridiculously good on her slightly sweat damped skin. Her eyes flitted to the convenience store for a moment, as she settled her gun into the front of her jeans, and then skipped to the top of the RV.

A figure, completely black against the moonlight night sky, stood at the end of the RV staring out towards the highway. Callie shoved her smokes and lighter into her back pocket and rubbed her hands on her arms as she just stared up at that figure. Unmoving against the skyline, the silly umbrella and folding chair well behind him. Stepping away from where she'd rested against the Hummer, she closed the door and slowly made her way to the RV.

The second the door closed, the figure turned, just barely. Eyes connecting with her as she walked. He stared hard at her approaching figure, until finally he returned his eyes to the highway and the area around them. As she came to a stop at the bottom of the little ladder up to the roof of the RV, her eyes skittered to the door to the convenience store.

Shane looked back at her. He was sitting on another folding chair, his shotgun settled against his knee and his hands idly worked at rolling tape around the worn handle of a knife. He bit at the inside of his cheek for a moment, before cracking a very small smile at her and nodding a hello. Callie shook her head and returned the small smile, offering a tiny wave back as she grabbed for the ladder.

She felt Shane's gaze follow her all the way up the ladder, but didn't bother to look back down. She knew why he was staring at her, and honestly she was just too shaken up, too tired, and too ridiculously fed up to even bother with it. Her feet touched the roof, and she thought about taking off her boots, but didn't. She just had that feeling that she wasn't going to be staying that long.

As quietly as she could she made her way towards the folding chair, her eyes on the back of the figure who had yet to turn towards her. She pulled her cigarettes and lighter, and sat down with her elbows on her knees, her eyes fixed to the assortment of their cars below. She lit one cigarette, and pulled another twirling it between her fingers as she inhaled deeply from the one settled between her lips.

"So," Callie said quietly, the cigarette bouncing with her words. "What's on your mind that's got your legs so stiff, Rick?"

Rick looked over his shoulder then, the rifle settled on his back blocking the full view of his profile in the bare moonlight over head. She slipped her eyes over to him, a smirk cracking her lips behind the cigarette still dangling there as they both recalled their first conversation. A conversation held on the roof of this RV. Those same words spouted to the man as he worked to reconcile what he'd done to Merle Dixon. Callie lifted the other cigarette held precariously between thumb and forefinger and spun it between the two digits. She knew he wasn't a smoker, couldn't be…not Rick, but that didn't stop her from offering. Because there was honestly just so much shit a person could take before they cracked. Rick continued to look at her over his shoulder before finally letting out a breath and turning fully towards her.

"No, thank you," Rick said quietly, choosing very obviously not to answer her asked question. Hands at his hips he shook his head, a tiny almost nonexistent smile playing on his lips. Callie shrugged and very slowly began to place the cigarette back into her pack. Leaning just a bit forward she slipped the pack as far into her back pocket as she could and then looked at her hands. Rick continued to stare at her and she continued to smile sadly down at the ground.

"What time is it?" Callie said quietly, removing her cigarette and letting a trail of smoke slide up to the starry sky.

"Little after ten-thirty, maybe eleven," Rick said back, his eyes still on her. He crossed his arms over his chest and watched her head bob up and down twice. They sat in silence for a few more seconds before Rick turned his back on her and returned his gaze to the highway.

"How long?" Callie said, and she heard him let out a low breath. "Rick, how long?"

"'Bout an hour, give or take." Rick said, his chin falling to his chest. Again Callie's head bobbed twice, her eyes locked on the spot that she knew Daryl's truck should have been sitting in. Merle's bike was there, and all of Daryl's shit just laying about in a neat little pile beside it. But no fucking blue truck. She placed her cigarette back in her mouth and took a drag, giving Rick time to gather his thoughts before he continued. "He put Gracie and Ben to bed," Rick chuckled at that point and Callie slipped her eyes to him. "Don't tell him I said this," he said turning towards her, and her brow raised. "But that was just adorable."

"Sorry I missed it," Callie said with a smile as she watched Rick shake his head a bit. His serious demeanor once again took over and Callie took a quick drag of her cigarette.

"You needed your sleep," Rick said quietly, watching her head shake back and forth. She put her eyes back to her hands but to his surprise she didn't say anything. It was on the tip of her tongue, he could read that much in the shake of her head and the way she was wringing her hands.

She had needed her sleep. She'd fallen asleep almost as soon as Daryl had tucked her head into his chest. Rick had spent a good portion of the drive shifting his attention between the road and the two people clinging to each other beside him. Both too damn stubborn to really admit how much they needed each other. He'd felt like an intruder in that special moment.

But then Daryl had lifted his eyes to meet Rick's over top of her head in that darkened truck cab and gave him a single nod. And Rick had returned it, and let his eyes stray to the road ahead, where they stayed for the rest of the drive. When they got back, Daryl had carried Callie straight to the Hummer, and he hadn't come back to the group until he had apparently made his decision to leave.

Rick had been left to explain what they found, his eyes roaming to the Hummer as he worked to calm all of Callie's kids. Explaining that she was just exhausted, and needed her sleep. Not hurt, just too tired to go on anymore. The two little ones were uneasy though, and both had ventured over despite his best efforts and disappeared into the back of the Hummer with Daryl and the sleeping Callie. And after a while, Daryl walked back over, standing tall and proud as he settled one hand to the top of Ben's head, and had little Gracie grasping his pinky as she yawned beside him. Honest to God everyone had cracked a small grin at the sight of that, but no one let the surly redneck see their little grins. Daryl pushed Ben and Gracie towards the convenience store, into the welcoming arms of Miles and Dale and made his way to the into the RV for a moment, before climbing up to the top. To where Rick had been waiting for him.

Rick sighed and she finally looked over to him. "I should have tried harder to keep him here."

"Have you met Daryl?" Callie said with a bit of a tilt to her lips. Rick looked up from where he'd been inspecting his shoes. Finally he let out a chuckle and raised a hand in surrender to the truth of that. "I'm going."

There was a very pregnant beat of silence.

"Should I even bother," Rick said in an almost defeated tone.

"Have we met?" Callie said, slipping her fingers to the air, the cigarette held tightly between. She moved the fingers back and forth between them, and Rick raised a brow. His mouth cracked into a wide grin and he opened his mouth to say something, but the closed it and just shook his head. "What?"

"Nothing," Rick said waving a hand clearing his head. The seriousness of the situation unfolding again got under the former Sheriff's skin, and he set his lips in a firm line as he stared at her. "I will come after you," it was said through clenched teeth. As if he couldn't really believe that he was actually allowing this, but knowing deep down that he couldn't stop it.

Thoughts of Daryl and Callie clinging to each other beside him in the truck a few hours ago flitted to mind. Rick may not have been able to talk sense into Daryl, but Callie could. She could get the man to come back to them and not do what Rick feared he was going to eventually do.

Leave them to go search out the ghost of his brother.

"I'm taking the Hummer," Callie said getting to her feet. She tossed her cigarette over the side and shook her own head. Rick watched as she put her fingers to her back pockets and rocked back on her heels. "We'll check in. If we don't, or you can't raise us," she paused and looked over to him with a smile. "I give you full permission to play hero."

Rick nodded his head, and she gave him a small smile. It was obvious in the tightness of her shoulders that she was thinking the same thing as Rick. That Daryl was going to leave them. Hopefully, she'd be able to convince him to stay, because whether Rick wanted to admit it or not, he needed someone he could trust at his back.

"Be careful," Rick said watching as Callie nodded one final time and worked her way towards the ladder. "Chanel 40."

"Right," Callie said with a wave over her shoulder. She stopped at the top of the ladder, her eyes focused down for a moment before sliding over to him. "Have fun with your shadow."

Rick's jaw clenched tight, but he forced a tight smile to the woman. Shaking her head she started over the edge leaving Rick's gaze to slide towards where he knew Shane was sitting at the entrance to the convenience store.

His shadow indeed.

* * *

Daryl wiped his forearm over his brow, feeling the muck and blood slide across his sweat slicked skin. He snarled at the feel, but shook it off and continued on. His arms were tingling in pain as he pulled hard on the final body. His feet dug into the soft dirt surrounding the fire pit. He felt himself slipping further into the pit and dug in, pulling hard, feeling his shoulder muscles bunch and stretch in a way that had him thinking he was gonna pull his arms fuckin' clear off his body if he kept this up.

His feet worked hard now, stepping high and hard into soft dirt as he backpedaled and finally reached flat ground. He pulled the rotting body up, his face set in a harsh grimace of ill-ease, and rolled it to where he'd laid the rest. Sniffing once, and wiping the back of his hand across his brow once again he sat on the edge of that pit and stared at the little row of bodies he'd made.

He'd been here for what must have been an hour now, just his breathing and the glow of the small battery operated lantern he'd brought as company. Well, that and the fuckin' Walker with his intestines hanging out still hanging from that fuckin' tree staring at him with dead little eyes. He could hear the fucker now, body swaying in the dead silence of the trees that surrounded him. He'd thought about putting a bolt through his head, but then didn't.

Someone had wanted that fucker to suffer. Hangin' him, guttin' him, not killin' him flat out. Torturin' him and leavin' him to die. And somehow he just knew that the person that did that to the fucker in the tree was Merle. The part of Merle that had been coddled and molded by this new fuckin' world. The part that had shot his own boy and left him to die on the side of the road. The part that had tortured fuckin' Hank Varner and left him to be eaten bit by bit.

And for some reason, a reason Daryl couldn't really explain, he just couldn't bring himself to put that fucker in the tree out of his misery. There was a reason that Merle'd done what he done. And despite everything that was growin' in Daryl, he couldn't bring himself to go against that.

Daryl let out a breath and looked over the bodies beside him. No bite marks. None on the fucker in the tree, and none on the poor sons of bitches laying on the ground beside him. Daryl ran his hand down his face and cupped it over his mouth. That Walker hanging from that tree had died, then turned. He was sure of it.

Was it proof of what Callie had told him at the CDC? He wasn't sure, but he sure as hell wasn't rulin' it out.

After another moment of staring, Daryl finally let his gaze slide to the body of the boy and the man he'd settled beside him. He'd spent more time than Callie or Rick staring down into that pit of bodies when they were here. So obviously he'd picked up more details. Daryl pushed to his feet and walked over to the two bodies, sitting on his haunches and staring down.

The man had been hidden pretty good, stuffed under another body, settled the furthest down in the pit. Obviously one of the first ones killed. But Daryl had seen that shining bit of metal hanging around his neck almost the instant Rick's flashlight had hovered over it. Staring at the body now, he could see that it wasn't him, but that didn't stop him from pullin' those dog tags off and checkin'.

Winslow, Chistopher R.

A breath he hadn't known he was holding escaped and Daryl clenched the Army dog tags in his dirt encrusted hands for a second. Aggravated and relieved at the same time, Daryl shoved the dog tags into his pocket and then shifted his gaze.

The boy.

Fuck.

This one was gonna be harder. He ran his hand over his face again, just as he was about to put his thumbnail to his mouth he remembered the state of his hands. Growling, he dug into his back pocket and pulled out the worn photo he taken. Shuffling a bit and pulling the lantern closer he held that photo out and stared hard at the boy smiling as he shoved his face against his father's. Daryl's eyes scrunched and squinted at the face of the boy laying on the ground.

Head shaking, he let out a gruff breath and bowed his head.

* * *

Callie settled her butt against the front bumper of the Hummer, and then slipped her foot back and pushed herself so that she was sitting on the hood. Pack of cigarettes sitting beside her, she pulled one out and lit it up as she stared into the woods.

She'd got there only ten minutes ago, and it had taken her half that time to build up the nerve to get out and check around Daryl's truck and the box van. He hadn't parked on the road, instead he'd pulled down and parked right next to the truck. His driver's door had been ajar, tailgate down, and keys in the ignition. It was strange to say the least, and she'd instantly thought the worst.

But she'd dreaded actually checking.

When she finally did, she'd found no sign of foul play. And only a few minutes later did she see the wan light of a lantern working its way through the dense foliage that they'd walked only hours before. She watched that light as it got closer and closer, and had finally allowed herself a breath of relief. And so she'd decided to wait him out, gather herself, and get ready for whatever was to come.

Callie's eyes settled on his figure as he pushed through the trees, lantern held in one hand crossbow in the other. His feet stopped immediately when he spotted her sitting on the hood of the Hummer, the red glow of her cigarette as she inhaled illuminating just the bare hint of her lips. She watched him shake his head and in the light of his little lantern, she saw him squint his eyes at the ground and his mouth move in a grumble of words she couldn't make out at this distance.

He started walking again, and instead of heading towards her he went straight to his truck. His back to her as he set the lantern on the hood and flung the passenger side door open setting his crossbow on the seat. Callie shifted on her butt, pulling one leg up and following his angered movements with her eyes.

"The fuck you doin' out here?" Daryl finally grumbled, his back still to her. She stared at him, taking in the dirt and grime that covered his shirt, his bare arms, and probably the parts he was hiding from her.

"Come on," Callie said removing her cigarette and watching his body still at the simple sound of her voice. "You can't tell me you're actually surprised."

Daryl's head shook and his shoulders hunched a bit more but he said nothing in return. Callie slipped herself off of the hood of the Hummer, and watched his movements become more jerky at the sound of her approach. She settled herself against the driver's door of the Hummer and crossed her arms over her chest, working her cigarette along her lips as she watched him continue to fiddle with shit in his truck's cab.

"Daryl?" Callie said finally, her eyes spotting the blood on his shirt and worry finally edging out over the fear and anger. She pushed off of the door and flung her cigarette to the ground near his feet. His head moved, eyes slipping down to that smoldering butt. "Are you alright?"

"Fine," Daryl grumbled quietly. He started to move now, down towards the bed of his truck his back still to her. She watched him, her feet stilled by his strange behavior. His shoulders tightened, and then he was digging for something in his back pocket. He pulled it out and shoved it at her, turning his back on her so quick she was left grasping the small paper to her chest and staring at him in wonder.

Looking down slowly she squinted in the wan light of his lantern and her jaw clenched. The photo of Danny with his son Jake, the one that Danny carried with him everywhere, stared back at her. She looked at it for a long time before she figured it out, before her eyes slipped to the wooded area. Sliding her gaze back to Daryl, his hunched shoulders, his body covered in muck and gore and blood. Realization hit her like a ton of bricks and her breath left her in a rush, knees almost buckling as she settled herself against the Hummer again.

"Ain't him," Daryl said quietly, his head slipping to the side so that he could watch her from the corner of his eye. "Figured Danny'd want to know."

"Yeah," Callie said finally. Folding the picture along its well worn fold she put it into her back pocket and slipped her gaze up to where Daryl was still looking at her from the corner of his eye. She shook her head and finally just let her anger ride a little high on her blood, fueling her steps towards him. She put her fingers to his shoulder, sliding them in the sweat, muck and blood as he flinched away from her.

Daryl pulled away harshly, and moved a bit further down the bed of his truck, working to get away from this woman. This woman who just wouldn't fuckin' leave him be. Plaguin him, followin' him, gettin' in his head and worse-. Daryl shook his head and kept moving, but she wrapped those fingers of hers around his arm, causing his muscles to constrict and his body to fill with heat.

"Don't," he said quietly, but he didn't pull away. Couldn't. _Fuck_.

"Why didn't you bring, Rick?" Callie said quietly, her fingers loosening just a bit so that they could run the gamut of tightly coiled muscles and tendons below his grime covered skin.

"Don't need fuckin' Rick to come and hol' my hand," Daryl said roughly, his arm finally breaking from her hold, and those torturous fingers. "Don't need you to either. Saw the boy. Wanted to be sure. Simple."

"Simple," Callie said nodding. "Sure." She worked her way around him cutting off his retreat to the back of the bed of his truck and finally forced him to look at her. She smiled sadly at him, watching as he flicked his eyes to hers and then away as he started to turn back the other way. "You're an idiot, Dixon." She said finally and without warning she put her hands to his arms and spun him forcefully back around to face her.

He was covered in dirt, and sweat and she saw in his hands he held a clean shirt. She looked into the bed of the truck and saw the two large buckets half full of water. Shaking her head she dragged him with her to the end of the truck and settled his ass against the open tailgate. He watched her, eyes roving over her downturned face as she put her fingers to the buttons of his shirt. His eyes narrowed then, lips twitching he put his hands to hers and tried to pry them away.

"Stop it," Callie said her voice holding an edge of something Daryl had never heard before. She slapped at his hands and he lowered them to clench around the tailgate, letting her continue to unbutton his grimy shirt. She worked quietly, and in the dull light provided by the light of the full moon overhead he swore he saw her blushin'. She made it halfway before she opened her mouth again. "You think it was Merle?"

Daryl watched her for a moment longer, her slender fingers getting dirtier by the second as she undid another button then moved slowly to the next. He stared at the top of her downturned head until finally she looked up at him.

"You saw firsthand what he did to Lanky Hank," Daryl said, watching the slight tick in her jaw as the memory flooded her thoughts. He should have felt bad, but he didn't. This is what she needed to understand. "You saw what type of man Merle was. You tell me?"

"I saw the Merle that this world created," Callie said quietly, her eyes holding his for a moment before returning to her work at his shirt. "We're all different people now than we were. Hell, I didn't even really like kids before all this." It was lie, he could tell. She wasn't very good with lies. But he wasn't going to press it now, so he just let her continue with that sad little smile playing on the fringe of her pretty lips. "I saw the man that Merle had become in order to survive. I don't think I ever really met Merle. Not your brother Merle." She took a breath, and looked up at him again. "But honestly, I don't think either Merle could have, or would have, shot those babies and dropped them in a pit."

"Before, I woulda agreed," Daryl mumbled, shivering a bit when she finally spread open his shirt and slid her fingers just a bit on his exposed torso. Over scars that she hadn't mentioned seeing. He watched her face, as her hands moved up. Those slender fingers sliding under his shirt and slipping it off of his disgustingly sweat and grime covered shoulders. He let her strip it off of him, helping just enough and watched her slide off to the side and lean up to dunk it in the water of one of the buckets.

"And now?" Callie said, dunking the shirt again and wringing it out. She moved back to standing in front of him, and looked up at him waiting for his answer.

"Don't really know what type of man Merle is now." Daryl said quietly, and he shivered as Callie began wiping down his right arm with his now drenched shirt. She nodded her head and he again was left to stare at the top of her wavy mass of hair. "Don't think he shot them babies, or the rest. But that fucker in the tree—" Daryl stopped, as did Callie's wipe down of his left arm. She looked up at him and his brow twitched just a bit. "That shit's got Merle written all over it."

Callie's lips firmed to a straight line and she settled her gaze once again to the task at hand. Daryl's body was tense, holding tight against the feel of this woman's hands on his skin her breath fanning on his bare chest. She moved to the side, dunkin' that shirt, wringin' it out again and then it was on his shoulders and neck, over his face. Then rubbin' a thrill of crazy barely controlled lust over his chest and down his stomach, fingertips just grazing the top of his waistband. The fact that his worn cargo pants were riding a lot lower than they had been months before didn't escape the attention of either of them, and they both worked to control the tiny shiver that coursed through their bodies. His jaw clenched tight when she washed over the scars on his torso again, so gently that he swore it actually hurt, and he strove for any vestiges of anything that he could use to quash what he was feelin'.

"Why ain't ya asked 'bout 'em." His voice was so quiet, and the words so jumbled and thick with his accent she almost missed what he said completely. But when Callie looked up into his angered and confused face she knew she caught every word of his self-conscious muttering. She held his gaze for a moment, hand gripping his sopping wet t-shirt tight as her knuckles settled on his taut torso. She licked her lip, her tongue hitting the small split on the left side and watched his gaze slide down to her lips quickly before flicking back up to her eyes.

"Would you tell me?" Callie said back quietly, matching his tone and holding his gaze. He narrowed his brow at her and she shook her head, moving to the side to once again dunk his shirt into the water bucket. Daryl closed his eyes, and gritted his teeth at the feel of her pressing into him. He listened to the water sloshing, the wringing of his shirt and then felt her fingertips settle on his arm.

He moved without any sense of moving at all, just let her turn him around so that she could wash away the grime on his back. The shirt hit his shoulders and he took in a deep breath as he felt her fingers press into the tight muscles there. The water ran down his back, and the shirt followed and he listened to Callie's slightly uneven breathing, and finally she let out a sigh.

"Remember how I told you I was attacked in college?" Callie's voice was quiet, and calm, but Daryl's eyes popped open and he felt himself tense. He didn't respond, but turned his head a bit to try and see her over his shoulder. "After that, I started volunteering at the local women's shelter. Saw a lot of horrible stuff there," she said as she ran the wet fabric down his back on one side, fingertips grazing the top of his waistband again at the small of his back.

He let his head slip forward again, not wanting to catch her eye. His hands came to rest on the tailgate, pushing hard, and tightening the muscles of his back and arms against her gentle strokes. That explained a lot more than just her ease with his scars. It explained her need, her want, to intervene with the Peletiers at the camp. The way she was there for Carol and Sophia, without really coming out and saying she was.

"I learned after a few _very_ poor attempts to 'talk' with the women and kids there, that if they wanted or needed to talk. They'd find me." Callie said. Her hands fell from his body and he again felt her press into him as she leaned towards the bucket to dunk the shirt. "So I figured if you wanted me to know anything-" she smiled and placed the shirt to the top of his head squeezing the water out over him. He tensed at the unexpected rush of water over his face and body, and turned his head to look at her. "You knew where I lived."

Another small beat of silence between them, their eyes locked over his shoulder.

"How you know it wasn't Merle that did this to me?" Daryl asked gruffly. He didn't know why but he wanted to squash this apparently pretty little picture of Merle that she had. Felt that she didn't have no right to be thinkin' of Merle in any kind of good light, when Daryl himself was findin' it fuckin' difficult these days.

"I may not know what type of man Merle is now," Callie said shaking her head as her eyes slipped back to that box truck and the woods. "God knows I don't know what to think about anyone anymore. But," she looked back at Daryl and he turned just a bit. "I don't peg him for the type to do this to you." Her fingers traced along a few of the crisscrossed scars on his lower back. "Maybe a few," her fingers traced upwards along his spine, picking a gentle path along his scars. "Ones gained through Merle just being fuckin' Merle when he was bringing you up. But not these. These are different." Her fingers again grazed a few of the deeper scars on his back and instead of working to fight the shiver he simply flung himself around to glare down at her. She didn't back away like he'd expected. Instead she glared back, raising her brow and dropping his wet shirt unceremoniously to the truck bed beside him. "Don't look at me like that. You fucking asked, Daryl."

Daryl growled low in his throat and Callie stepped away a bit shaking her head.

"You don't know jack, sweetheart." Daryl said quietly, his finger poking out before he even realized he was doing it. He was in her face, and like usual she was right back in his not backing down. Damn her. "You don't know what type of man Merle is. Hell I don't even know what type of man Merle is anymore. Look at this shit!" he waved his arm around emphatically at their surroundings and she just watched him, her arms crossing over her chest. "You know he was a fuckin' addict. You know he hit your boy in Atlanta, damn near got him and the rest killed. You saw what he did to Hank."

Daryl was on a roll now, and Callie stepped back a bit further to let him have room for his apparently much needed rant. She'd been waiting for him to snap, fucking tense as he's been.

"You're a real piece of work you know that?" Daryl was saying now and Callie raised a humored brow as he again lifted his finger at her advancing just a few steps. "You think just cause you helped out some beat-down bitches and their brats that you know anything about anything? 'Bout what I been through?" He took a deep seething breath and shook his head. "Think you know anything 'bout what type of man Merle is? What type of man I am?"

Daryl's jaw worked convulsively for a minute as he just stared at her. Finally he took three deep breaths and Callie realized the nail had apparently been hit on the head with that last statement. This wasn't about her, not even close. This was about Daryl and Daryl alone. Daryl threw his hands into his hair and then dragged them through his sopping locks, again turning his back on her. She watched him walk back towards his truck bed and brace his hands again on the tailgate.

"I don't even fuckin' know what type of man I am." Daryl growled at his truck bed, staring at his hands as the coiled muscles in his back and arms rolled with his tension. Callie watched his head shake from side to side, and slowly made her way back towards him. Her fingers had just barely brushed his shoulder when he was spinning on her, catching her hand in a tight fist.

"What type of man you peg me for, huh?" Daryl spat at her, humored sarcasm lacing his words as he regarded her through squinted eyes. Obviously still battling whatever was rolling through that thick head of his. Callie stared back, feeling his fingers tighten just a bit, but not hurt. Just pressure added to his words to try and drive home a point. "You peg me for an easy mark? Type of man you can get to play protector to you, and daddy to them kids? Carry you through it all?"

"Listen, dickhead," Callie said her own anger hitting a bit of a boiling point. After all there was only so much you could take before you needed to lay the beat-down right back down. "I don't need you to protect me, Dixon. Nor do I need anyone to _play daddy_ to those kids." She shook her head at him, and snatched her hand out of his warm calloused one. She stared into his eyes, making him keep that contact going, no matter how hard he wanted to look away. The pain that she saw etched into his features made her pause. Made her realize that he knew that. Somewhere deep down, he knew that already.

"I found them, Daryl. They're on me. I'd never expect anything from anyone with regards to them." She said in a calmer tone as she raked her own wet fingers through her mass of hair. He watched her, his own head bowed to the truth in her words. He knew that. He did. Callie looked at him and smiled just a tiny bit. "But honestly," she began and he cocked his head to the side. This fuckin' woman and her honesty. "I'd be lying if I said I would turn you down, if you wanted to do either thing." She was blushing again and her eyes slipped between them, settling on his bare chest and torso. "But I'd never ask you to. I never want you to do anything but keep yourself safe first. You know that."

"And ya called me an idiot," Daryl spat back at her shaking his head, watching as her humored gaze slipped back up to his face. He ran his fingers through his dripping hair and down his drenched face before taking a breath. "So what the fuck you want from me? What you want me to be?"

She looked at him for a good long moment, before a smile slowly slipped over her lips. And there it was, she was giving him that look again. That look that made him feel like a better man than he was. He let out a gruff sigh of frustration at the woman and shook his head.

"You." Callie said simply, catching him completely off-guard and stopping his head mid-shake. "For a long time now," she shook her head at the apparent humor of that statement. Humor that Daryl just didn't understand. "Longer than I'd really like to admit." He narrowed his brow as she put her fingertips to his chest, that tiny little smile turned inward now. Laughing at her own confession. "All I've ever wanted from you, is to be you. Foul-mouthed, bad-temper havin' redneck sum'bitch that you are." She smiled at her fingers as they slid gently over his chest and then off.

Her eyes were down on her hand, just hovering in the air between them. He realized with a bit of a shock that she was embarrassed. His brow narrowed just a bit more as she chuckled at herself and shook her head, eyes lifting to scan the area around them. Finally they landed on him, and she held his gaze for a second before running her fingers through her hair again and letting her hand drop. Then she was walking away, and Daryl was spinning slowly to follow her movements.

"Don't put that shirt on yet," she said over her shoulder waving a hand as she grabbed for the lantern on top of his truck. He bit at the inside of his cheek and slipped around to the side of his truck. She opened the door behind the driver's on the Hummer and set the lantern in, bending and reaching for something. She leaned back for a second, removing her gun from the front of her jeans and setting it into the cargo hold on the back of the driver's seat, so that she could bend a bit easier. "I've got a towel here. No sense in you getting all mucked up again. Especially when it's finally cooled off a bit and you could stay dry."

He stared at her, watching as she worked to avoid him by digging for a fuckin' towel he didn't need. And he slowly worked his way towards her. He watched as she shook her head and chuckled at herself.

"Don't know what the fuck is wrong with me." She said quietly practically mumbling, and if he hadn't been right at her back, he probably wouldn't have heard her. "I'm usually so good at distancing with this shit. But you," she was talking almost to herself, and he wasn't even sure she knew she was really talking out loud at all. "You. You got so far under my skin, so quick. God. It's like I've never wanted anything more."

Daryl's eyes closed, and he took a deep breath before his hand shot out and grabbed into the loose waistband of her jeans. He curled his fingers there, and felt her body stiffen in surprise for a moment before he tugged her out and spun her around to face him. She was staring up at him, mouth open in surprise, words dying on her lips as her gaze roamed his face. She read his expression just as well as she'd read every other, and her lips moved just a bit in anticipation.

His lips crashed into hers in that moment, and the kiss they shared was anything but gentle. It was built on everything that they'd been through, both before and during this day and night of utter hell. Callie found herself plastered to the side of the Hummer, Daryl's hard body against hers as he tangled his hands roughly in her hair and pulled back hard to open her up for his insistent kisses. She moaned against his mouth and dug her fingernails into his shoulders before snaking both hands to his hair.

The heat of his half naked body was intense and had her writhing against his pull. One of his hands left her hair and slid down her back, pressing into her tight muscles with each inch it moved. Finally it slid over her backside and roughly grabbed at her thigh, lifting and pulling her leg so that it settled around his hips. He pressed so hard into her core that she had to break their kiss in order to let out the rush of breath that needed to escape, before she exploded. Her head flew back, neck arching as his lips bit into the skin there. Hot, wet and abrasive lips worked against her pulse point below her jaw, teeth nipping as he grasped her backside and pulled her into his hips. Her fingers gripped, both pulling and pushing at his head with his damp hair as her breath left her in rapid succession.

Daryl's other hand left her hair and landed at her other hip, fingers demanding as they dug into her backside. She complied easily allowing him to lift her other leg, she returned her lips to his as she let him lift her and wrapped her legs around his hips locking at the ankles and driving herself into him.

She felt them moving as he took two staggering steps towards the open door to the Hummer. Her backside was sitting on the lowered seat that made up her makeshift bed now, and they broke apart. Harsh, ragged breathing settled between them as they stared, knowing there was no turning back. No fuckin' Glenn to stop them. Nothing but their own insecurities to put an end to this now. Daryl's eyes were hooded, but she could see the indecision playing through them, and without any reservations she leaned forward and caught his lips with hers.

She sucked his bottom lip into her mouth, teeth grazing that supple bit of flesh with just enough pressure to elicit a delicious little growl from the man. Her hand slid slowly down his chest, and she settled her fingers into the loose waistband of his pants and tugged just once. The familiar gesture reversed and causing a sly grin to break out on both of their faces. She tugged again, and then began to scoot herself backwards, letting her fingers slide out of his waistband as she moved further away. His eyes slipped back over his shoulder towards his truck and she smiled just a bit.

"Daryl," her voice was throaty and just the sound of it seemed to make his breath come out harder. When his eyes skipped back to hers she swallowed hard but smiled. Her chest rose and fell as she braced her arms behind her and began to kick off her loosely tied boots. His eyes skipped down to her feet, catching sight of her socks, and then he was climbing in and slamming the door shut behind him.

The Hummer wasn't a small vehicle, and the makeshift bedding scattered around made it almost comfortable. But neither of them was really worried about comfort at the moment. God, if it had been safe, she would have let him take her right out there against the side of the Hummer.

Callie was working to toe off her socks when Daryl's hand slipped around her ankle and tugged them off with a smirk. He pushed the shoes and socks out of the way, tossing them and hitting the small lantern causing it to fall and roll just a bit. His hands continued up, his mind and body working on a different level now, ignoring the world around him and focused on only one thing.

The woman givin' him eyes and beckoning him to her like a siren.

His hands slid up her jean clad legs as he crawled over to her, his head ducking as he did and finally capturing her swollen lips with his. A kiss that he wanted to stay gentle and teasing soon gave way to the nature of the beast. Heated, rough and needy as all hell he pressed his lips to her and felt her arch into him as he settled himself between her legs. Her arms flew from their position behind her and dragged along his shoulders before again snaking into his hair and tugging him harder to her.

It was at that moment, when Callie again broke their kiss and let her head fall back to be cradled by his one hand as he worked his way down the column of her neck, that he knew this would not be a slow methodical study in the art of lovemaking. This would be hot and frantic and everything they both wanted and needed.

Callie's hands were digging into the back of his neck, her lips working a hot path along his abrasive jaw towards his ear. She sucked hard at his earlobe and his hands immediately slid down and under her t-shirt. Calloused fingertips that had always been warm before, were hot as they slid up under her shirt working to remove the fabric. Each slide of his fingertips along her skin seemed to brand her with a new sensation of desperate need, and she felt herself writhing beneath his weight. Her legs rubbing against his as she worked to bring their hips together.

She bit hard onto his ear when his hands made it to her breasts, the feel of the warmth of his hands shooting through the thin fabric of her bra making it hard for her to even think straight anymore. He pulled away then, and she let his one arm fall to brace her from behind. She moved her hands and helped him to tear off her shirt, tossing it behind him to join her boots and socks. His eyes roamed her body, his chest rising and falling as he watched her hands slide behind her to unclasp her bra. The thin material fell away, and she tossed it behind him.

Even in the low light of the small battery operated lantern she could see his eyes darken with that familiar desire. He rushed at her again, a low growled 'God woman,' rushing from his mouth only moments before he crashed his lips into hers. She fell hard back into the layers of bedding and pillows, her back arching at the feel of the small hairs of his bare chest brushing against her taut nipples. Hot open-mouth kisses ran down her throat and over her collarbone, only softening once as they grazed the still healing slice in her left shoulder. She shuddered as he ran his hand gently over that spot, fingertips light over the stitches, and then moving down.

Warm calloused hands met soft supple mounds and he squeezed with a guttural growl that had her moaning his name. His lips followed suit, sucking and nipping and devouring her with a need that was thrusting his hips into hers even as he strove for control.

Suddenly, her hands snaked around him one settling at his backside while the other pressed hard into his cock. His lips lifted, and he seethed out a heated groan against her chest. Her hand moved from his backside to the front, both of her nimble little fingers working at the button on his cargo pants, as she let out harsh gasping breaths into his shoulder. He pushed up, bracing his arms on either side of her looking down at her. Watching the passion ride her flushed face as she worked the button on his pants. When she got it, in one fluid motion she was unzipping, and pushing both pants and boxers down so that his cock sprang free. She was instantly rubbing her hands against his hard length, causing his entire body to spasm, and his hips to buck into her firm embrace. His head rolled slowly along his shoulders with the feel of her hand on him and in the next instant he was pulling her hands away and diving his fingers towards the button on her own jeans. He pulled the loose fabric, causing her back to arch and her arms to fall back so that she was propped up on her elbows watching him. Her tongue flicked out and wet her swollen lips just as he got the button and zipper undone.

He pressed forward, capturing her lips in a long kiss, his tongue slipping into her mouth and causing her head to fall back and arms to shudder beneath her shaking weight. Slipping his hands into her jeans and panties at her hips, working them slowly over her bare backside. He squeezed for only a moment before he started to push them down, still kissing her, his hot tongue teasing her until she was moaning against his lips.

"God," Callie said as her jeans and panties slipped further down her legs, warm calloused hands sliding along in a fiery path, branding her skin. Daryl's head was moving down now, his lips working a hot wet path down her neck, chest, and abdomen. Her jeans were almost completely off now, Daryl working his lips at her inner thigh as his hands pushed at the jeans pooled at her ankles.

One leg was freed and by that point Callie was just unable to stand it anymore. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, raked into his hair and she pulled him roughly back up.

"Please," she said on a ragged breath as she crashed her lips into his and her hips up to him. She let out a groan of pleasure at the feel of his hard length pressing at her bare, wet center, and her legs slid up his still cloth covered ones, toes hitching and pushing the fabric down a bit more. Her hips angled just right and in that instant Daryl thrust deep inside of her.

The sounds that escaped them both were anything but human, so deep and growling that they reverberated in their chests and throughout the Hummer. Daryl marveled as Callie became complete liquid silk in his hands. The way her body moved couldn't even be described as arching under him as he pulled out and thrust in deep again. She was rolling, like a boneless wave of hot pleasure, hips pressed to his grinding against him. Her head was thrown back, settled among the bedding while the rest of her body was in the air pressing and rolling against him. One of his arms was holding her around the waist and pressing her to him as he thrust slow and deep into her, while the other hand pressed into the floor holding their writhing hips above the bedding.

Daryl knew he wasn't going to last long. Knew it had been too damn long, and that she felt too damn good for him to even be able to try. He was shocked though when he felt her tight inner muscles already starting to spasm around him. Callie was panting now, her hands falling from his body and tangling tightly into the bedding beside her as her body rode out the beginning spasms of her orgasm. Daryl leaned forward, his body thrusting and pulsing in frantic motions now as the feel of her coming around him drove him right over the edge with her. She let out the most seductive moan of his name that he'd ever heard, her legs finally clasping tight along his hips as her body crashed and convulsed with the full throes of orgasmic pleasure. Her hands lifted again, fingernails digging deep into his shoulders as she added her own mark to his scarred back. He pumped harder, his body taking on an erratic rhythm all its own, and he spilled himself inside of her on a loud groan of such satisfaction he was sure they could hear it all the way back at their camp at that fuckin' gas station.

Callie's legs tightened their grip again around Daryl's hips and she squeezed his body tight to her as they both rode out the last spasms of their orgasm. He didn't even try to brace himself over her, letting his arm that was holding them up finally give and their bodies to fall in a heap to the bedding below. He buried his head deep into her shoulder, forehead pressed tight to the column of her throat as he worked to slow his breathing and the beating of his heart. He could feel her own heart beating an erratic rhythm under his chin, her chest rising and falling as her hands slid up his body and into his hair.

Her fingers raked through his now sweat-drenched hair, a slow caress along his scalp as she held his head to her body. He pushed up slowly, his head still heavy and slow moving as he lifted it to look at her. Their eyes met, and she gave him a slow wicked satisfied grin. He pulled himself out of her then, watching as her eyes closed and her head tilted back just a bit at the feel of him sliding out of her still sensitized core.

A rush of something he could only describe as satisfied pride coursed through his veins when he watched her heavily lidded eyes reopen to look up at him. Her hair was a disheveled mass of waves fanned out beneath her, her lips were swollen and red, and he'd never seen her look so beautiful.

At that point, his eyes roamed down their bodies, his legs shifting uncomfortably in the cargo pants that had been shoved to his mid thigh. The sight of her own jeans still hanging from her left ankle had him closing his eyes and shaking his head. A low chuckle left him before he could stop it and he ran his hand down her leg slowly removing the offending clothing. She was smiling too, when he came back up and put his lips to hers kissing her softly. He trailed his lips over her bruised and cut cheek gently before lifting up and looking down at her.

"I'll make it up to you," Daryl said quietly. "That rushin' sort of shit wasn't what I wanted for this." He kissed her again, softly pressing his lips to hers. He pulled away and looked into her slightly shocked eyes. "I'll make it up to you."

"Seriously?" Callie said, one brow raising in confusion as she looked at him. He raised a brow back, as if she should know he was and she raked her nails down his back. "Well, hot damn." He chuckled again, and moved in to kiss her again but the radio crackled from the front seat.

"_Callie," _Rick's voice worked through the static of the distance between them and Daryl was propping up and looking over his shoulder at the radio in the front seat. "_Callie, come back."_

"If we don't respond, he's gonna come after us," Callie said chuckling as Daryl growled something about 'a fuckin' moment of peace'. He pushed away from her, his pants still at his thighs, making his journey to the radio utterly comical. Callie pushed up, deeply engrained Southern modesty causing her to pull a close by blanket over her bare breasts. She watched him struggle for the handset and laughed as he tugged at his pants angrily. "Just pull them up, Daryl."

He shot her an angry look over his shoulder as he yanked his loose pants and boxers up over his rear-end and reached out a long arm to grab the handset.

"We're fine," he growled into the handset, his eyes still angled at her. "Workin' something out," he said after another second. "Give us an hour or so."

"_Right," _Rick's response was low, and even through the static Callie could hear the humor in his tone. "_An hour,"_ Daryl dropped the handset, leaving it to dangle and then turned to look at her.

"Takes a little less than half an hour to get back," Callie said idly watching him settle his thumbs into the loose waist of his pants.

"I know," Daryl growled back, that wicked grin snaking onto his face. Callie shivered, her hand clenching in the fabric of the blanket she'd pulled over her chest.

"Well," she said clearing her throat at the sound of her breathy voice. "Hot damn."

_It's hiding in the corner_

_Of every sacred place_

_Before the ambush you won't want to _

_Recognize its face_

_It slithers like a viper_

_Readies its attack_

_Tears your flesh and soul apart_

_Then clings on to your back_

_Not till it turns away_

_Can you feel the pain of all the damage done_

_And you may notice that _

_This quick opiate_

_Might wear the wings of angels_

_That's when you realize_

_You've been shot down_

_Wounded onto death by something called love_

_~Cupid's Got A Brand New Gun/ Michael Penn_

_AN: Okay, so I guess you could call that pay-dirt right? I don't really think there's much to be said after that… so yeah. Let me hear it people!_

_Oh, and to see who would be interested, or who actually reads these things… I was thinking of doing another couple of companion pieces to these. One would be a prequel that would follow Callie and Danny gathering the kids, as well as possibly Daryl and Merle, Dale, Andrea and Amy, and the rest up to the start of NM:SAFE. The other would be Merle's journey after being left in Atlanta. There seem to be a lot of questions, but I'd probably wait to write that one until we got a bit into Season 3…spoilers after all. Let me know if you'd all like something along those lines. _

_Much Love!_


	7. Vignette No More No Less

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_What better way to follow a wondrous moment of perfect bliss than with a little vignette. _

_As always, read, review and enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Vignette: No More No Less**

Callie's back slammed yet again into the bedding in the back of the Hummer, her hips arching upwards on a groan. Feet pressing hard into the now open tailgate, she pressed her hips up a bit more and shimmied.

"You know," Callie said as she pulled one more time at her jeans and finally got them over her backside. Letting her back and hips fall back to the bedding below she let out a sigh and pulled the two halves together over her hips. "I had a dream earlier tonight that you shot me in the head."

Callie buttoned and zipped her pants and then let her arms fall limply to her sides. Letting her legs fall out of the tailgate she let the cool breeze rush over her still flushed skin. Laying clad only in her bra and, finally her jeans, she closed her eyes. The heat from their previous activities was still riding high not only in her blood and over her skin, but throughout the entire interior of the Hummer. The smell of sex was in the air and she'd be a damn fool to say she was anything but a lucky fuckin' son of a bitch. Laying there smiling just a bit at that thought she slowly opened her eyes and listened to Daryl as he moved around at his truck.

"Daryl?" Callie called out, pushing up to her elbows, just a bit of fear settling in her stomach. She heard the sound of water splashing to the ground, and a grunt. Leaning forward she spotted him at the back of the open tailgate of his truck, placing the now empty bucket aside and grabbing for the other one. He was fully dressed now, dirty cargo pants and his clean sleeveless dark blue shirt back in place, and the sight of the muscles of his bare arms working as he lifted the bucket gave her just the right amount of chills.

He looked over at her quickly and then went back to the task at hand hefting the next bucket closer to him. Callie shook her head and turned towards the Hummer, and began searching through the bedding for her shirt.

"Ain't one for fuckin' pillow talk," Daryl said finally apparently in return to her earlier statement. Callie smiled just a bit and shook her head as she tossed another blanket aside, still searching for her shirt. "But even I know that ain't something you talk about after what we just did."

"Pillow talk," Callie muttered to herself, sitting back on her heels and putting her hands to her thighs. Her head shifted left and right as she ran her hand through her thick disheveled mass of hair. "You'd have to be back in her for this to be fuckin' pillow talk, Daryl." Callie heard him give some sort of grunt in return and then heard a second splash as he emptied the other bucket of water.

"The fuck you bringin' it up for then?" Daryl asked, and Callie shifted on her legs to look out the back of the Hummer. She watched him poke his head into view, wiping his forearm across his slightly damp brow. He smirked at the sight of her sitting only in her bra and jeans and then was walking away again.

Sighing Callie turned her head and again searched through the blankets for her shirt.

"Thought it was interesting," Callie said in return, as she lifted up a smaller blanket and shook her head. Giving up, she started crawling back towards the open tailgate.

"It was a fuckin' dream," Daryl was saying now, and as Callie poked her head out to look at him she watched him grab his pack out of the bed of his truck and toss it to the ground with the two now empty buckets. She furrowed her brow, but didn't say anything as she watched him look up at her from the other side of the bed of his truck. "What's it matter? I ain't gonna shoot you in the head."

Callie shifted off of her knees and hung her legs out of Hummer sitting on the tailgate. She put both hands to the tailgate and squeezed as she looked at the man who had moved towards his open driver's side door and disappeared inside. Her mind went back to the CDC, and she bit on her split, still slightly love-swollen lips.

"Daryl," Callie said quietly now looking at her bare feet swinging off the tailgate. "I didn't do this so that you wouldn't-" she cut herself off and heard him rustle around. When she looked over at him he was staring at her over the bed of his truck, that narrowed brow of confusion and anger in place as he waited for her to continue. "I still need—" she cut herself off again and shook her head shifting her eyes back down to her feet. "If anything should happen, I need to know you'll take care of it."

There was a beat of silence.

"That fuckin' seals it," Daryl said finally and she looked up to see him pointing a finger at her, his brows riding high over his eyes. "You are officially worse at this pillow talk shit."

Callie shook her head and glared, slipping her middle finger into the air as she turned towards where her boots and socks were sitting. Grabbing her socks she started putting them on, still shaking her head.

"I'm serious," Callie said not looking up at him as she grabbed for her first boot and put it on. He was quiet, and Callie shook her head reaching for the next boot.

"Were ya bit?" Daryl asked suddenly, taking her off guard and causing her to look up at him. "In your dream," he said in that tone that said she should have known what he was fucking talking about. "Were ya bit?"

"No," Callie said, narrowing her eyes and returning her attention to tying up her boots. Finished with that task she put her hands to her knees and gave one last look to the interior of the Hummer.

"Then what's it fuckin' matter?" Daryl said in return. She looked over at him again watching him slam his door shut and make his way around to the back of his truck bed again. "It was a fuckin' dream. Ain't no way I'd shoot you in the head if you wasn't bit." She opened her mouth to say something but he lifted his hand and just looked at her. "I told ya I'd take care of ya." He firmed his lips and shook his head at her. "Regrettin' it now, but I said I'd do it, so-" he lifted a hand to the air as if that was answer enough. "But you ain't gotta worry 'bout that."

"But if it does happen-" Callie started but Daryl again cut her off as his body finally rounded the end of the truck and he again shook his head.

"You ain't gotta worry 'bout that." The tone of his voice was one of finality, and Callie let out a long sigh and nodded her head a couple of times.

Obviously feeling that the conversation had finally ended, and ended how he wanted it to, Daryl smirked at her and then began reaching for more stuff out of the bed of his truck. Callie watched him for a few more seconds, her eyes slipping to the area around them searching out any unwelcome visitors. Again her eyes slipped back into the Hummer. Shifting a bit and pushing herself off of the tailgate and feet on the ground, she turned and put her hands to the only portion of bedding she hadn't checked. The shit she'd been sitting on.

"Have you seen my shirt?" Callie said more to herself than to him, but upon hearing the low, almost imperceptible sound of his chuckled she turned. He was bent over the tailgate, grabbing at something giving her a nice view of the side of his ass. And there it was, hanging out of his back pocket. Her dark-green t-shirt flapping in the light breeze.

She turned from her search of the Hummer and stalked over to him. He was grinning like she'd never seen before as he worked to pull a quiver full of homemade arrows out of the truck. He turned to face her as she snatched the fabric from his back pocket.

"Jackass," Callie muttered as she shook her head and worked to find the opening of the shirt to slip it on. Daryl straightened then, letting the quiver fall to the ground with the rest of his stuff. He lifted his hand and wrapped that lovely warm calloused appendage around her upper left arm, stilling her movements. She looked up at him, and watched his smile fade just a bit as his thumb smoothed over her skin and then up a bit towards her wounded shoulder.

"Gonna have to let me take care of that when we get back," Daryl said nodding his chin towards the wound that was seeping just a bit of blood from the deeper part of the laceration. Callie smiled tightly at him, as he worked his thumb over a small trail of blood wiping it away as best he could. "Shoulda been a bit more careful," Daryl grumbled his lips twitching a bit sideways as his eyes squinted harder at the cut. His thumb again moved gently over the still sore area.

"Ain't got to worry 'bout that," Callie said mockingly and his eyes snapped up to hers. He shook his finger in her face once and she smiled widely. "Tomorrow," she said watching, as if on cue Daryl worked to hide a very large yawn.

"Tomorrow," Daryl echoed, shaking his head against the yawn. He then did something she wasn't expecting and dipped his head down to kiss very lightly at the cut. He must have shocked himself because when he lifted his head again he averted his gaze from hers and immediately turned back towards his truck bed.

"Pillow talk," Callie grumbled at him as she put her arms into her shirt and then lifted it over her head. She could feel his gaze on her body as she shimmied and slid the shirt down. When she looked back, he had one brow raised at her and a crooked grin on his face. "I'll bet you fuckin' love pillow talk. Sweet talker like you," she raised a finger and wagged it at him before heading towards the driver's door of the Hummer. She looked over her shoulder just as she reached in and grabbed her gun from the cargo hold at the back of the driver's seat. "You gotta be good at it."

Daryl lifted his middle finger at her but let out a low chuckle before grabbing a small gas can from the truck bed. He set it down, then turned and slammed his tailgate shut, smacking his hands on it twice and staring at it. Callie placed her gun into the front of her jeans and then put her hands to her hips, staring at the small pile of shit he had accumulated.

"Let's get this in the Hummer and get back, 'fore Rick gets too fuckin' restless." Daryl said giving his tailgate one final smack and turning to grab the gas can and the empty buckets. Callie was taken aback as he put both items into the Hummer and then watched with raised brows as he hefted his pack and his crossbow in as well. He poked his head out at her and furrowed his brow. "You just standin' there or are you gonna be useful."

"See," Callie said smiling and stepping forward as she wagged a finger. "Sweet talker." He shook his head and rolled his eyes as he shuffled his stuff around in the back of the Hummer. Callie picked up his pack and moved around his body to set it in the back of the Hummer. She narrowed her brow and smirked just a bit as she looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "So what's this mean? Are we official now? Movin' your shit Into my place, Dixon?"

"Mean," Daryl scoffed. "Fuckin' women and their hidden meanings." He shook his head and pushed the gas can further in, and then worked to settle his crossbow and quiver. "It means your fuckin' haulin' my shit back to camp. That's what it means."

"What about the truck?" Callie asked, a bit confused.

"Don't got enough gas to make it back," Daryl knocked his knuckles on the gas can and she heard a small sloshing sound. "Siphoned out the remainder earlier."

"How exactly did you plan on getting back?" Callie asked amusedly, grinning as she turned to face him. He looked over his shoulder and smiled as he stood up straight.

"Like you said before," Daryl said shrugging. "Can't really say I'm surprised you came out."

Callie opened her mouth to say something but instead just shook her head. Her hand lifted and she waved it in the air idly as she started to walk around him and back towards the driver's side of the Hummer. He watched her open the door and then turn to face him.

"Where are my keys?" Callie said, her eyes angling up from the console where she'd set them and over to his smirking face. He lifted the keys and jingled them at her, and she rolled her eyes to the sky. She slammed the door shut, and he watched her walk around to the front of the Hummer to grab her pack of cigarettes from where she'd left it.

"Hey, girl," Daryl said as he closed the Hummer's tailgate and smirked as her head popped back around to look at him. "You walkin' bow-legged?"

"Fuck you, Daryl." Callie spat her middle finger raising to his now full on laughing face. Daryl walked slowly forward, still chuckling as Callie worked her way around the front of the Hummer shaking her head and waving her pack of cigarettes. "Jackass, for that you get no nicotine."

"You're cute when you blush," Daryl said still grinning as he opened the driver's door, he hopped up onto the foot support and leaned towards her as she worked towards the passenger door.

"Cute," she grumbled shaking a finger at him. "It's dark. Fucker." He laughed again and swung himself inside as she opened the door. "Say I'm blushing," she continued to grumble tossing the cigarettes into the center consol. He was still chuckling when he put the key into the ignition. "Cute. I'll show you cute."

"Still fuckin' cute," Daryl muttered as he turned over the ignition and put the car into gear.

"You know what," Callie said shaking a finger at him as the headlights illuminated the area around them. "You just lost a notch on your Bad-Ass Belt. All this talk of fuckin' cute." She scoffed at him and shifted her eyes forward. They fell into a comfortable sort of silence where they were both smiling, and both just enjoying what they knew was the calm before the storm.

That's the way this world worked now. One moment of bliss followed by a lifetime of horrors. Callie shivered a bit, and then began drumming her fingers along the center console between them.

Daryl shifted the car into gear and they started pulling away from Merle's fucking box truck of horrors, and Daryl's old blue pick-up. Callie shifted in her seat as they rolled away, a small smile on her face as she watched the trucks get smaller. They jumped onto the highway and Callie settled herself back against the seat.

"Gonna miss her?" Callie said quietly to the man who's smile had faded back to his usual squinted scowl. He shifted his eyes just a bit to her and then quickly back to the road.

"She was a good truck," Daryl nodded, and then bit at the inside of his cheek. He lifted his right hand up to chew on his thumbnail a bit, his eyes shifting between her and the road a couple of times. Finally he removed his thumb and gave it a quick wipe on the front of his shirt, before settling his hand over hers and stilling the drumming of her fingers.

Daryl's thumb smoothed over the top of her knuckles, his hand not really holding hers, so much as resting on top of it. Settling it. Settling her nerves. She smiled a bit, and put her gaze back to the road ahead.

"I think you should give the photo back to Danny," Callie said finally, and she felt his hand stop its movement over her knuckles. She turned to look at him, watching the muscle in his jaw tick as he clenched it. "You saw it. You checked. You should tell him."

He was quiet for a minute, then his mouth was shifting as he bit at the inside of his cheek. Slowly he began to nod his head.

"Whatever," Daryl said finally, his thumb again moving over her knuckles. He shifted his gaze to her, quickly and then back to the road. He then tapped his finger on her hand and nodded his chin towards the CB. "Should probably radio Rick. Been a little over an hour."

"Yeah," Callie said sliding her hand out from under his. She angled a sly look at him and then smirked. "Who's fault is that?"

"Complainin'?" Daryl countered a bit of a smirk riding his lips as he returned his hand to the wheel and let his left arm ride on the door.

"God no," Callie said smiling back at him as he shook his head. She lifted the handset to her mouth, her eyes still on Daryl as he shook his head and tried not to smile. "Callie to Rick. Come back."

* * *

The sound of the door to the RV quietly squeaking shut and scuffing shoes on the small walkway back to the tiny bedroom had Daryl's eyes popping wide open. He stifled a groan and ran his hand over his face and to the back of his neck. He looked down quickly, realizing now why he couldn't move his left arm or leg and shook his head.

Ben was sprawled out, Daryl's arm wrapped around his small shoulders one of the boy's legs tossed over his, while the other was almost hanging off the small bed they were on. He was snoring lightly, both arms flailed out wide as if he were falling spread eagle and somehow utterly comfortable.

"Least someone fuckin' is," Daryl grumbled trying to sit up just a bit. He was propped up against the wall, a tiny pillow shoved halfway under his head. He looked up and saw Rick rubbing a hand at his right temple in the doorway.

"He out?" Rick asked stifling a bit of a yawn as he nodded his head towards the bed on the other side of the room. Daryl nodded, rubbing his free right hand forcefully over his face and through his hair, as his eyes skittered over to where Danny lay.

"Passed out not too long ago," Daryl grumbled, his eyes locking on the busted up well-worn photo of Danny and his son still amazingly gripped in the injured man's hand atop his slowly rising and falling chest. Daryl looked back to Rick, who had a bit of a smile on his face as he looked at the tiny body of Ben sprawled out on Daryl. "Time is it?"

"Little after four or so," Rick said back again stifling a yawn. Daryl could see that Rick had gotten 'bout as much sleep as he had tonight, and was practically dead on his feet. Daryl started moving slowly, trying to not jostle the boy on his side too much.

"I'll take my turn at watch, get your ass some sleep." Daryl said trying to move the boy. "Fuck what you feed him tonight, bricks?" Rick chuckled and held up a hand to still Daryl.

"Don't worry, T-Dog and Glenn are up on watch." Rick watched as Daryl practically flung himself back into the awkward position he'd been in and covered his mouth as a long yawned rocked him. "They get heavy when their exhausted like that." Rick continued, shifting his chin in Ben's direction. "Carl was never heavier than when he used to wait up for me when I was working a graveyard shift. Guess it probably didn't help that I was dead on my feet when I was carryin' him up to bed."

Daryl nodded his head twice and then ran his hands through his hair again. He shifted his gaze to Danny again, and shook his head when he turned his attention back to Rick.

"You ain't here to get me up for watch," Daryl said in a matter-of-fact tone that had Rick's eyes sliding back from the prone, still out, Danny and back to him. "You need something?"

"Callie wanted me to check and make sure Ben didn't, quote, 'Beat your redneck ass black and blue'," Rick said with a smile as he ran his hand through his hair. Daryl chuckled and again rubbed at his tired eyes, yawning once more as he looked down at the boy sprawled over top of him.

Thoughts of when they'd arrived back at camp flooded Daryl's mind. The drive back had been quiet, and seemed way too short. As soon as they pulled in and got out of the Hummer, Daryl and Callie spotted Rick sitting atop the RV with three small companions. Ben had scrambled very clumsily down the ladder of the RV and stomped, literally fuckin' stomped his way over towards them.

"You don't do that!" Ben was pointing a finger at Daryl, who was looking wide eyed at the boy. Daryl had shifted his gaze to Callie, watching her stifle a bit of a yawn and raise a humored brow at him. "You don't go off without telling no one where you're goin'!" Ben yelled again, and he poked his little finger into Daryl's belly twice.

Callie was chuckling as she walked past, and up to Rick who was holding out the groggy form of Gracie out to her. She shifted the little girl on her hip and looked back shaking her head at Daryl.

"Why the fuck ain't you yellin' at her?" Daryl shot back to the little boy who was still fuming in front of him.

Callie shrugged with a bit of a smile, knowing she'd gotten that talk before from the boy, she looked down at Ben and saw his shoulders practically shaking. "Daryl," Callie's voice was quiet, and when he looked up at her he saw her nudge her chin at the boy. Ben had lowered his gaze to Daryl's boots, the blood and muck catching the boy's eyes and holdin' it.

Daryl had bit the inside of his cheek at that point, his eyes shifting from the boy staring at him, to the woman waitin' for him to deal with it. Callie let out a breath and started forward, but Daryl lifted a hand stilling her movement. Rick was waiting over by the ladder helping Carl to get off the roof, his eyes sliding between the little scene playing out and his son smiling down at him.

"You don't do that," Ben was saying, his little fists clenched.

"You're right," Daryl said quietly. Ben's wet eyes lifted to Daryl who placed his hand to Ben's head. "You're right, little man. Practice what you preach an' all that shit." Daryl lifted his eyes and caught Callie's scoffing laugh as she walked away towards the convenience store. Daryl ruffled Ben's hair and yawned. Giving the kid's head a bit of a nudge he pushed him towards the RV. "C'mon. I gotta talk to Danny real quick."

As Daryl had passed Rick he gave the former Sheriff and his son a quick nod. He and Ben had then gone back to the small room of the RV, kicking Glenn and Miles out. Daryl had pulled out the photo that Callie had handed back to him during the ride, and Ben had sat at the small table in the other room with Miles while Daryl explained what he'd done.

After a while, Ben had come back in and they'd both stayed and chatted with Danny as the man tried to keep his mind off of the pain of his wounds. It was torturous to watch, and Daryl only imagined it had to be fuckin' torture to endure. Danny had told a couple of stories about his boy, and finally passed out. Ben and Daryl had apparently followed suit not long after.

A loud snore sounded from behind Rick and had Daryl shaking his head and returning his thoughts to the present. He furrowed his brow at Rick who threw a thumb over his shoulder and smiled.

"Miles," Rick said with a chuckle, his eyes sliding back to Danny. "Those kids are loyal as hell."

"Yeah," Daryl said his eyes slipping down to the boy sprawled out on him. The men stood in silence for a few minutes, both rubbing tiredly at their faces.

"You and Callie get everything worked out?" Rick said. Daryl shifted his eyes up and caught that knowing fuckin' grin on Rick's face. He smirked and shook his head, running his fingers through his hair.

"Nah," Daryl said quietly shifting awkwardly against Ben's weight and the very personal question. "Made a good start though."

Rick nodded and rubbed his hand along the back of his neck, hearing Daryl's discomfort in discussing Callie and whatever was going on in the mumbled tone of his voice. Pointing a finger and nudging his chin upwards slightly Rick took one step forward. "You want me to take him back to the store?"

"Nah," Daryl said shifting one more time and then shoving his free hand behind his head to help get himself a little more comfortable. A very fuckin' little bit more comfortable. He shifted his eyes to the top of Ben's head and yawned. "We're good."

_Save me come tomorrow_

_Lead me to my urgency_

_See I'm no more no less_

_Of an angel_

_Than you'd have me be_

_So let's shake it like this_

_Steady here I cast my lines_

_Only to expose_

_A weaker sense and _

_No constraint_

_Now my true self shows_

_But don't bring me down_

_All right_

_Don't bring me down_

_Cause there's promise _

_In the night_

_~No More No Less/ Collective Soul_

_AN: Okay, so I know I've been updating this one a lot…and seem to be neglecting A Thousand Words…but I had this entire sequence so well thought out that I wanted to get it on paper, so to speak. I've got like four or so snippets roughed for A Thousand Words so if you've got that on your alerts list, be on the lookout. _

_I made this a vignette because I think Callie and Daryl needed to have a 'morning after'…without really having it take place during the regular story-telling. I hope you all enjoyed this, and hope it worked to bring us back to where we need to be. I guess we'll really see with the next chapters. _

_And since this is 'shorter' than my usual I'm gonna do some of the Review Responses here…but before that I wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone for the awesome reception of my Daryl/Callie finally get a moment scene…AKA the sex scene. I was actually worried it was going to ruin the flow of the story after I actually had to them get together (you know it always does) but part of the plan with this little vignette was to establish their relationship as it stands now…_

_Okay, without further ado:_

_Kol and Elena: OMFG I love you're reviews. Short and sweet and to the fuckin' point. Thanks so much!_

_LadyLecter 47: LOL. Hot Damn! I had totally written it with Rick chiming in right as Callie was leading Daryl into the Hummer by his pants…but figured I owed everyone a bit of a break. I'm seriously thinking about the prequel, we'll just have to see what I can come up with As always thank you for your feedback, you're awesome!_

_LittleNikki: *fans LittleNikki* I just have this thing about steamy…and apparently about Daryl shower scenes… just think what could happen when they have an actual shower at the Greene's farm… Honestly, there is a lot of Daryl-building that I'm doing with these early chapters, so his need to search for ….NO SPOILERS FOR YOU fits well… _

_Emberka-2012: Yes indeed, Callie had one heck of a nightmare in that little vignette. And yeah, I can see how Daryl playing Dead-people Detective in the dark would be a bit of an odd picture. Probably part of the reason Callie needed to go after him. And, no, they were not interrupted _

_AlabastR: Is it strange that probably my favorite part of your review as the wonderful rant against your computer and TECHNOLOGY! And the simplification of the apparent-long ass review you'd been working on into three statements-all of which cracked me up. And yeah, that middle one is kind of moot due to *points to Daryl's bare ass* but you know you enjoyed *again points to Daryl's bare ass* On to the regular stuff: I'm so glad you liked the dream sequence. I wanted to make it flow like a dream, a bit stilted in its description, weird and haunting… I'm glad it coalesced like I wanted it to. OH and I'm so happy that you caught Rick's statement and the foreshadowing! I thought it would get lost. So happy it didn't. Callie's washing of Daryl was two-fold for me. It was used to build that sexual energy that was obviously needed for the *ahem* action to happen later. And also, I think the whole conversation was a way for Daryl to try and wash clean all of what he was before and get ready for something new. You know? He's building towards being a different man, and he may not know what type of man that is but he's got a start. AND lastly, thank you for the handshake. I agree, I just couldn't have it be one of those long lovemaking scenes where they did everything under the sun and then some..it just didn't fit. And I hate it when that happens in some stories. OH, and I think I'm using SKYCASTLE HUMPFEST as my Fantasy Football League name this year. My husband will get a kick out of that one. thank you so much for your review and all your kind words._

_DruidArcher: HI! Welcome to Season 2! Thanks for finding us and reviewing! My entire goal is to make the sequel better, because I think for me Season 2 really came into its own with the characters, plot and way it moved. Thanks for your review~!_

_Alessandra: Yummy Yummy Yummy. That is exactly what I was going for. YAY! _

_AngieInWonderland: So I was reading the reviews in my email on my phone, and totally was like…who is Guest…then I was like OOOOOh. Funny, computer problems seemed to plague both you and AlabastR. Odd work of the fic gods this last go round, huh? So, on with the response… I chose Dream A Little Dream for that one, because it is one of my favorite songs (sing it to my baby-girl all the time) also, I wanted to give a kind of haunting edge to the nightmare. I thought the sweet song would make it that much more creepy…is that wrong of me? And since you asked so nicely I have roughed out the Daryl putting Gracie and Ben to bed thing… I'm planning on updating that one next. I've got a few in the rough that I need to post so be on the lookout. And yes, when I say I'm gonna deliver, you best believe I'm gonna deliver. The entire Callie/Daryl scene was so intense for me. I was writing it and I kept getting interrupted and it was so hard to get it out…but I'm so glad that you enjoyed it and caught on to everything that I put in there. Callie's an interesting cookie, she's not young-like most of the OC's I see paired with Daryl. She's thirty-six, she's lived and she's had a lifetime to really develop as a person. I think that's part of what makes her fit with MY Daryl. While Daryl is emotionally stunted, and may not know exactly who he is in this new fucked up world, he's got no room for people who are gonna cling to him and need him to become something he isn't ready for. So yeah, Callie being honest about the 'Daddy' thing, that was totally necessary. As for the scene in the Hummer… yeah like I said above I had thought about it…but I wanted this to be my gift to you. Thank you for your kind words about the sex-scene. I am so glad that everyone is so appreciative of my treatment of it. I had kind of a bad feeling that people would be left wanting for some of… well some of AlabastR's Skycastle Humpfest type of sex. I'm so glad that everyone seems to get where I was coming from with the quick, dirty, heated scene that did take place. And yeah, as noted in the above vignette Rick does know, and they all know he knows…but they're adults. I honestly can't see anyone in the group really sticking their nose into Daryl and Callie's relationship…not to say their won't be a bit of playful banter about it. I mean, if you think about it, Glenn's known for a while now too… and kept it a secret…so. In closing, you all may have to be on the lookout for a prequel I've got ideas spinning, and I think I'm going to have to watch a good bit of Season 3 before I can get into a groove of writing it with connection to this world… so I'm gonna need another pet project. As always thank you for your wonderful review. Much Love!_

_Honeyconcha: HI! Sorry for yelling! Did you enjoy reading your chapters… I think you did. The mmm mmm good cracked me up. Thank you so much for your kind words you're awesome, and you're feeding my ego way too much….. keep it comin! Just kidding. Thank you again. Love!_


	8. Shake Me Down

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_First off, let me say I'm sorry for the wait. I've been contending with a super sick baby, a horrible schedule of parties (shit people celebrate too damn much in the summer), and training for a 5K in August (ushering in 30 by running…dumbass that I am). I'm hoping to get on a better flow now that the kiddo is doing better. Thanks for waiting._

_We're in chapter 6, and there's…well not a lot of movement away just yet… but ladies and gents we are gonna be getting ready to move out of the little camp that we've set up and head onto the highway… we're just not there yet, so sit back and enjoy the ride ( so to speak)_

_As always, read, review and enjoy!_

_~SWW_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Chapter 6: Shake Me Down**

"I don't think I can do this," Carol's timid voice sounded and once again Callie slipped her eyes to the woman sitting next to her.

Callie smiled, but Carol's eyes were not even close to being on her. They were instead stuck to the wound in Danny's side, and the blood that stained her fingers as she slowly and tenderly worked to clean the still bleeding gash caused by the bullet that sliced into him. The woman was visibly shaken by the sight of her fingers covered in blood, and Callie saw them twitch and shake with each timid pull of the once white cloth in her hand.

"You know how to sew, right?" Callie said as she settled a swab of alcohol against the wound in Danny's thigh that she'd just finished stitching. The man flinched just a bit and she grimaced, flicking her eyes up to his quickly before settling them back to the woman still staring at her fingers beside her. "Shit, I know you know how to sew. You're the best out of all of us apparently ridiculously undereducated fine Southern women." Carol flicked a somewhat annoyed yet slightly humored glance to Callie before letting out a sigh and lowering the cloth from Danny's side.

"I've been sewing since I was eight," Carol said, her lips firming into a straight line. She stared at her fingers, moving them yet trying not to touch them together, as she shook her head. "I just don't think—"

"It's the same basic principle," Callie said, cutting off the train of thought that the woman had been riding since they entered the RV a half an hour ago. Callie finished bandaging up the newly stitched wound on the front of Danny's thigh, and rubbed his calf as she smiled up at him.

"Yeah, you know," Danny said wincing just a bit as he rolled his head and looked at Carol with a pained smile. "Skin is the new cotton." Carol grimaced and moved back an inch away from the man, her fingers going wide and hands raising in the 'I'm outta here motion'.

"I swear to God, you open your mouth one more time and I'm gonna go heat up that fucking iron again." Callie said wagging her finger at the now chuckling man. Danny shook his head and rolled his eyes back towards Carol who looked like she was going to be sick. "Carol," Callie's voice broke the woman's stare with the wound in Danny's side. She looked over at Callie slowly, her head shaking back and forth. "I know this is hard, but we need to have someone else who knows how to do this. Right now it's just Daryl and I, and Shane- barely. And honestly, the three of us are all a bit-"

"Accident-prone?" Danny muttered quietly, earning a glare from Callie. "Ooh, no. Impetuous? Fuckin' idiots? Marked for death?"

"Shut it," Callie said slapping lightly at his calf, earning a chuckle from the man before he rolled his eyes to the ceiling above. Wiping her hand on the towel across her lap Callie put it to Carol's knee and squeezed. "I know you can do this."

"Why me?" Carol said quietly and before Callie could yet again bring up her 'awesome sewing skills' as Danny had called them she shook her head. "I'm not the one who should be doing this." She spread her blood stained fingers again and shook her head. "Andrea, or Lori-"

"Andrea's not a good choice," Danny said quietly, causing both women to look at him. "She's too," he looked at Callie, then Carol, and then shook his head. "It's complicated." Both women just stared at him with a raised brow, and he looked away.

"And Lori has other things on her mind," Callie said with a sad smile, while Carol shook her head.

"Default does not make a good reason for having someone do something like," she waved her fingers at Danny's side, the long ragged flesh-wound from the bullet that grazed him staring back at her almost mockingly. Carol shook her head, and lifted her wide eyes to Danny then Callie. "I can't do this."

Carol moved to stand up, but Callie grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down. Carol stared at Callie's hand for a moment, before looking into her eyes. Callie wiped the back of her other hand over her mouth and shook her head.

"Carol," Callie said quietly, her eyes on Danny's thigh that she'd just stitched up. "No one here is trained for this. Not really. I got a few quickie lessons from my brother when he was in med-school and Daryl—" she paused and smiled just a bit looking at the woman. "Daryl's just led that type of life where he'd need that kind of knowledge." Carol lowered her gaze to her hands and watched Callie slip her hand off of her wrist.

From the corner of her eye Carol watched Callie toss the thread and needles into the bowl of fresh alcohol. Callie's fingers flexed a few times as she too fought against the feel of the blood on her fingers. Three deep breaths shook Callie's shoulders before she continued.

"You can do this," Callie said quietly her eyes slipping to Carol's again. "If I can, you can." Carol let out a sigh, and Callie smiled.

"I don't want to hurt him," Carol said quietly, her eyes slipping back to Danny who had closed his eyes for a moment at the sudden rush of nausea.

"See," Danny said smiling at Carol before slipping his gaze to Callie. "Not everyone is so eager to inflict pain upon my wounded ass."

"I'm not gonna force you to do it, Carol." Callie said ignoring Danny, she sighed and smiled at the other woman. "But I need you to understand something. This world; it's fucked up."

"Nice," Danny muttered earning another slap on his calf. "Hey, wounded here."

"This world doesn't really allow for us to _want_ to do something, or not anymore." Callie said quietly and her eyes averted to the ground and her blood stained boots. "This world is all about what _needs_ to be done. And right now, Danny's wounds need to be stitched up and we need to get the hell out of here and on the road to somewhere else." Callie slipped her eyes back up to Carol's who was staring at her with a strange sort of expression that Callie just couldn't read.

As long as they'd lived together at the Quarry, as many times as she'd talked with Carol or Sophia, or just listened to them she'd never been able to get a read on the older woman. Carol was not an open book, like the rest of the crew. The woman learned long ago to hide her feelings and thoughts well away, and Callie was sure that only a select few ever really got to know what she was thinking.

"I'd appreciate your help," Callie said with a final smile at the woman. "Even if you don't want to stitch, can you at least watch? That way if it ever comes up-" Callie started moving things around so that she could take Carol's place in front of Danny's other wound. Carol's hand stilled Callie's movements and the woman firmed her lips into a frown of acceptance.

"I'll do it," Carol said reaching out for the second bowl of alcohol. Callie grabbed it and held it out to the woman beside her watching as Carol put on her game face. It was a familiar face, one Callie remembered seeing Carol put in place each morning she left her tent. A face ready to take on the world at large. Carol dunked her delicate hands into the alcohol and wiped away some of the blood. Lifting her hands out she shook them lightly and held them up not wanting to touch anything. "I'm not happy about it. But I'll do it."

"Good for you," Danny said his smile faltering when he saw Callie reach for the second bowl with the needles and thread. "Fuck me." Carol's hands stopped their movement towards the bowl at his groaned out explicative and she stared at him. He cracked open one eye and grimaced at her. "I just remembered who I was cheerin' you on to stitch up." He sighed and rolled his head along the pillows. "It's fine. Really." He smiled then and Carol raised a brow at his apparently odd behavior. "You got any neat little trick stitches you can do? You know, something that'll make me remember who did 'em for the rest of my life? Sign your name or some shit?"

"I don't think—" Carol looked to Callie who was shaking her head and smiling.

"Don't even talk to him," Callie said looking up and smiling at Danny who was chuckling as he caught her eyes. Callie lifted the bowl to Carol and nodded for her to start threading her needle. "He's delirious."

"I'm fuckin' fine," Danny said idly, watching as Carol threaded the needle. He clenched his jaw and pushed his head back into the pillow, his left arm falling over his eyes, hand tightly gripping the pillow. "So," Danny said through clenched teeth. "Since Carol's gonna be busy with stitchin' you can keep my mind off things with a bit of gossip." He peeked at Callie who was staring at him like he had two heads. "You and Daryl get done with everything that _needed_ to be done last night?"

Callie's eyes went wide as she stared up at the smiling Danny, his grin grew just a bit wider and her eyes slipped to Carol. The woman was trying really hard not to smile. Just staring intently at her hands as she threaded the needle, her lips firmed into a thin line of ill-concealed humor. Her eyes flitted to Callie and Callie rolled her eyes and tossed her hands up into the air.

"Oh come on," Danny said wincing as he adjusted on the bed and eyed Callie. "You really thought you two were some kind of secret?" Danny looked at Carol who was flipping her eyes between the two of them, the humor now flooding her face. Danny smiled, he couldn't really remember the last time he saw Carol actually smile. "Tell her you knew."

"Well," Carol said quietly her eyes wide with an unsaid apology as she looked over at Callie. "Miles was a bit loud when he came into the store last night. He and Glenn were talking," Carol shook her head and looked to Danny. "It's not our business."

"Thank you," Callie said pointing a finger at Carol and raising both of her brows at Danny's still chuckling face. Bastard. She knew everyone knew something was going on, that didn't mean she wanted to discuss it.

"You are no fun, Carol." Danny said laying his head back and again placing his left arm over his eyes. "Man tries to keep his mind off things with a bit of gossip and you deny him."

"I think maybe man should just shut up and keep his mind on his own business," Carol said idly as she looked at the needle in her hand. Both Callie and Danny shifted shocked gazes to her and she cracked a very small smile. "Or did we forget about a certain complicated relationship going on?"

Callie burst out laughing and Danny groaned, flopping his head back into the pillow.

"Shit, give the girl an inch…." Danny shook his head, then angled his eyes to Carol. "Good for you, Carol." Danny grinned watching as Carol took a few deep breaths her hands shaking as she looked at his wound. Callie was wringing out a rag and smiling just a bit at him, before slipping her eyes to Carol. Cleaning off the wound Callie gave him a look and he clenched his jaw for the coming pain. "Hey," Danny said getting Carol's attention off of her hands for a second. "It can't hurt worse than it already does. Don't linger on it. Callie's right, it needs to be done."

"It'll be fine," Callie said scooting a bit closer to Carol. Reaching forward and across Danny's body Callie grabbed a hold of his other hand and squeezed tight. He squeezed back once and lay back taking a few deep breaths to settle himself. He felt the weight of Callie's left arm as it settled along his abdomen, her right hand at his hip squeezing just a bit. "He's right. You'll do great. And if it gets to be too much. I'll take over." Callie caught Carol's tight nod and pushed Danny down just a bit in anticipation of him moving. Jutting her chin forward she signaled Carol to start. "We can't stitch the whole thing, we want to focus on the deeper portions. Remember not too close to the cut, so it doesn't tear…"

Danny let his mind wander far away from the bed he was laying on. Far away from the pain. Far away from the memories of the past couple of days. He let his body go as lax as he could, to make it easier for Carol to work. His thoughts moved to the kids. To Callie and her ridiculous relationship with Daryl, that was probably better for her slightly broken spirit than anything he'd ever been able to offer her. To Andrea, and her beautiful blue eyes looking at him with a mix of pity and disappointment that he'd hoped he'd never have to see.

The needle pierced his skin and he flinched. Callie's hand tightened around his and he squeezed back. Leave it to the two of them to be falling for people during a fuckin' apocalypse.

Gluttons for punishment the both of them.

* * *

Rick worked his way around the still trash littered floor of the small convenience store, watching idly as Shane barked orders at Miles, Glenn and T-Dog who were working to gather what supplies they could. With Callie and Carol working to stitch up Danny, they were hoping that they would be able to hit the road as early as this afternoon.

The rest of their little makeshift camp area inside the store had been cleaned up in a manner of what felt like seconds by Callie, and her kids. Watching them work that morning had given the rest of the group an idea of just how they'd survived for months on the road before hitting the Quarry. Professionals had been the word that Dale had laughingly mumbled to him before working his way atop the RV to take his position on watch.

"C'mon, Miles get your ass in gear!" Shane's voice echoed over the store, and Rick shifted his gaze from his feet to his friend. Shane was working as if the devil himself were at his back, and giving that fervor ten-fold to the three men helping him to search out and move supplies. Rick watched Miles give a large roll of his eyes before hefting an apparently full box of goods up to his chest and trudging past where Rick was standing.

"Man's got a bug up his ass the size of fuckin' Texas today," Miles grumbled to Rick as he caught his eye. They both shifted their glances to Shane stalking around behind the counter looking for anything else that might be useful.

"He's just eager to get movin'," Rick said putting his hand to Miles' shoulder. His eyes lowered to the cast covering the boy's left hand and he narrowed his brow. "You need help with that?"

"Nah," Miles said hefting the box a bit higher at his chest and shaking his head with a smile. "I got this." The kid smiled just a bit at Rick, hefting the box a bit higher again, and then shook away the feel of the sweat working its way down the side of his face. Miles regarded him for a moment and then jutted his head behind him. "Lori's in the back office gathering up the toiletries and whatever else she can find."

Rick smiled and gave the kid, who really wasn't a kid anymore, a hard pat on his shoulder.

"Miles! The fuck you standing around for?" Shane bellowed and both Rick and Miles shared a humored glance. Shane's eyes met Rick's and he scratched at his head before giving it a shake. The smile that the dark-haired man slipped to him was sheepish, and reminded Rick of the man he knew before all this started. But the edge to his eyes as he stared at him destroyed the image in a manner of seconds.

"Better get back," Rick said to Miles giving the kid a shove towards the door.

"Yeah," Miles grumbled shaking his head as he walked. "Yo! Shane. You know this would go a lot faster if your ass would pick up a box and help. Just sayin'." Miles moved on towards the door with huge smile on his face as he glanced back at Rick.

Rick shook his head and ran a hand through his own wet hair. The day had started with a brief yet powerful rainstorm that had ended only moments ago, spurring Shane's apparent need for speed. The rainstorm and the heavy cloud cover was the ushering in of what would soon be the Fall weather season. Jenna had pulled out a calendar last night, one she apparently kept in her backpack and marked off the days with. It was September third.

His wedding anniversary.

Rick rubbed at the bridge of his nose and squinted his eyes tight before yet again lifting his gaze to the store and the flurry of activity going on around him. He should be helping. He knew that. But there was something else he needed to do. Something he'd neglected to do before.

His footsteps seemed to be too loud in his ears as he pushed through the back 'employee only' doors and headed to where he could see a lantern illuminating the inside of the manager's office. His eyes skipped to the right at a shuffling noise and he spotted Jenna and Andrea flashlights in hand raiding the shelving area looking for anything else that they could take with them. The trip to Fort Benning was going to be a long one, and the more supplies they could gather the better they'd all feel.

Rick continued forward, again rubbing at his head and the feel of his dirty wet hair. Longer now than he'd ever let it grow before. His eyes lifted and he saw Lori, her back to him as she searched through the cabinets lining the wall over head. Settled upon the manager's dirty desk was the lantern, it's glow dim but bright enough to show off just how pale and fragile she looked. He settled his shoulder to the doorjamb and watched her.

An image of her from years and years ago slowly flooded into his mind. Her long hair stuffed up into a messy bun, strands stuck to her sweaty neck just as it was now. Only in his mind she was pregnant, her belly larger than either he or she thought possible. She'd been cleaning out the cabinets of their newly bought home, working through what she begrudgingly called a 'nesting' phase. They'd been so young then, not as young as Danny and his wife, but damn close.

Rick watched Lori sigh, placing both of her hands flat to the filing cabinets in front of her arching her back just as she'd done all those years ago. Rick felt the tiny tug of a smile and pushed off of the doorjamb, staying as silent as he could he approached her. He smiled a bit more as he made it to her back without her turning, giving a silent bit of thanks to a certain redneck for teaching him the importance of keeping your footfalls quiet in these crazy times. Rick's hands lifted slowly, and he placed them to Lori's shoulders.

She jumped, and probably would have screamed if he hadn't been chuckling just a bit in her ear. She let out a shuddering breath and shook her head at him. Her body had eased for a single second, but then her shoulders tensed under his fingers and she moved out of his grasp.

"Jesus, Rick, you scared me." Lori said running a hand through her slightly sweat damped bangs. She looked at him in exasperation as she moved away and settled herself against the far off filing cabinet. "You shouldn't be sneaking up on people. Especially now."

"I'm sorry," Rick said his brows narrowing as he lifted a hand to scratch at his head. He watched through his lashes as Lori shook her head and frowned at him, her head turned away in annoyance and surprisingly a bit of anger. He took a breath, which caused her tired eyes to slide back to him. "Lori—"

"Hey," Jenna's voice broke through at that moment causing both Lori and Rick to look towards the door at the girl hanging on the jamb. "Oh, sorry," she made a face and both Lori and Rick let out small humored sighs. "I was just—" her eyes slid behind her and then back to them, a smile on her face. "Do either of you know where Callie is?" Lori's head began to shake but the motion stopped when Rick's mouth opened on a slight chuckle.

"She's in with Danny," Rick said smiling at the girl and shaking his head. He heard Lori let out a huff of a breath behind him and listened as she began to bang around in the cabinets overhead. "She and Carol were working on stitching him up."

"Oh," Jenna's smile faltered and Rick gave her a reassuring smile when her hazel eyes slipped back to him. She forced a smile and then nodded her head, eyes slipping to Lori behind him for second before coming back to his. She leaned in and settled her hand on the door knob. "Thanks." She smiled and pulled on the door. "I'll just close this for you, okay?"

With a bit of a bite at her lower lip, and a stain of a blush on her cheeks Jenna ducked her head and pulled the door almost all the way shut. Rick put his hands to his hips and shook his head at the ground, listening as Lori continued to bang away in the cabinets. He rolled his eyes to the ceiling and then over his shoulder to his obviously perturbed wife. Turning around he watched her move around, and then watched her stop and stare at the cabinets.

"I don't really feel like fighting right now," Lori said quietly to the cabinets.

No longer really caring about being quiet, he ate up the distance between them again. He put his hands to her shoulders and pulled her body back to his chest, his lips grazing the top of her head as he breathed her in.

"I didn't come here to fight," Rick said quietly into her hair. "I didn't come here to talk about what we're doing next. Or where we're going. Or to even think about anyone but you." He blinked a few times and spun her around, his hand lifting to her chin to keep her slightly shocked eyes on his. "I came here to tell you that I love you. That I'm sorry for not saying it more often. For not –" he shook his head and closed his eyes as he felt her hands slide up to his chest and he leaned his forehead down to hers. "I came here to see if you were alright?"

Lori was quiet, her fingers tightening just a bit in the fabric of his shirt. Rick opened his eyes and lifted his head to find her staring at him. The expression on her face was unreadable. Which surprised him, because usually he could tell exactly what she was thinking.

"I'm fine," Lori said finally pushing away from him a bit. Rick held tight to her arms, his eyes moving over hers as he tried to see what was going on in her head. She gave a tight smile, and he continued to stare. Before, when they first got married, he'd been able to read her like an open book. She'd gotten better at hiding things from him. Then again, maybe she just had more things to hide now. With a sigh he let his arms fall from her and let her slide back just a bit.

"Are you?" Rick asked quietly, causing Lori's gaze to snap up to his again. "Are you fine?" Rick's gaze narrowed as he held her gaze. Her eyes widened just a bit, and he just stared, desperately trying to read the woman. "I don't expect you to be. Not after everything that's happened. Not after the CDC."

Rick's head was shaking back and forth now, his gaze averted and on his boots, so he missed the look on his wife's face completely. Lori's eyes were wide as she watched Rick's head shake, his eyes on his boots.

_He knows the truth._

Those words again echoed in her head and she settled herself against the cabinet behind her before her legs gave out completely. Rick had settled himself against the desk now, his hands raking through his hair as his head continued to shake back and forth. Then his eyes were on her again, that piercing gaze of his searching hers and Lori fumbled for her next words.

"What," she stopped cleared her throat and shook her head. "What do you mean?"

"We almost died," Rick said his gaze narrowed harshly, but not at her. That gaze was turned only inward and Lori felt almost sick when her breath left her in relief. Sick with herself that she could feel relief at her husband's berating of himself. "God. We almost lost Carl." Rick's hands lifted and then fell limply back to his legs. "I wasn't there. Again. I wasn't-" he stopped and Lori's watched as tears threatened in his eyes as he shook his head again. "I wasn't there, Lori. And then, I didn't even check to make sure you were okay when we got here. I've been so wrapped up that I didn't even bother-"

"I'm fine," Lori said taking a few shaking steps towards her distraught husband. She lifted her hands to his face to stop his head from shaking. He pushed his cheek to her hand and looked up at her with such a hurt expression it made her heart ache.

"It was my fault," Rick said his head again shaking, breaking free of her hold. "All of it. Danny getting shot. Callie and Ben getting hurt the way that they were," his head shook and Lori's hands froze, her eyes narrowing at the mention of Callie and Ben. Not sure what he was talking about, she opened her mouth to ask, but he continued before she could. "God. Jacqui." He wiped his hands up his face and into his hair. "It's all my fault."

Lori's hands fell to her mouth as she watched Rick fall apart in front of her. It was something he hadn't done in a long time. Allowed her to see in a very, very long time. Tears were stinging her eyes when she brought her own shaking hands to his face.

"No it wasn't," Lori said as firmly as she could, her own voice shaking with the emotions running through her. She again held his head steady between her hands, and made him look at her. "You can't shoulder that, Rick. You can't." She moved to stand between his legs, his hands rising to hold on to hers as she held his face steady. She kissed him gently, and felt his body relax in her embrace. His hands fell from her hands and wrapped around her holding her close as she pressed her lips to his again before pulling away to look at him. Her voice and body feeling stronger she stared into his eyes. "I love you. I'm fine. We're fine. And we're going to be fine."

He stared at her for only a second, before he pulled her to him again and kissed her. Much rougher than she'd kissed him, but she didn't mind. She felt his hands tighten around her back and slide lower to her hips, pressing her close to him and only then did she pull back. Putting her forehead to his, she took a deep breath. Whether he knew the truth or not, she had to tell him.

"Rick, I'm-"

"Hey," Shane's voice cut into the room, and had Lori shooting away from Rick's embrace. Rick's eyes were on her for a second, narrowed in concern for the barest hint of time before he was looking over his shoulder to his friend. "Sorry." Shane ran his hand through his dark curling locks, his eyes skipping from the floor to where Rick and Lori were, sticking to her gaze for longer than necessary. Lori shook her head at him, her jaw clenching a bit while Rick's gaze stayed on his friend. "Sorry, man. We could use a hand out here."

Rick's head started to nod, his hand running once more through his hair before he pushed off of the desk. Lori's head shook when Shane licked at the bottom lip he was chewing on, his eyes boring holes into her where she stood, before he again took that lip between his teeth. Rick sniffed once, rubbed a hand down his face and then did what Rick did best. He shook it off. Shook off everything he'd been piling up on himself and tucked it away, deep down inside. Lori let out a sigh as Rick looked back at her, his hand landing on her arms where they were crossed now over her chest.

"You're sure you're okay?" Rick asked, and she smiled tightly her head nodding as he squeezed her arm. His fingers slid off of her and he turned his back, making his way towards where Shane was waiting at the doorway. Putting a hand to Shane's shoulder Rick patted him twice. "Alright, let's get to work and get out of here."

Lori watched the two men leave, and not until she couldn't make out their forms in the darkness of the storage room anymore did she move again. Both of her hands shot to her hair, pushing the sweat-damped bangs off of her forehead. Sliding her hands down her face she settled her shaking fingers over her mouth and let out a stifled sob.

* * *

"Is it wrong to want to throw up now?" Carol's slightly hoarse voice whispered as she and Callie exited the RV. Behind her Callie smiled just a bit, and stepped down onto the parking lot with her.

"No," Callie said putting a hand to the other woman's shoulder. "No. I'd say that is completely normal." Callie let her gaze slip back behind her to the now closed door of the RV. Danny had passed out sometime during Carol's stitch job, and was resting peacefully with the second IV bag settled in place dripping fluid into his still weakened body.

"You won't think less of me if I just go ahead and do that then," Carol said with a bit of a sad sort of smile at Callie.

"Honey, after what you just did, no one can look down on you for anything you do." Callie said with a smile as she squeezed Carol's shoulder. Carol nodded her head a bit, and wiped her hand over her mouth before letting her gaze slide around their slowly disappearing campsite. No doubt looking for Sophia. Callie yet again squeezed Carol's shoulder and then let her hand slip into her hair, brushing the loose strands away from her face. Just as Carol started to step away, she turned back and looked hard at Callie.

"Thank you," Carol said in a very timid voice, her lips firming into a miniscule smile.

"For what?" Callie asked confusedly as she narrowed her brow.

"For making me do that," Carol said lifting her chin just a bit. "For understanding." Callie smiled back at the other woman, watching as Carol kept her chin lifted in a bit of pride in herself. Something Callie had quite honestly never seen the woman have in herself before.

"Anytime Carol," Callie said watching as Carol nodded and then headed over towards Sophia. "Anytime."

Letting her own eyes skim the parking lot, Callie let out a long sigh. She watched Carol settle herself over by Sophia, her arm encircling the girl and brining her close. Andrea handed Carol a bottle of water, and then slipped her eyes over to where Callie stood by the RV. Callie returned her stare with a bit of a wave and then shook her head as she walked towards the front of the RV.

Callie ran her hands over her head again, slipping her gaze to the still cloudy skies above before settling herself against the front bumper of the RV. Elbows to her knees, Callie let her hands dangle in front of her. She stared at her fingers, pruned from being dunked in alcohol and washed too many times to count.

Shaking, despite every effort she made to stop them.

She'd stitched up a few people before. Nothing big, a couple cuts here and there just like little Sophia's forehead. Drunks who'd been a bit too feisty and didn't deserve an expensive medical bill, and just needed to go home and sleep it off.

Stitching up Danny. That had been a whole different beast.

Carol had lasted about halfway through the larger gash in his side, and Callie had finished it up. And even though Carol had been clearly disturbed and almost beyond the point of no return in that small bedroom, where the smell of blood seemed to have seeped into the walls themselves, she'd stayed. She'd stayed by Callie's side and simply put a hand to her thigh in comfort. The respect that Callie now held for the Carol was beyond explanation.

Callie let out another sigh and slipped her hands behind her, fumbling blindly for the pack of cigarettes and lighter in her back pocket. She'd left one on Danny's chest, knowing the man would probably want it when he woke up. She pulled a cigarette and her lighter from the almost empty pack, and took a long deep drag.

Footfalls on the ladder of the RV had her turning to the right, cigarette held loose between her lips.

"You a'right?" T-Dog's voice was low as he stuck his head around the front end of the RV and she let out a small chuckle as she bobbed her head. He stared at her, slowly working his whole body around so that his large frame rested along the far edge of the grill plate on the front of the vehicle. His eyes were on her pack of cigarettes, and she laughed as she realized smoking was one of those bad habits that you seemed to pick up at the end of the world. One last lingering remembrance of easier times.

Times when smoking was the thing you had to worry about killing you.

"I thought you were Dale," Callie said lifting her almost empty pack to the man beside her.

T-Dog's brow narrowed for a second before he gave her a shit eating grin and took the pack. Settling his backside to the front of the RV, and letting his rifle fall to the ground beside his leg he pulled out a cigarette. He stared at it for a long time before putting it to his mouth. Callie held up her lighter with a chuckle and he swiped it.

"He's up top," T-Dog said, cigarette bouncing on his lips as he lit it. And there was that face. The Dear-Fucking-God-Nicotine-Orgasm face. Same one that had filtered onto Dale and Daryl's face that first night she shared a smoke with them. T-Dog shifted his eyes down to her, flipping her lighter in his hand before handing it back to her. "You want me to get him?"

"No," Callie said quickly, regretting her tone when the larger man snickered at her. She shook her head as she removed her cigarette and blew a large puff of smoke to the sky. "I've had my fill for the moment."

Thoughts of this morning when Dale and Andrea had cornered her in the back of the store. Both of them adamantly protesting Danny's wish to remain drug free, pain-killer free, through his recuperation. Their words were echoing around in her head louder now, after having put the man through that torturous pain herself.

But she was going to respect Danny's wishes on this one. And come hell or high-water, so were Dale and Andrea.

"He's a nag," T-Dog said quietly his head nodding. "Ol' man don't know when to leave well 'nough alone." T-Dog's eyes skipped to her and they shared a smile.

"He means well," Callie said, her eyes slipping up as her head tilted back just a bit.

"Yeah," T-Dog took a long drag off of his cigarette and then stared at the slowly smoldering thing between his fingers. "How's Danny doin'?"

"Bleeding's stopped," Callie said nodding her head and taking a drag from her cigarette. "Got him all stitched up, and hooked up to that last IV. He's resting now," Callie blinked a couple of times and then shifted her gaze to the man beside her. "He'll be fine."

"Yeah," T-Dog said jutting out his chin a bit and nodding his head. Callie looked at T-Dog for a long time, while he either ignored her stare or just didn't notice it. After a bit she turned her attention back to her feet, and smoked in silence with him. "You know there's probably more shit back at that ambulance," T-Dog said after what seemed like forever. Callie slipped her gaze up to him, her brow raised. He looked down at her and shrugged. "We didn't really get to clean it out. Got busy."

Callie's eyes stayed locked with his for a moment, a grin gracing both of their faces.

"Well," Callie said tossing her cigarette to the ground and stomping on it as she got to her feet. "What's say you and me go check it out, big-boy." T-Dog grinned at her and nodded his head, tossing the butt of his own cigarette out in front of him. Callie brushed her hands on her pants and put her hands to her back pockets as she watched the larger man smile and shoulder his rifle.

Shaking her head Callie moved towards the Hummer, grabbing her knife and the walkie from the center console. Meanwhile, T-Dog worked his way around the RV signaling and speaking with Dale as to where they would be going. Callie turned just in time to see the older man lift his head and shoot his gaze towards where she was standing. Glenn and Miles who had been taking a break from pack-up duties at the end of the RV got to their feet. T-Dog gave them both a nod as they grabbed their bats and empty bags, apparently ready to join in on the small scavenging trip. She lifted her hand and waved at the waiting trio, and then shifted her gaze to where Shane, Rick and Daryl were situated not far off by the Jeep.

Sitting by the front bumper next to Rick was Ben, his shirt off and his head down. Daryl had just dunked a towel into what appeared to be a steaming bucket of water and was wringing it out and Callie stopped to watch him bend down and settle the hot wet towel gently over the bruises on Ben's shoulders.

"Quit fidgetin'" Daryl grumbled as Ben squirmed a bit in his seated position on the asphalt. The boy continued to reset the feathers into a few of Daryl's homemade arrows, his mouth moving side to side as he bit at the insides of his cheek and tried to concentrate on his task. Rather than the twinge of pain in his shoulders. Shane and Rick both slid their gazes to the boy on the ground as Daryl put his hand to Ben's head. "Trust me, this'll help a bit."

Daryl stood back up and brushed his damp hands over his pants before stepping back into his spot at the passenger side of the hood and placing them on the hood of the Jeep. He raised a brow at Rick at the bumper and Shane across the hood from him before they all shifted their attention back to the map. Gracie was wandering around behind the men, her little hands fiddling with the gold star on her dress. Her eyes slipped to her brother on the ground and she sidled up and sat down next to him. She began to fiddle with the arrows and Callie chuckled a bit at the annoyed look on Ben's face.

"Quit it, Gracie," Ben's little voice called out, as Gracie grabbed for one of the arrows in Ben's small done pile. He smacked her hand in a very Merle-Dixon sort of way that had Callie chuckling and scooted himself a bit away from her. A very Daryl sort of action. "I said cut it out."

"Leave him be," Daryl said quietly, reaching his hands down. "Gotta leave a man be when he says to, Itty-bit." He grabbed up Gracie under her arms and hoisted the little girl so that she was sitting up on the hood of the jeep near the windshield beside him.

Shane and Rick smiled at the girl and as she adjusted herself so that she wasn't on the map, watching Daryl scratch at the side of his head, his eyes averted to the map. When the little girl lifted her tiny hand to shield her eyes from the sun Shane chuckled and shook his head. Sharing a quick glance with Rick that seemed to aggravate the broody redneck, Shane dumped his black Police ball cap onto Gracie's head and then laughed again.

"You two gonna chuckle all day or we gonna figure this shit out?" Daryl grumbled earning a humored glance from both men. Daryl's eyes slipped up from the map, catching sight of Callie talking with T-Dog, Glenn and Miles before turning her attention to him. Rick who had been looking at Daryl must have seen his attention shift, because the former Sheriff half turned to watch as well.

Callie stepped up and settled between Rick and Shane, her eyes smiling down at Ben as he worked on the arrows. After a minute she dragged a hand through her hair and let her eyes slide over the faces of each man before smiling at Gracie wearing Shane's hat.

"How's Danny?" Rick asked, his hand sliding from the hood of the Jeep to settle at his hip.

"We got him stitched up," Callie said on a sigh, her head nodding a bit. "Bleeding's stopped finally. He's 'bout as good as he's gonna get for now." Rick's head bobbed up and down a few times, his eyes lingering on the RV. "T says that there still might be some useful stuff in that ambulance down a ways," Callie said after a beat, causing Rick to shift his attention back to her. She smiled at Daryl as he stood up to his full height and then shook her head. "We're gonna head down and check it out."

Callie watched as all three men started to shift on their feet, side to side in that motion that said they were agitated and that something very stupid was about to flow out of one or all of their mouths.

"Dale's gonna have eyes on us," T-Dog cut in as he, Glenn and Miles approached. The large man angled his head up to where Dale was staring down at them. "We ain't gonna go far, but I know there's got to be some useful shit in there. Danny's gonna need all the help we can give him, right?"

Rick looked at Shane who scratched at his head and shrugged a bit, nodding his head. Daryl had crossed his arms over his chest and maintained an air of silent anger as he shifted his glare from Callie to T-Dog and back. Callie shook her head at him and couldn't help but smile when he rolled his eyes at her, mumbling something about 'hard-headed women'.

"Make it quick," Rick said finally, his eyes hard Callie before he shifted his gaze to the sky above. "Grab what you can and then come back."

"That's the plan," Callie said giving Rick's arm a quick squeeze before tapping the walkie on the loose waistband of her jeans. "Don't worry, we'll yell if we run into anything."

"Yeah, you do that," Daryl's voice was clipped and angry and when she looked over at him he was staring straight at T-Dog. Callie rolled her eyes to Rick then to Shane before shaking her head and walking over to where her little group was waiting for her.

As they began walking, Callie couldn't help but shift her eyes to T-Dog walking beside her. Glenn and Miles were leading the way quietly talking about something, their eyes shifting behind them to her and T-Dog every few minutes. T-Dog let out a gruff sigh, his eyes sliding behind him for a second before going to his slow moving feet.

"He don't trust me with you," T-Dog said finally, his head shaking as he looked down at her. His eyes were hard, and angry as he sneered and licked at his bottom lip. "Thinks I'm gonna leave your ass, or get you killed. Like Merle."

"Yeah," Callie said nodding her head and shifting her gaze backwards. They'd moved far enough away that she couldn't really connect her eyes to Daryl's. But the fact that the man was still facing towards them as they walked, told her that T-Dog was exactly right about Daryl's discomfort. Shaking her head and facing forward again she put a hand to T-Dog's shoulder. "You planning on doing that?"

"Don't be stupid," T-Dog spat back, obviously perturbed by her try at humor.

"Well, then Daryl can put on his big boy pants and deal with it." Callie said patting T-Dog's shoulder twice. T-Dog looked a bit shocked at her statement, his brow narrowing and his feet stopping as she continued on. She turned to look at him, noticing the bit of humor lacing his confused expression. "What?"

"Nothin'," T-Dog said shaking his head and running his hand over his bald head. His gaze flipped back from where they'd come quickly and then to her, before he started moving to catch up with her. She raised a brow at him as he fell into step beside her. "You two," he motioned a thumb over his shoulder and her brow raised a bit more. "Just thought since you two-" he waved his hand around in the air and she raised her brow a bit more waiting for him to finish inserting his foot all the way into his mouth. "Figured you'd be on his-" he shook his head at her slightly annoyed expression and smiled. "Nevermind."

"Son of a bitch," Callie said shaking her head slowly and angling her attention to Glenn and Miles still talking quietly ahead of them. "Worse than a couple of teenage girls."

T-Dog let out a laugh and shook his head while Callie glared at the two walking in front of them. They walked on a good bit more, each of them sparing quick glances to the left and right. Callie and Miles each stopping to check the undercarriage of enough cars that it sparked a similar action by T-Dog and Glenn. The thought that you could never be too careful playing in all of their heads as they walked.

Overhead, the dark clouds were moving fast, a cool breeze whipping Callie's hair around her head. She shielded her eyes and looked up at the same time as Glenn, both of them being rewarded with a drop of rain on their faces.

"Great," Glenn muttered as he wiped at the bit of water on his face. He shot a squinted look to T-Dog and Callie and then shook his head.

"Come on, let's hurry." Callie said giving Glenn's shoulder a push as she exchanged a glance with T-Dog. They all settled into a light jog and headed towards the ambulance. Callie came to a stop, watching as Glenn shook his head and put his hand to the slightly ajar door. "Really. You left it open, Glenn?"

"Shut up," Glenn snapped back at her, shaking his head at his hand on the door. "We were kind of in a rush to get back." Callie and Miles chuckled earning a scathing, yet sheepish glare from the young Asian man. Putting a hand to Miles' shoulder Callie pushed him back a bit, and gave a nod to T-Dog who settled in beside her taking the bat from the protesting kid.

"Hey, I'm not a child," Miles yelled tossing his broken left hand into the air and glaring at Callie.

"Stop gossipin' like a fuckin' school girl and I'll stop treating you like one." Callie shot back and his mouth dropped open. She raised a brow and he shook his head in awe.

"Oh, come on!" Miles said tossing both of his hands up now. "Like it's a big fuckin' secret. Glenn's been yappin' 'bout finding you two at the CDC since it happened. And shit, T-Dog's been havin' a good ol' time going on about how Daryl was hugging you and touching you in Atlanta."

Callie's eyes widened and she turned to face the now wide-eyed, ratted out Glenn and T-Dog. She shook a finger at Glenn who shrugged as if she should have been expecting it. Sighing she looked to T-Dog and wagged her finger in his face.

"Fuckin' school girls, all of you," she muttered shaking her head and looked back to Glenn. "Open it up, big-mouth."

Glenn rolled his eyes to the sky and then took a deep breath. Callie pulled her knife, and T-Dog settled beside her with the bat in hand. Glenn rolled his eyes back to them and in one swift movement pulled the door open and shot back out of the way. The smell of decay hit them like a ton of bricks, and they were met with the gore-covered interior of the ambulance, sans Walkers. Letting out a sigh of relief T-Dog lowered the bat he held and then flipped it and handed it back to the waiting Miles.

A roll of thunder overhead prompted them all to look up and watch the dark clouds roll overhead. The rain was falling a bit harder now, and Callie wasn't too keen to get caught in an all out thunderstorm. Nodding her head to Miles she waved him forward.

"You two gather whatever you can. Anything that looks unopened, or like it could be useful. We can go through everything later." Callie pushed at Miles who made a face and groaned but complied and moved to hop up into the back of the ambulance with Glenn.

Callie wiped a hand down her face, her eyes squinting in the now steadily falling rain. Catching her eyes with T-Dog's she nodded at the sight of a minivan parked one car over. T-Dog raised a brow.

"We're gonna check that van out," Callie said with a nod at Glenn who was watching them with a worried frown. She skipped her eyes to where she could see Dale staring at them from the top of the RV. "Five minutes, Glenn. Grab and go." Glenn nodded and ducked back into the ambulance. The distinct sound of Miles groaning and shuffling stuff around in the back was drowned out by another rumble of thunder.

"What we lookin' for?" T-Dog said falling into step beside her. His hands were on his rifle, settled in a way that would let him use it as a bludgeoning device rather than a gun. Callie shifted her attention back towards the RV, then the ambulance and finally to the brown minivan.

"Minivan usually means kids," Callie said quietly the sound of the falling rain almost overpowering the sound of her voice. T-Dog's eyes widened as he looked over at her. They came to a stop at the front passenger side door. Her hand was shaking a bit as she put it to the handle and she looked up at him with a sad smile. "Ben and Gracie are growing out of their clothes faster than I can let down hems. And they have zero winter clothes. Figured it couldn't hurt."

T-Dog took in a deep breath, his distaste for the idea clear on his face. Callie shook her head and let her eyes roam behind them to the cars and the road. The falling rain was heavy, the thunder loud, and her their ability to hear an oncoming threat dwindling. Her eyes skimmed to the ambulance and then back to T-Dog who was staring at her hand as it rested on the door handle.

"You could go back with Glenn and Miles," Callie said, her fingers curling under the handle of the door while her other held tight to the knife in her hand.

"Right," T-Dog said scoffing. "And let you do somethin' stupid that's gonna get that redneck to lynch my ass."

"Daryl's not gonna lynch your ass," Callie said with a laugh as she shook her head. T-Dog lifted a brow and scooted around to settle himself against the front side of the van.

"Yeah, first I leave his brother locked up on a roof in geek-country," T-Dog said lifting a finger at her. "Then I go an let his woman get her ass killed on a scavenger run." He shook his head and smiled. "Boy'd have me strung up faster than you could even say 'white boy'. And I'd bet them two lawmen wouldn't be rushin' to stop him."

"One," Callie said shaking her head and pulling on the handle. Finding it unlocked she left it closed and moved to the back sliding door for easier access to the interior. "Don't call me his woman." T-Dog smirked and she raised a brow before continuing. "Two, he wouldn't string you up. He'd shoot you, quick and easy." She put her finger to her head as if it were a gun and T-Dog shook his head. "And three," she pulled the door. "If you got my ass killed I'd expect Rick and Shane to help him out."

"You got problems, girl." T-Dog said chuckling as Callie smiled at him while she pulled the sliding door to the minivan open.

A rumble of thunder over head sounded, and had both of them looking up. Still grinning Callie shifted her gaze to T-Dog, rain running down both of their faces in streams. Just as she was about to open her mouth to respond to him, a sound that wasn't the rain or the thunder caught her attention. Wide-eyed she turned just in time to watch the Walker lunge out at her.

Callie's hand flew out from the handle of the sliding door and she scrambled backwards, her feet slipping on the wet trash that littered the ground at her feet. The Walker, a decaying woman in a flowered dress that was missing half of her abdomen and had the left side of her face torn off, fell on top of her. Callie's hand with the knife in it raised, but she abandoned her weapon to grab on and fend off the reaching arms of the Walker.

"Jesus!" T-Dog's voice was rushed and scared and Callie heard him shuffling around in the rain. Another rumble of thunder and Callie was groaning and pushing hard at the weight of the undead fucker trying to take a bite out of her.

Snapping teeth lunged for her face and just before they made contact the head jerked to the side, T-Dog's rifle colliding with the back of the skull. A splatter of gore flew from the body and over Callie's face, causing her to turn away. The body fell limp on top of her, and Callie watched wide-eyed as T-Dog brought the butt of his rifle down on the head of the Walker that had landed on the wet asphalt to the left of her head. Callie's breathing was hard and unsteady as she pushed wildly at the body laying on top of her.

T-Dog dropped his rifle and got to his knees beside her, his large hands shaking as he pushed at the body with a grimace.

"You alright?" T-Dog's voice was loud and rushed and his hands were hovering over the mess of gore and blood splattered over Callie. "Shit, you alright?" Callie's head was nodding, her eyes wide as she struggled to get her breath. She wiped her hand over her face, suddenly thankful for the feel of the rain helping to clean off the gore that was sliding off of her chin in thick stringy clumps. T-Dog ran his hands over his wet bald head as he shook it. If he'd had hair, he would have been pulling it in an effort to steady his nerves.

Callie's mouth opened to tell him that she was okay, but her eyes caught on another shape moving in the minivan. Without another thought she pushed T-Dog to the side and pulled her gun. Firing twice, as a well-timed roll of thunder ground through the air, she took out the two Walker children that were about to pounce on the man. The bodies of the two children, young children so eaten and decayed that you couldn't even tell whether they were a boy or a girl, fell to the ground. Legs still tangled inside the doorway, faces splattered to the wet ground just outside the door.

T-Dog and Callie both let out long sighs of relief and fell back on their elbows on the ground. Both of them just staring at the two bodies on the ground, trying desperately to control their breathing.

"Fuckin' minivans mean kids," T-Dog muttered as he sat up a bit and again ran his hand down his rain soaked face. He slipped his eyes to her and he snarled. "You are on your own with that shit next time."

"Cal!" Miles' voice sounded from behind them, and Callie sat up and turned to watch as Glenn and Miles ran towards them. Bags bouncing behind them, both younger men skidded to a stop on the rain soaked ground. Miles' eyes slipped from the body of the Walker beside Callie to her gore-covered shirt and face. Dropping his bag he fell to her side, he grimaced as he put his hands to her shoulder. "God, are you okay?"

"Yeah," Callie said wincing just a bit as her left shoulder pulled and spasmed with a bit of pain. She put a hand to Miles' shoulder and then pushed to her feet. Glenn helped T-Dog to his feet and then they all stared at the three dead Walkers on the ground. "Let's not tell anyone about this okay?"

"I have a feellin' the cat's already out of the bag," Glenn said angling his head towards where Dale was staring at them from the top of the RV. The walkie at Callie's hip began to fill with static and she groaned, and put a hand to the bridge of her nose.

"_Callie! What's going on? Is everyone alright? Were those gunshots?" _Dale's frantic voice was blaring from the walkie and T-Dog was shaking his head. She pulled the walkie from her belt and handed it over to the waiting hand of the black man. She was just not really up for talking right now. Her eyes shifted towards the camp area, and she could see the very distinct outline of three men making their way quickly towards them.

"Ain't never gonna hear the end of this shit," T-Dog muttered raising his brows at her.

She flipped him off and watched as he lifted the walkie to his lips and began to try and settle Dale down. Callie's eyes slipped to the sky, feeling the rain slowing. And then, just as suddenly as it had started the rain stopped. Shifting her eyes to the bodies of the two Walker children she closed her eyes. With a final shake of her head she started walking towards camp, leaving Miles, T-Dog and Glenn to follow.

She walked right past the reaching arms of Rick, and past the worried glares of Shane and Daryl. Barely feeling Daryl's fingertips graze her arm as she swept past him, her hand flying out to gain a bit of space. She just kept shaking her head and wiping her hand down her face as she replaced her gun into the waistband of her jeans. Leaving the men behind to answer Rick's quietly asked question of 'what happened?'

_Shake me down,_

_Not a lot of people left around,_

_Who knows now,_

_Softly laying on the ground, oooh_

_Not a lot people left around, ooooh. Oooh._

_In my life, I have seen,_

_People walk into the sea,_

_Just to find memories,_

_Plagued by constant misery,_

_Their eyes cast down,_

_Fixed upon the ground,_

_Their eyes cast down_

_I'll keep my eyes fixed on the sun_

_~Shake Me Down/ Cage The Elephant_

_AN: First off, I wanted to point out that we have actually made it to THE NEXT FUCKING DAY. After a whopping 13 (yes 13 people go back and check) chapters we have made it to the next day. (That's right…all that shit from chapter 23 in NM:SAFE to the end of the previous chapter happened in one VERY VERY VERY LONG DAY). So yay. Progress people! _

_Secondly, I wanted to thank you all for sticking with me and enjoying the original content of this first half of Season 2. Trust me when I say we are going to be heading towards familiar territory very soon. _

_And thirdly, I added a chapter to A Thousand Words-it is the scene of Daryl putting Gracie and Ben to bed mentioned earlier in the story. If you haven't popped over and taken a look, I'd recommend it. _

_Also as an aside: I created a Photobucket account for this story. A Casting Call so that you guys can meet the characters, by viewing the actors that I have in my head when I'm writing this shit. The link is in my profile page. Take a look if you're interested. _

_Without further ado:_

_LadyLecter47: I'm glad that you enjoyed all of the cute little moments that I put in here. I try to add them in to break up the tension and I'm happy they are hitting home. Thanks for the review_

_Kol and Elena: OMFG just wait till you see what I have coming up. _

_Guest: Thank you for your review. I'm glad that you like Daryl's interaction with the kids, and his dynamic with Rick. Rick and Daryl's bromance is apparently gonna be in full swing in Season 3… so I like to think of myself as a bit ahead of the curve, ya know! Keep on reading!_

_Emberka-2012: Yes, they are two jokers… a testament to them being just so perfect for one another, don't ya think? _

_Alessandra: Yes, I understand…and I agree. I'd be jumpin' him every second too. _

_AngieInWonderland: I'm glad you agreed about the vignette being necessary. I think saying it was the calm before the storm was so apropos that I'm just tickled you said it. I've been trying very hard to make Daryl and Callie's relationship exactly as you said… not forced, very organic, truthful and well, just making them fit. I hope that I can continue to evolve that as we get further into the nitty gritty of Season 2. And Ben. Ben, Ben, Ben. I know you read the little snippet in A Thousand Words so I know you got a bit more insight into the Daryl/ Ben /Gracie dynamic. For me having Ben yell at Daryl was funny and necessary. Daryl is that man who's emotional level is pretty much on par with Ben (age wise) so to have the two of them connecting is integral to evolving Daryl-does that make sense? Having Daryl realize that he can't just run off anymore, and that those kids are worried about him…. Well let's just say you're gonna see a lot more of that as we go. That's all I'm gonna say. As always great hearing from you! _

_PiratesLife: Thank you times infinity! That is all. _

_Vaughn Zomby: Yay! I created fuckin' people! Thank you for saying that. And also, in regards to the 'oh he's hot I love him' bullshit…. Well I'm just too long-winded for shit like that. And… to me, it's too easy. (But yeah, I still read them, and love them too). Hope you enjoyed this chapter. _

_CottonStrings: Kasi, let me tell you I love me some Ben and Daryl. It's almost as much fun to write as Callie and Daryl…just in a different way. As for Callie's dream, I think she has been through too much, and that maybe her bottle is just a bit too full of other things to keep something as silly as a dream stuffed in there. I'm sure that as time goes by things are just going to keep on filtering out (NO SPOILERS-just a teaser) and that those few adults are definitely going to need to keep her sane. Thanks as always for your review. _

_Rednecks 'n Angels: I do the same happy dance when I get an email that a review has been posted. Though I have no rhythm, so it really looks like a sad version of the cabbage patch… and honestly makes my husband look at me funny *shrug* Thanks as always for your review!_

_Honeyconcha: LOL. Would you believe that when I outlined that whole chapter…that line was the first one I wrote. I said to myself…Daryl NEEDS to say this. I'm glad that you enjoyed the vignette. And it's funny that you mention the Thelma and Louise moment, because at first draft I had Callie thinking about driving off into the sunset with him… Well played there ma'am. Well played. And greedy girl… please know that you are appreciated too! Thanks as always for the review_

_AlabastR: You may get your wish on the prequel… I've been giving it a lot of thought and I think I'm gonna do it. But I've got a lot going on right now with these stories and want to get a bit more done… I'm thinking that's my "I'm-watching-Season-3-here's-something-new" project. So you may have to wait for it. I'm so happy that you liked the way I wrote the morning after… that it didn't go OOC, and that you thought it was a conversation that was "real" in feeling. And shit, I DO OWN IT BRO! Look at this shit! And as for your bad feeling about the dream -NO SPOILERS FOR YOU! As for Daryl's interaction with the kids… you find it that way 'cause that's the way I'm trying to portray it…dude. Duh. _

_HerAngrierGnome: Welcome to Season 2! Good to hear from you. Thank you for taking the time to review, and feel free to blame my writing skills for anything you want… well, maybe not murder… but anything else. _

_BecomingScarlett2012: Welcome to Season2, and thanks for your reviews of NM:SAFE. Hope you continue to find things that you love as we go on. Thank you again for taking the time to review and let me know you're enjoying what I'm putting out there. _

_Sunnymuffins: Prequel good… spin off bad. Got it. I kind of feel the same way at this point! Thanks for the input. _

_Alright… I think that's it. If I missed you I'm sorry… I'll try to catch you with the next one. _


	9. The Levee's Gonna Break

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_I'm not going to bore you all with blah, blah, blah up here-and just get you into the fun. _

_As always, read, review and most of all enjoy!_

_~SWW_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Chapter 7: The Levee's Gonna Break**

Callie pushed her way through the door to the RV and stopped as the door slammed shut behind her. Closing her eyes she put a hand to her forehead and stood there just catching her breath for a moment. As she moved her right hand up to join the left at her forehead she realized that she was still gripping her gun.

She stared at the familiar firearm, the weight of it heavier now than it seemed before. But that was the way it always was after she fired it. Heavier for an hour or two, then back to being just another extension of the person she was now.

Her eyes slipped towards the back of the RV where Danny was still laying, and her feet began moving without much thought at all. She laid the gun down on the small table, pushing it just a bit further away as she continued on. Both hands raked through her damp hair now, pushing the curling mass away from her face in a frustrated motion. She pushed through door that had been half closed to give the man a bit of privacy while he rested and just stared at him.

He was resting in the opposite bed of where he had started. The light filtering in through the slats of small blinds on the window highlighting the sallow coloring of his skin. The bruises that marred the inside of his arms back after nearly a month of being gone. The dark growth of stubble on his face looked almost silly, like a kid wearing a costume beard.

It wasn't Danny.

Not the Danny everyone here knew.

It was the Danny from when this whole shit storm first happened. The Danny that had emerged after those first weeks of his hellish forced sobriety. The beard, the sickly coloring, the weakened body, the bruises. That was the Danny she remembered traveling with for weeks alone. It had taken him a week longer after that to apparently come back to himself, to let go of the beard and figure out who he was. To take a hold of his new lease on life.

The bruises came and went. It just depended on good days versus bad.

Callie rubbed at her eyes with her hands and then ran them down her face as she let out a long sigh. Kicking the stool that was still settled near to him, she slumped down onto it and put her elbows to her knees. She stared at her hands for a long time, her head nodding even though she wasn't saying anything. At least not out loud. There were a hell of a lot of words swimming around in her head though. A hell of a lot. But only six made it out.

"I just shot a couple kids," Callie said quietly. Her wide eyes lifted to Danny's sleeping face, wishing he would wake up. He'd understand. She'd uttered those words to him before. She reached forward then, her fingers hovering over his hand were it lay unmoving on the sheet that she'd put over him.

His bare chest, wrapped in more bandages than probably necessary now, rose and fell steadily. The cigarette she'd left there rolling back and forth slightly with the movement. Her fingers fell to his hand, and she tapped her index finger idly as she looked blindly back at her legs.

"Coulda been Gracie or Ben's age," Callie said shaking her head. "Sammy or Hannah," she continued on a whisper, tapping her finger on the back of his hand. She looked up at him, again waiting for his eyes to open. Letting out a breath, she tapped his hand a couple more times before finally grabbing it and squeezing once.

Getting to her feet she again pushed at the hair clinging to her face and neck and blinked her teary eyes a few times in protest. She let out another long breath and shifted her eyes around the room a bit. Suddenly she was moving again, leaving the room closing the door and rubbing at her rain chilled arms. Her eyes shot around the kitchenette and landed on the bowls and first aid kit that she and Carol had set on the counter.

Suddenly she grabbed the bowl, the bottle of rubbing alcohol and the kit and slipped into the tiny little bathroom. The sink was right in front of her with the small toilet sitting to the right of it, a ridiculously tiny shower stall to her left. She set the bowl and the kit on the toilet and then immediately stripped her gore-covered, rain-dampened shirt off. The twinge of pain in her left shoulder had her movement slowing a bit but not stopping. She lifted the now inside out shirt to her face and wiped it down. After three passes she finally looked up at herself in the mirror, the wet bloody shirt falling to her feet. With both hands settled to the sink she stared at her reflection.

Tired, bloodshot eyes stared back at her. Thick dark lashes fanned out around hazel orbs that were surrounded by small streaks of red. Those red streaks spread out clouding the whites of eyes she remembered being brighter. Dark circles sat below making her eyes look sunken in, just as her cheeks seemed to be. Her skin was pale, sickly looking as Danny's as the effects of shock wore on her tanned complexion. The bruise and cut on her left cheek was smaller than it felt, and the one in her lip nothing but a small reddish scab a little off center. Her honey brown hair, made darker by the wetness of the rain, it clung around her shoulders half in the ponytail and half out.

Callie lifted her right hand from its place on the sink and touched her fingers to the edges of her hairline over her temples, then slipped them to that small cut on her cheek, then her lips. Finally she let them slide down the still healing scratch marks on her neck, running them over the bumpy scabs that dotted her skin from under her left ear down to her collar bone. Shaking her head she hesitated to push at the angry skin around the stitches in the long slice on her left shoulder.

"You look like shit," Callie said to her reflection, shaking her head and leaning a bit closer to the mirror. She lifted her other hand now and wiped at the tired dark skin under her eyes, idly thinking that the darkness was due to mascara that she hadn't been able to put on in months. She turned on the faucet, thankful for the very small trickle of water and splashed at her face a couple of times.

"You worryin' bout impressin' someone?" Daryl's voice filtered into the small bathroom and Callie's head snapped up from the sink and to back to the mirror. He stood directly behind her, his backside resting against the counter, his tanned arms crossed over his chest and his head tilted slightly to the side as he stared back at her reflection in the mirror.

She stared at him for a few more seconds, silently berating herself again for not paying attention and hearing him enter. Fucking second time in how many minutes she'd let herself get caught up in something and forgot to keep her ears and eyes open. At least this time it didn't almost get her and someone else killed. Letting her eyes slip from his in the mirror she moved to grab a towel from the stack on top of the toilet.

"No." She finally said laughing a bit. "Just didn't realize—" Callie began, her fingers just hitting off the towel. Daryl's fingers brushed hers away, and again her attention snapped to him. First to the mirror, where she could only see his shoulder and the top of his head as he reached past her to grab the towel. Her eyes slipped to him just as his hand slid around her upper arm and spun her around.

Her backside pressed into the vanity as he crowded her into the tiny bathroom, his larger presence making the bathroom seem even smaller than it was. She watched him as he regarded her, his head tilted one way and then the other as he bit at the inside of his cheek. He reached around her, pressing himself into her as he wet the towel and turned off the faucet, and she couldn't help but smile and roll her eyes. He leaned back again and brought the wet towel to her face, gently wiping away the excess gore from her face.

"Look fine to me. Just need to get more than fuckin' four hours of sleep a night," Daryl mumbled as he wiped. He put his left hand to her chin and tilted her head up and to the right so that he could wipe the towel down the scratches on her neck. He wiped it gently over the stitches in her shoulder, wiping away the dried blood and the fresh with a scrutinizing eye. "Few scars ain't nothin' to be worryin' 'bout."

Callie licked her bottom lip and then bit it, smiling a bit as her eyes half closed. His hands continued to wipe her off with the wet towel, the similarity to what she had done for him last night not getting past her. Her body began that slow thrum of anticipation as he let the towel drop and settled his warm calloused right hand to the left side of her neck. His larger hand completely encompassed the healing scratch marks, his fingers idly kneading into the flesh at the nape of her neck.

"Saw them Walkers," Daryl said in a voice so quiet and mumbled she barely caught the words. She closed her eyes fully then but the pressure from his fingertips at the nape of her neck insisted she open them. When she did, she met his steely blue gaze only an inch from hers. "You alright?"

"No," Callie said honestly, her throat working as she swallowed the lump that formed there. He nodded his head and bit at the inside of his cheek at her candor. She blinked a couple of times and leaned a bit into his hand when his thumb began to rub at her jaw line.

"They were Walkers," he said slowly, trying to get his point across with as few words as possible. She nodded her head, rolling her eyes to the ceiling in an effort to will the tears not to fall. "You saved T-Dog's ass back there," he continued and she couldn't help but smile when he turned his head away as the obvious distaste for that statement settled in the back of his throat.

"And he saved mine," Callie said, causing his eyes to snap unwillingly back to hers. After a beat his head again began to nod. "It's true."

"I know," Daryl said snarling as he half turned his head so that he was no longer looking her in the eye. She chuckled and he removed his hand and ran it through his hair, his eyes slipping back up to hers. "Why you think I didn't kill him?"

"Softie," Callie muttered and he raised his brows in annoyance before sighing. She tilted her head to the side and regarded the man before her. He shook his head again and she could tell that he was bothered, whether by her close call or something else was something she wasn't going to pry into. "So," she started, crossing her arms over her chest in an effort to hide the fact that she was only in her bra. A fact, she knew he hadn't missed at all when his eyes slid slowly from her chest up to her eyes for the second time. "You just come in here to tell me I'm pretty?"

Her eyes were fixed on his face, watching a myriad of emotions fly in so quick a succession over it that she found herself blinking as she tried to follow them. Then she felt him leaning forward, the feel of his shirt against her bare arms and stomach sending a jolt through her. Fucking sensory memory. Just when she expected him to close the distance and fucking kiss her already he veered off, that little bit of a smirk pulling at his lips. He ducked down and grabbed the first aid kit from the toilet seat, his hips sliding her over just a bit so that she was settled firmly against the sink vanity.

"Didn't say you were pretty," Daryl said idly. "Said you looked fine."

"Jackass," she muttered and shared a smirk with him as her hands fell to the sink behind her. He put the first aid kit down and pulled out a very familiar tiny pair of scissors and lifted himself back to position in front of her.

"It's tomorrow," Daryl said snipping the scissors in the air in front of her face. He held them in his left hand, and Callie knew for a fact he was right handed. Her brow narrowed at that and then his right hand settled gently on her left shoulder, his pinky finger sliding under the strap of her bra. Soon the next finger had joined his pinky under the strap and his hand was sliding very slowly over her shoulder and moving down her arm. She felt her bra go just a bit slack against her breast as he slid the strap all the way down to her elbow. "Said I could take a look."

"That I did," Callie said letting her head roll back a bit as she let out a long breath and her eyes closed. Damn that man and his hands. Her arm moved up to try and hold her the loose fabric of her bra in place over her left breast, but Daryl elbowed it back down.

"Quit it," Daryl grumbled, his eyes on the stitches, brow narrowed as he slipped the scissors into his right hand. "Popped a couple. Don't think they need done up again, unless you want-"

"No," Callie shook her head, eyes still closed as his breath tickled at her mouth. She felt him snip one and then another and pull the thread out very slowly. The twinge of pain her hands tightening on the sink, and Daryl mumbling 'stay still' and pressing his hips to hers to keep her from moving. She felt the tickling twinge of him pulling out the couple of popped stitches and tried to bite back the wince at the pain. Tried and failed. Her head lolled back a bit more, waiting for him to continue.

He shifted, and then she sucked in a breath at the feel of an alcohol swab sliding over her cut and the feel of him putting the tiny little butterfly stitches to the place that had popped open. She heard the scissors clatter into the sink, and when she was about to open her eyes the rush of his breath over her neck had her keeping them closed.

She gripped the edge of the sink behind her and let the feel of his fingers gliding back up her left arm soothe her, dulling the pain. His fingers slipped over her collarbone and ghosted over the cut that extended from her shoulder to the middle of her chest. He trailed one finger along the entire thing, the jagged area of stitches near her shoulder to the relatively healed scabbed portion at the far end. Her head rolled back a bit more as his fingers whispered over the swell of her breast, this time his thumb the naughty digit that snuck under the cup of her bra and over her tight nipple.

"Daryl," his name came out on a much throatier version of her voice than she wanted, and she licked her lips as she smiled. Eyes still closed she felt her body arch unbidden to his touch as his palm moved over her now completely bared breast. Daryl's lips settled at the hollow of her throat and her entire body arched further into his pressing heat. His hand continued to knead at her breast and she couldn't help but chuckle. "That is not my stitches," she said in an airy sort of way.

"Complainin'?" Daryl asked against the hollow of her throat. She shook her head, feeling the tiny smile playing on his lips as he kissed and nipped at her neck.

"God no," Callie said as her back again arched and brought her body closer to the heated steel of his. "Just figured you'd want to stop before you were interrupted. Again." He lifted his lips and kissed a bit higher on her neck heading for her ear.

"Set me up a guard," Daryl said, his heated breath shooting into her ear and sending a wave of unbridled lust down through her entire body. She opened her eyes then, catching his as he shifted and brought his face up to her view. He was smiling a wolfish grin that had that darkness of his eyes fucking sparkling in the dim yellow sunlight filtering into the tiny bathroom over his shoulder. She raised a brow at him and his grin widened. "Chinaman owes me."

Her mouth opened to retort but he captured her lips with his, cutting off whatever she was about to say. His right hand continued its torment of her left breast, while his left hand moved to slide the other strap of her bra down. The rush of heat between them ignited into an uncontrolled blaze in a manner of seconds, a fact that surprised the both of them. She worked frantically to get her arms through the loose straps as the feel of his shirt against her bare taut nipples sent shiver after shiver through her thrumming body. Noticing her movements he helped get her arms free. As soon as they were she dug her fingers into his hair, as his head detoured yet again, his hot lips once again trailing down her neck. His teeth nipped at her collarbone, bottom lip brushing the wound he'd just so gently worked to repair.

Daryl's hips pressed into hers as he worked his large thigh between her legs. His lips had worked back to hers now, and a rough, frantic kind of kiss flowed between them. Heat and fervor fed by things other than mere lust; but by all those things that had been left unsaid moments ago. All those emotions and worries that had fogged his eyes, things she hadn't asked about because she was afraid of the answer. All of those things were escaping through his lips as they ate at hers.

And she was anything but afraid.

Her feet left the floor as both of Daryl's hands slipped to her thighs and propped her butt up on the vanity. The idea of defiling Dale's tiny little bathroom had her smiling against his lips. The thought of poor Glenn standing guard outside, and the look that was probably on his face as his eyes slid around to everyone's face hoping and praying that no one wanted to get in the RV, had her pushing against Daryl's shoulders as she fought back the laughter.

Daryl pulled away, his hands moving from their spot at her back and falling to hold her hips. He stood up straight, his obviously hardened length still taunting her as he pressed into her. His brow narrowed as he watched her chuckle, and put her bra back on. Once the threadbare black fabric was back in place, and thin straps straightened, she took a breath and stared at him while covering her wide smile with the fingers of one hand.

"Sorry," Callie said letting her hand fall to his chest, her leg hooking him and pulling him closer when he tried to back away a bit, while her hand pressed into his chest over his fast beating heart. "I just—" she smiled wider and shook her head, waving a hand to the room at large. His brow narrowed further and he twitched his nose, the humor of the situation getting to him just a bit. "And Glenn. Poor fuckin' Glenn." She laughed again and he couldn't help but laugh too.

Stepping back, he let her slide off of the vanity and get her footing before him. He smiled as he watched her shake her head and chuckle, one hand raking at her tangled mess of hair pulling it free from the band and cascading it over her shoulders. It had grown quite a bit since he first met her, and he found himself reaching out to pull on a single curling strand. He skimmed his eyes over her face, and her chuckles started to ebb away. He nodded his head idly letting her hair fall from his fingers, while she shook her head in an effort to clear it.

"Jesus," she said raking her fingers through some of her hair. "I figured after last night," she caught his raised brow and shook her head a bit more, a very slight blush flooding her cheeks. "I figured it would take some of the heat out of-" she moved her hand between them and he found himself smirking at the fact that the usually vocal woman couldn't seem to get a full sentence out her damn mouth.

"What you talkin' 'bout?" Daryl muttered scratching at his head.

"You know," Callie said smiling at him and pushing him backwards just a bit, her hand staying on his chest. "No more anticipation. The deed is done. Usually guys cool off after-"

"Aint some fuckin' one night stand, Callie." Daryl said in a matter-of-fact tone that had Callie looking at him. His eyes met hers for a very brief second before he was averting his gaze and biting at his thumbnail. He was fidgeting a bit now, one foot bouncing in agitation as his eyes roamed over everything but her.

They hadn't really discussed it. Whatever _it_ was. Neither of them the type to press that sort of conversation. Ever. But there it was. A simple statement of fact.

It ain't a fuckin' one night stand.

Was it wrong of her to think that was probably as romantic as Daryl Dixon got. And that she really didn't mind it one bit.

"Hey Casanova," Danny's voice sounded from the back room and both Daryl and Callie's eyes widened. "Daryl." Danny called out in a sing-song voice, apparently trying to make sure that the now seething redneck knew he was talking to him. "If you're done, you think you can come in here and kiss my boo-boo's all better?"

"Fuckin'—" Daryl raked his hand through his hair and turned to exit the bathroom. "Gonna check his fuckin' boo-boos. Give him a couple new ones too." Daryl muttered as he turned towards the door. Callie laughed and put a hand to his shoulder stopping him. He turned to face her, and his brows narrowed at the look on her face. The stark relief and happiness at hearing Danny's jovial tone lighting her face up with that smile. He put his hand over hers, and dragged her to him. "Now," he growled low in his throat. "Now you look fuckin' pretty." He kissed her hard and she fell into that kiss for all that it was.

"What did he say?" Danny's voice called out again causing them to break apart. "The fuck did you do to Daryl, Cal? Got him calling you pretty? Shit, did hell freeze over?"

"Brought you a shirt," Daryl said pulling away and turning to face the door to the back room. He pointed a finger at the small table where her gun was sitting and her eyes landed on a shirt that had been laid out along the back of the bench seat. Callie moved off to grab her shirt, lifting it she turned to watch Daryl glare at the door to the back bedroom.

"What was it that Merle always called you?" Danny's voice broke through the air again and Callie's brow was lifting and as she cracked a wide grin at the fuming man glaring at the closed door in front of him. Daryl's head was shaking back and forth and he was muttering 'don't you fuckin' say it'. "Darylena? Darylena. That's it. Shit, I can almost hear him now," Danny continued and Daryl's head damn near popped off of his shoulders.

"You pop any of those stitches; you have to redo them." Callie said with a chuckle as she worked her way into the worn out blue cotton t-shirt. Daryl snapped his glared back at her, and she shook her finger at him. "I'm serious. I'm not doing it."

"Ain't gotta worry 'bout it." Daryl said shifting his eyes back to the door. "Dead men ain't got to worry 'bout bleedin' out."

Daryl pushed his hands hard against the door sending it flying open and his glare instantly died, shoulders seizing up and tensing at the sight before him. Danny was sitting up, pain etched into his features as he stared hard at the doorway. The crooked grin that Daryl had been expecting to see when he entered the room was nowhere to be found. Instead a frown marred the man's features, tiny lines etched around his eyes as his face contorted with the obvious pain wracking is body as he continued to squirm up into a half sitting position against the wall.

Behind him, Daryl heard Callie walking towards him, and he saw Danny's mouth firm and his head shake once. Daryl's lips firmed and he turned and put a hand to the doorjamb effectively blocking her.

"Fuck outta here," Daryl said to Callie's slightly worried face, watching as she tucked her gun into place at the front of her jeans. She stopped and raised a brow. "Ain't gonna hurt him." She looked at him for a second her head tilting to one side as she narrowed her brow, and Daryl just stared back. Biting at the inside of his cheek he waited for her to finish trying to figure out what was going on. Finally she shook her head and lifted both hands to the air.

"I'm serious about those stitches, Dixon." Callie said waving her hands in the air as she turned and headed towards the door. She kept on walking and Daryl kept his eyes on her until she opened the door and started outside. "Get up Glenn," Callie's voice carried back to him, a bit of a chuckle back in it now. "Don't let him do that shit."

Daryl turned back to face Danny, his hand pushing the door shut just in case someone decided to come in. Danny scratched his hands at the dark growth of stubble covering his face, and then rubbed at the bridge of his nose before letting his bloodshot eyes slide back to Daryl.

"She gone?" Danny asked tiredly, his voice half of what it had been when he'd been shouting at him and Callie only moments before. Crossing his arms over his chest Daryl nodded his head at the man sitting uncomfortably on the bed before him. Danny's right hand fell to his lap, and began fiddling with the cigarette sitting there. "Good."

"You got something you need to say to me, chuckles?" Daryl ventured, biting at the inside of his cheek as he watched Danny's face contort into what he could only describe as a snarling smile. Whatever it was, it wasn't friendly. Wasn't Danny.

At least not the Danny he'd always known.

Danny continued to fiddle with the cigarette for a moment, before letting it go and smashing the knuckles of his right hand into his left forearm. He did that a couple of times, and the action had Daryl wincing as he watched the thin little tube of the IV in Danny's right arm stretch with each hit. Danny did it once more, then getting fed up he tore the IV from his arm and ran both hands roughly through his hair. He smacked once at the back of his neck and that's when Daryl started biting on his thumbnail.

He knew those motions. Knew 'em real good.

Merle'd done that strange sort of slappin' shit to himself tons of times when he was hard up for a fix.

Danny rubbed his left hand along the spot where the bandages had covered the IV needle, scratching hard and wiping his thumb along the tiny trail of blood on his forearm. Daryl continued to chew on his thumbnail, his eyes sliding around the small room, while his nose twitched from side to side at the sharp smell of blood that still hung in the air.

"World's a fucked up place now," Danny muttered after what seemed like forever, causing Daryl's eyes to snap back to the man.

Danny watched Daryl carefully, as he lifted the cigarette up. He held the tiny tube of nicotine goodness between his thumb and first finger, twirling it in the sunlight filtering in from the slats of the blinds beside his head.

"What you want Danny?" Daryl asked quietly, his thumb finally leaving his mouth as his arms crossed again over his chest. He eyed the cigarette as it spun between Danny's fingers, tryin' hard not to look to close at the man in turmoil before him.

"Ain't about what we want no more," Danny said quietly that same sort of snarling smile in place on his lips. He tipped the cigarette at Daryl and nodded for him to take it. Daryl took a single step forward, kicking out and hooking the small stool with the toe of his boot he pulled it closer and plopped down. Danny's eyes were still on the cigarette, and when they lifted again Daryl finally let out a breath and grabbed it from him.

"What you need?" Daryl asked pulling his lighter from his pocket and lighting the smoke. He took a long drag, watching as Danny smiled slowly and wagged a single finger at him.

"A favor," Danny said quietly rubbing that lifted hand over his face. He caught Daryl's gaze again, and firmed his lips. "You got Merle's stash right?" Danny asked rubbing his thumb hard into his forearm. Daryl barely inclined his head in acknowledgement, and Danny sneered. "Figured you did. Keepin' it in case he comes back right? In case we find him again?" Danny nodded his head while Daryl silently smoked in the stool beside his bed. "I need a favor from you. And I know you ain't gonna like it."

* * *

A half an hour after leaving the RV and it was raining again.

Pouring really. The large drops of water falling from the dark sky overhead like a waterfall on their little piece of heaven. Most everyone was inside the store, huddled on the ground around the few lanterns they had quietly talking, waiting to see if this burst passed like the rest. The longer Callie stared out the open door of the store, the more she realized that this wasn't just a passing storm.

Callie rubbed her hands over her arms and watched the few figures strolling about in the rain. Rick and Shane were both running hands over their faces and shouting up at Dale standing under the umbrella atop the RV. No doubt discussing the storm themselves, and whether it would be safe to pick up and go in this sort of weather.

She watched Dale shake his head, as he removed his bucket hat and ran his hand over his bald head. Down below, Shane put his hands to his hips and shook his head at the ground. No doubt angered by Dale's apparent distaste for moving on. Callie watched Rick, his face upturned and eyes on the sky as he listened to whatever Dale was saying. His face scrunched up as he struggled to make heads or tails of what other choice they had.

His eyes slipped down, settling first on Shane beside him and then over towards the store. She felt his eyes meet hers and watched as he bit at the inside of his cheek, running his hand through his wet hair as the rain continued to come down.

It was at that point that both of their eyes caught on the only other figure walking around in the rain. Daryl.

He had stalked out of the RV nearly ten minutes ago, his head down against the falling rain and his shoulders tense. He'd stalked right over to Merle's bike and began rummaging into the bags, looking for something. He'd seemed agitated and she had contemplated going over and asking him what was up.

But then she knew better.

It had been pretty obvious that Danny had wanted to speak to Daryl about something in the RV. The way that Daryl's body language had changed the instant he opened that door to the back room and looked in on Danny, had pretty much told her flat out that Danny's mouthing off had been for a specific reason. To get Daryl to come in to that room.

And it was obvious by the way Daryl was stalking around, pacing back and forth between where Merle's bike was sitting and the back of the Hummer that whatever it was that Danny needed from Daryl wasn't sitting well.

Callie watched Daryl finally stop his pacing, rake his hand once through his hair, and let his eye shift just barely to where she stood. With a swift shake of his head against the falling rain, he stalked past where Rick and Shane were standing. Obviously ignoring Shane's questioning about what he was doing. Daryl continued on and slammed his way back into the RV.

Callie bit at the inside of her cheek, her eyes catching on the sight of Daryl gripping what looked to be a large ziplock bag tightly in his hand. Her eyes slipped back to where Rick and Shane stood and she wasn't surprised to find Rick again angling his gaze back to her.

Shaking her head, Callie turned from the view of the parking lot. Her eyes skimmed over the group as they milled about inside, everyone trying to find something to keep themselves occupied while they waited for the next move to be decided.

"Don't really feel like unpacking all that shit again just to pack it back up in the mornin'," Miles was saying to Glenn who was nodding his head tiredly beside him. Glenn poked at the small fire that they'd built up in the center of the store and angled his gaze to Andrea. Miles continued to idly shuffle the deck of cards he'd had in his back pocket and shifted his eyes to her. Callie raised her brows in agreement as she made her way towards the checkout counter.

"I think we'd all agree with that," T-Dog said as rubbed at his temple. Callie felt his eyes slip to her and he inclined his chin at her. She smiled back and then pushed herself up and over the counter.

"I'm not sure what the problem is," Jenna said idly as she looked around at the assembled group. She slid her gaze to Andrea and then back to where Callie was. "I mean, it's just rain. We can drive in the rain."

"Daryl can't," Miles chimed in, his gaze slipping to Callie as his brows rose. She nodded once in acknowledgement. "Not on that bike. Too dangerous."

"He could leave it," Jenna said with a shrug. "I mean it wasn't even his, right. It was Merle's."

"He ain't leavin' it," T-Dog said surprising everyone. He sucked some air between his teeth and shifted his gaze outside, before sliding it back to the nodding Glenn. "No way in hell."

"Maybe we should just stop talking about what's going to happen next, and just enjoy the moment of relaxation while we can." Carol said as she ran her fingers over her thighs, pulling at the damp fabric as it clung to her legs. She looked up, sensing the eyes of everyone on her. She skimmed the room, hitting Callie's eyes quickly, and then over to Sophia who was smiling up at her. She ran her fingers through Sophia's short hair and then looked at everyone again. "Never know when we'll get a moment like this again. Especially once we hit the road again."

"Yeah," Miles said nodding his head and giving Carol a small smile. He slapped his hands to his thighs then and waved the cards around with a smile. "Any one up for poker?" A cacophony of groans and chuckles filled the air, but the group began to mill around and settle themselves for a card game with the notorious teenage cardsharp.

Callie smirked a bit as she listened to the group settle in and began to deal out the cards. Turning to the back wall behind the counter area, she put her hands to her hips and let out a long sigh. The place was picked clean of anything that anyone would deem a 'good' brand of cigarette. Drumming her fingers along her hips she tilted her head to the side and bit her lip.

"Fuck it," Callie mumbled, diving her hands forward and grabbing up the scattered packs, some of them crushed, some of them open. But honestly, if any of that mattered now she and Danny would have been out of smokes the first fucking week of the apocalypse. Gathering her score in her hands she stood back up and settled them on the counter. Just as she turned to go back for more her name was called.

"Callie?" Lori's voice was quiet as she stepped up to where Callie was at the counter. The despondent sound had Callie turning with a brow raised to regard the other woman.

"Lori," Callie said back, her eyes narrowing as Lori fiddled with the thin band on her finger. Callie turned fully, and settled her hands to the counter watching as Lori stared down at the pile of crushed and crumpled packs of cigarettes. They hadn't really spoken to one another since Lori had pretty much thrown a whole shit load of idiocy at Callie yesterday, and to be honest Callie wasn't quite looking to have anymore thrown at her.

"I'm—" Lori started, then firmed her lips and let her fingers fall from the thin wedding band. Her eyes lifted to meet Callie's head on and a beat of silence flowed between them. "I'm sorry." The words weren't said in that quiet, despondent voice. They were said with sincerity and a bit of shame that had Callie's brow raising. "I'm so sorry for-" Lori shook her head and shoved her bangs off of her forehead. "Everything. There is a lot of stuff going through my head right now, and it seems that in the jumble only the stupid is making its way out of my mouth."

Callie smiled slightly, before pushing herself up and over the counter to stand beside the woman who felt the need to apologize to her.

"My daddy always said we all get one," Callie said sliding the packs of cigarettes closer to her. She began to stack them up, tossing away the ones too crushed to be of any real use and watched Lori from the corner of her eye.

"One what?" Lori asked cocking her head to the side and watching Callie continue to stack the cigarettes.

"One moment of complete stupidity," Callie said angling a smirk at the other woman. Lori chuckled then nodding her head as she settled her hip to the counter.

"I think I'm over my quota," Lori said with wide sarcastic eyes and Callie laughed. They shared a simple moment of laughter, and did the only thing that they could do with the unease that still lingered just a bit in the air around them. They pushed it aside, and moved on.

"Aren't we all," Callie said in return. And they shared another laugh, before falling into a comfortable silence. Callie let her eyes roam around them and bit on her lip before jutting her chin to the side. Unable to not say something she smirked and settled a hand to her hip. "Carl looks happy."

"Yeah," Lori said, angling her eyes to her son and then back to Callie.

Not far off, Carl was sitting on the ground with Ben and Gracie. Beside him sat both of the red emergency backpacks that they had brought out of the CDC. Items were strewn about as he worked to write something down on one of the worn out spiral notebooks that Jenna seemed to like to collect. His eyes were squinted under the brim of Rick's hat as he tried to see by the dim lantern light. The boy must have felt the stares of the two women because he shifted his gaze then and smiled up at Callie and his mother.

"He's taking inventory," Lori said with a bit of a smile and a shake of her head. "At first he was embarrassed when Ben had started to explain how. But then Ben needed to call Jenna over to help them out and-" Lori shook her head. "I think it helped. But he blushed the whole time."

"Oh boy," Callie said slipping her gaze to Carl and then to Jenna who was half-heartedly pushing at Miles' shoulder as she no doubt lost the hand of poker to the chuckling boy. "Ah the joys of youth." Lori laughed and nodded in return and then looked back to where Carl, Ben and Gracie were sitting.

"Thank you for everything you've done for Carl." Lori said quietly and Callie shifted her gaze to the other woman. "I should have said it before, but -"

"Brain jumble," Callie said nodding her head. "Don't worry. I fully understand that." Lori let out a long sigh and slumped just a bit at the counter. Callie took in the red rimming Lori's eyes and the slight shake to her hand as she wiped it over her lips. "Are you alright, Lori?"

"I'm fine," Lori said immediately, her posture straightening and her eyes widening as she tried to pass of the obvious lie for the truth. Callie raised a brow and crossed her arms over her chest as she looked Lori beside her. "Really, I'm fine. Just a lot to process. I'm sure you understand _that_."

Callie nodded her head and looked away, her eyes sliding back out the open door where the rain was still pouring down. Daryl was working his way back from Merle's bike again, his hands wiping at his rain soaked hair as he made his way to where Shane and Rick were standing under the awning of the RV. His hands were empty now, no sign of the plastic bag that he'd carried into the RV, and possibly back. Daryl ducked under the awning and shook out his head before turning his angry squinted glare to Shane and Rick.

An animated discussion began to play out between the men and Callie shook her head and turned to Lori.

"Are you alright?" Lori asked concern lacing her eyes as she shifted her gaze from Callie to Ben. "I saw the bruises on Ben." Taking a deep breath Lori looked back to Callie and shook her head. "Rick mentioned something earlier. Something I hadn't even considered—" she reached out her fingers and gently placed them to where Callie's arms were crossed over her chest. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Callie said immediately, sharing a smile with the other woman. They both knew that they were anything but fine, but they were both too damned proud to admit it. Lori nodded patted her hand on Callie's arm before letting it fall. They shared another small smile as Jenna bounded up beside them bearing three steaming mugs.

"Carol made up some coffee," Jenna said with a smile as she nodded her head back at the woman laughing as Miles reached over and pulled two cards from Sophia's hand and tossed them at the chuckling T-Dog. Sophia grinned widely as T-Dog handed her two more cards and Miles nudged his shoulder into hers. "Figured you'd want some."

"Thanks, Jen." Callie said with a smile as she took the offered mug. Lori shook her head and put her hand to her stomach, making a face as she tried to smile. Jenna shrugged and then skipped her eyes out side.

"I was gonna take some out to Dale," Jenna said with a smile back at Callie. "Maybe all of them."

"I'll help you out," Callie said putting a hand to the girl's shoulder. "Go grab the rest of the mugs." Jenna nodded and started back over to where Carol was waiting for her. Callie shifted her eyes outside and then over to where Ben was sitting hunched over by Carl. "Lori, would you mind keeping an eye on Ben and Gracie for me?"

"Sure," Lori said a bit taken aback by the question. By now you'd think Callie wouldn't feel the need to ask. Which just proved that the small rift that had been created between Lori and the other woman was still there. Moved aside for more important things, but still lingering in the air between them. Lori frowned as Callie smiled sadly and ran her hand through her hair, sipping idly at the coffee in her hands.

"Fuck that's bad," Callie muttered making a face but continuing to drink anyway. Lori smiled and nodded when Callie's eyes slipped back up to her. "I think Ben's coming down with something." Callie's concerned gaze slipped to the boy and then back to Lori, a question on her mind that she didn't know how to form. "I'm not really sure what to give him. I know that you're not supposed to give them adult strength stuff." Callie sighed and shot Lori a look, and Lori's eyes went just a bit wide.

"I think I saw some children's Motrin somewhere in here," Lori's eyes slipped around the mess of the floor. "Probably should have picked it up," Lori said idly as she shook her head. Most of the kids were at an age where a dose of adult medicine was fine, but little Gracie and Ben…or anyone else that young, she just really hadn't thought about it. But she should have. "I'll have the kids help me find it. Should keep them busy for a while."

"Thank you," Callie said with a smile watching as Jenna grabbed the silly straw cowboy hat that she'd found in the back storage room and put it onto her head. The girl looked over at her and raised her brows, giving the signal that she was ready to go.

"You've got a knack for it," Lori said just as Callie started walking towards Jenna. Turning back Callie caught Lori smiling sheepishly. "Those kids are lucky to have you."

"Thanks, Lori." Callie said smiling back. Another shared smile, a bit more of an understanding falling between them. Despite the friendliness that seemed to be slowly forming between her and Lori again, Callie couldn't help but feel that the other woman was hiding something. Whether she still believed that Callie slept with her husband, or something else was drawing Lori inward and away from the friendship that they'd formed, she didn't know.

"After we drop this off I was hoping to go around to the water pump," Jenna said idly as Callie bent down and easily gripped the handle of two mugs in her left hand, while still gripping her own in her right. Jenna lifted the other two, one in each hand and smiled at Callie who was raising a brow at the girl. "I left a few of our bags back there. I had been cleaning out the back of the Hummer," she cut herself off and made a slightly humored yet disgusted face. "Daryl's stuff was rank, and I know it wasn't going to be pleasant to ride with. I wanted to grab it before he missed it."

"Did you ask him if you could-"

"Of course," Jenna said immediately, smiling as they began to walk to the door. "The man nearly ripped my head off when I told him his stuff was disgusting. But he didn't complain when I offered to clean it up for him. Just threw his hand up and stormed off."

"Ah, the Daryl Dixon patented 'whatever' move," Callie said nodding as Jenna chuckled. They stood at the doorway for a moment and Callie squinted through the still falling rain. "Coffee's gonna get rain in it."

"From what I hear it tastes like shit anyway," Jenna said shrugging and looking up from under the brim of her hat.

"The mouths on you kids," Callie shook her head and laughed. "We'll drop this off, and then go back and get Daryl's and the rest of the shit back to the Hummer." Jenna nodded and then they both skipped their eyes out to the rain. There was a bit of a space between the convenience store and the overhang that housed the gas pumps, then another space between that and where the RV was settled.

Another beat and they stepped out the door and into the rain. Instantly, Callie's feet stopped, the hair on the back of her neck going stiff. Rain pelted into her for that split second, as her eyes skimmed the parking lot. She always been one to trust her instincts, those bad feelings that she got had usually been right. But as her eyes skipped over the lot, over to where Shane, Rick and Daryl stood, and up to Dale atop the RV there was nothing out of the ordinary to explain the feeling of dread that slid down her spine.

"Callie, come on!" Jenna's chuckling voice from where she stood now safe under the overhang by the gas pumps sounded and had Callie shaking her head. She dashed as fast as she could without spilling all of the coffee from the mugs in her hand, feeling the hot liquid splatter on the cooled skin of her hands. Jenna was smiling when Callie finally reached her, that silly cowboy hat pushed a bit further down on her head. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah," Callie said shaking her head at the girl and nodding her head forward to the RV. Jenna cocked her head to the side, as if she didn't believe her but didn't pry. Instead the girl sent her gaze around the parking lot, her mouth moving side to side as she looked for any trouble. "Come on," Callie said nudging the girl with her elbow, feeling bad for making her worry about something that apparently didn't need to be worried about. "I'm just jumpy. Let's go."

Jenna followed behind Callie as they worked their way around the pumps and the trash littering the asphalt. The younger girl's eyes skipped over to Callie, watching the older woman's shoulders tense as she again skipped her well-tuned gaze around them. Jenna had been around Callie long enough to know that the woman wasn't jumpy. She wasn't the type to jump at shadows created by her mind.

If Callie thought there was something to be worried about out here in this rain-soaked parking lot then most likely there was. Jenna quickened her pace just a bit, sending a sidelong glance back to the store. Silently she said a prayer, hoping that this time Callie's instincts were wrong.

_If it keep on rainin' _

_The levee gonna break_

_If it keep on rainin'_

_The levee gonna break_

_Everybody sayin' this is a day only the lord could make_

_Well, I worked on the levee mama_

_Both night and day_

_I worked on the levee, mama_

_Both night and day_

_I got to the river, and I threw my clothes away_

_I paid my time_

_And now I'm good as new_

_I paid my time _

_And now I'm good as new_

_They can't take me back, unless I want 'em to_

_~The Levee Gonna Break / Bob Dylan_

_AN: Okay, so this one for me was useful filler. I hope you aren't getting bored with all of this, but I'm working hard to build something really strong between the group before we get into the dirty dealings of the Season 2 plot you know and love. There's not much to say other than that. _

_I wanted to send a huge shout out and thank you to all of you that have reviewed, put this on your alerts and favorites. We're already at like 80 reviews, which makes me feel so good about what I'm putting out there. I'd also like to thank you for taking the time to look at the Photobucket page and see our characters. I'm planning on adding in others… like Bobby, Jake, and the crew from the CDC…just so that you can get a better feel for it -I'll be sure to let you know when I do. _

_Now on to the fun!_

_Piratejessieswaby: HI. Yes. OMFG. _

_LadyLecter47: I'm so glad that you enjoyed what I did for Carol there. I wanted to give her a bit of something…she plays such an important role coming up. _

_AlabastR: SUCCESS! I made you feel 'kinda bad' for Lori! SCORE! That was the whole plan of that little section… And Daryl… yeah he is an adorable motherfucker. And if you were feeling dread before… you should really be feeling it with the end of this chapter. I'm so glad that you liked the photobucket. Angie Harmon's Rizzoli character is the exact one I was thinking of. Physically Callie is similar, but her hair is lighter, and she's a bit shorter… but really it's the attitude of the character I was going with. That snarky sort of presence that I just LOVE about Angie Harmon in that role. Glad you picked up on that one and liked it. PS. I followed you back! And thanks for worrying about the munchkin. She's doing good now! _

_Emberka-2012: Daryl is strangely good with children. I think it's because in a lot of ways he's still one himself. And yeah, I don't think anyone can have a real secret in a group so dependent on one another for survival… as Callie and Danny often point out… privacy is one of those luxuries that just goes out the window during a Zombie apocalypse. _

_Sunnymuffins: I'm sorry it made you sad, and I fully agree with you on that one. Also, thanks for leaving the comment in the Photobucket. You're awesome!_

_GrimmSapphire: Hey buddy! Thanks for the review. I'm glad everyone seems to be liking what I did with Carol. She's got more coming up so be prepared! By the by, got your email and I will be heading over to read the final draft of your story ASAP!_

_Honeyconcha: Baby's doing much better now, and well…I didn't die when I ran the other night so I'm going to take that as a sign that I can do it too! With regards to Carol, I understand exactly what you mean. Of the three women in my family (mom, gramma and aunt) two were physically abused by husbands. It's a sad fact of life, and something that I think shapes and molds you for the rest of your life…even if you were on the outskirts of it. Carol needs to come into her own now …especially with everything that's coming up. As for T-Dog… brother needed some fuckin' lines. There's just so much that could have been done between T-Dog and Daryl in my opinion, especially in Season 2 when we really saw the shift of Daryl's character. I'm hoping to tread through that in this story. So look for the man to have a bit more of a role than he did. As for the prequel… it's got a fuckin' title now… so that pretty much means its gonna happen for me. Like giving a green light to a pilot on TV. We'll see how it goes. _

_BecomingScarlett2012: Thanks for the review. Daryl/Ben /Gracie scenes are just too much fun to write. And yeah, it was a bit obvious that something was gonna happen at the ambulance, I mean look at the group I sent out. Callie is a take charge kind of girl— and it's one of the most important qualities I gave her. Something I felt was lacking in some of the other female leads. Glad you liked the photobucket!_

_Redneck 'n Angels: You dancin' fool! You crack me up. I'm so glad that you like MY Daryl. I'm trying really hard to keep him changing at a realistic pace, and the more I do the more I see he's not the TV Daryl at all…but it's neat to see how I can fit him in and try and make him seem like he is. *shrug* Fun for me. Thanks also for reviewing the companion fic. I'm glad that you liked it. If you must know….I had Callie's name plotted out…the little story of her getting her nickname. My brain kind of works on overload…probably why I'm a bit of an insomniac… and when I get started I can build an entire lifetime of stories for a character. You should see my character outlines…fuckin' ridiculous. As for the little stories themselves…they are kind of free flow. I get the picture outlined and just say "Go!". Thanks for reviewing!_

_AngieInWonderland: HI! Chickadee is better, and as for running…I'll agree on the crazy part, but not the 'better woman than you part'. That was one long day. I was utterly speechless when I realized that I wrote 13 chapters of one day… dear god. Carol. Everyone is showing me some mad Carol love… I'm glad that people are liking that I'm working her slowly into her own role. To me you are exactly right, and it's something that Callie points out to Daryl early on… Carol was put into this situation…and then the world ended fucking up any chance she had of trying to get away from the abuse, she was stuck with the man because she knew she needed him to make sure Sophia was okay and didn't think there was anyone left alive to help her… does that make sense? But now, after bashing Ed's skull, and feeling safe again. She's coming into her own, and Callie is just doing what she does to try and help her. As for T-Dog, as I told Honeyconcha above, I really think he and Daryl got some shit to work out… so he's gonna play a bit bigger of a role than he did in the show. ps. I THOUGHT THAT WAS YOU! Sweet! _

_Alright, folks, that's all for now. We'll see you next chapter! _


	10. ManUp

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_So I got everyone all shades of pissed off at Danny…. Not sure if this chapter's gonna help or not, but if you're paying close enough attention it just may help answer a few questions. *wink wink* I felt the need to get this up, because it flowed for me_

_As always, read, review and most of all enjoy!_

_~SWW_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Chapter 8: Man-Up**

Danny's head slammed back into the thin pillows behind him not once, but four times before he let out a ragged breath and though his clenched teeth. Breathing in tight through his nose he lifted his slightly shaking left hand to the bridge of his nose and pressed hard at the space between his eyes. The painful pull of the stitches on his left side helped to cool him, and he focused on that pain.

Focused on it, and tried to push it away.

Deep breaths. Three deep breaths. That's what Callie had taught him. And fuck if he hadn't been trying to do that.

Opening his eyes, Danny stared at the dirty ceiling above him, listening to the sound of the rain beating down on the roof. He focused on that sound, listening intently for the telltale creak of the roof where he knew Dale was shifting.

He sucked his upper lip in between his teeth, feeling the bristles of his growth of a beard tickling his bottom lip. He focused on all of those tiny little sensations, and all the itty bitty little sounds he could hear, working his mind away from the pain.

It would go away. He just had to give it time.

He heard muffled voices outside the window, and lifted his right hand to break the slats of the blinds a bit more. He could barely make out the shapes of the men standing there through the rivulets of rain running down the dirty window, but he knew their voices well enough.

Shane and Rick, still arguing loudly over what the next move was. Daryl had just joined them, the angry redneck's gaze slipping very quickly to the window Danny was looking out just as Rick asked how he was doing. Danny let the blinds go and immediately smashed his fingers into his forearm rubbing wildly at the red and slightly bruised skin. It had been a long time since he'd last done this sort of damage to himself. Not since the last night they spent at a gas station.

That first night they met up with Dale, Andrea and Amy. The day they lost Mike and Nina.

Danny pushed the heel of his hand to the place between his eyes and closed them tight. Three deep breaths, and three more and he was slamming his head into the pillow again. The pain in his leg was excruciating. He was good at playing it off, but when he was alone like this it was hard to ignore. When he was alone he was thinking only one thing.

That he knew exactly what would fix him up and get him through.

And that's exactly what he'd explained to Daryl not so long ago. He'd watched the redneck shift uncomfortably on that stool as he spoke. Watched anger grow in his eyes when he told him about earlier when he'd had Ben spelling out the words printed on the bottles in the cabinet were Dale stashed the medical supplies. God, the lines he'd almost crossed in that moment when Ben hit pay-dirt and held that childproof bottle in his little hands at the doorway.

He'd felt sick, and ashamed, and had railed out at the kid to get him to leave. Watching in a sick sort of stupor when Ben ran away from him crying. Ben had dropped that bottle to the ground, and Danny had watched in a rapt sort of awe as it rolled out of sight and under the bed he was on.

Oh Ben. That still had him feeling sick. But he didn't cross them. Not then. Instead he'd been shocked into admitting that he needed help from a man that he knew without a shadow of a doubt didn't have trouble crossing lines. Which left him two choices really.

A man he'd come to consider a headache more than anything else. Or a man who knew all too well what he was going through.

Enter the pissed off redneck.

And boy was he pissed. He'd sat there listening. Growling. Muttering, and shaking his head. But in the end, Daryl had done what Danny needed him to do. Understood, whether he wanted to admit it or not. He'd kicked at the stool and banged his way out of the RV and over to his shit, leaving Danny to stare at the ceiling. And just when Danny thought he wasn't gonna come back, he did. Banging back through the door carrying Merle's good old bag of tricks. That fuckin' ziplock bag that Danny remembered Merle swinging in his face countless times before; that shit-eating grin on his face as he tried to work his Mr. Tambourine Man magic on him.

Daryl had spent a good time banging around after that, and Danny had laid there just listening to him breath harshly and mutter to himself. Guilt at dragging another person into his shithole of an existence was eating away at Danny, but he wasn't gonna change his mind.

This is what he needed.

Danny had felt ashamed when Daryl got down on all fours and picked up that bottle that had rolled under the bed. He'd closed his eyes and listened to Daryl's harsh breathing, imagining the look on the man's face when he thought about what Danny had almost made the boy do.

"This isn't what I want Daryl," Danny had said, his eyes still closed to the look that was no doubt playing on the man's face. Danny suddenly felt sick at what he was doing to Daryl and felt the bile rise in his throat as he opened his eyes. "Trust me on that. This isn't what I want." Daryl stared at him over the pill bottle in his hand and Danny felt it to the pit of his empty stomach. "If I was doing what I wanted, we wouldn't be talking right now. This is what I need, Daryl. You gotta understand that."

Daryl was quiet as his dirty fingers tightened around that bottle in his hands, and a snarling curl to his lip followed by a slight shake of his head had Danny damn near crying.

"Only thing I understand is that you're too much of a chickenshit to talk to the one woman who would understand no matter what." Daryl said through clenched teeth. "I ain't doin' that shit for you. Understand that. You gonna talk to her 'bout this. Not me." Danny's head nodded knowing Daryl was right. "She loves you." Daryl's voice was a harsh kind of whisper and Danny's eyes opened wide as he looked at the man glaring daggers at him from his bedside. "Them kids, that woman, hell most a them fuckers out there love you. Care 'bout you."

"Daryl," Danny started, but the shook his head. "I know what's comin'. And I know what I need to get through it. So does Callie, we barely made it through before. And right now, I know she ain't at a point to be able to help me." Daryl growled low in this throat and stared, not really saying anything back. Because what was there to say. He knew Danny was right.

Daryl rolled that bottle that Ben grabbed earlier between his fingers and sneered at it. "You ever think about draggin' that boy into this shit again," Daryl growled and slammed the bottle down on the small nightstand right by Danny's head. "You gonna _need_ a body bag."

At that point Daryl had walked away, leaving Danny's muttered 'Thank you' to echo in the empty room.

As Danny lay there now, listening to the muted voices outside the window and the rain pelting out an oddly soothing rhythm on the roof above, all he kept thinking was that this was what he needed.

That Callie would understand why. Why he didn't come to her.

Danny let his eyes slide to the pill bottle on the nightstand, his eyes reading over the words typed on it. Big bold letters that read VICODIN, followed by the smaller print that told the proper dosage. Danny bit at his bottom lip and stared at that bottle, wondering why Daryl felt the need to leave it there. He sniffed, his nose twitching from left to right as he pressed the thumb of his right hand hard into the palm of his left. Finally, angry beyond belief at himself, at Daryl, at the fuckin' world at large he reached out and snatched that fuckin' bottle with the name Irma Horvath printed on it in taunting bold print.

His eyes widened as he held that bottle up to his eyes, between his shaking fingers. They widened and then closed tight as he laughed. He gripped the bottle in the tight fist of his left hand and pulled it to his chest as he continued to chuckle, his head tilted back on the pillows behind him.

Fuckin' empty.

* * *

"Just be careful," Rick said letting out a tired sigh as Callie waved her hand over her shoulder.

Daryl bit at the inside of his cheek as he watched Callie settle her hand on Jenna's slim shoulder. Her eyes skipped back to him once, the fringe of her dark lashes spiking around her eyes due to the wetness that coated her face. Didn't take a genius to know that she knew something was up. The woman was too damn good at reading situations for her own damn good. But he wasn't getting into that shit. If she wanted answers she was going to the son of a bitch laid up in that bed. Until then, until Danny was up for doing it himself, he would begrudgingly play the fuckin' role he told the man he'd play.

Daryl held Callie's gaze for barely a second more before he averted his eyes to the cup of lukewarm coffee in his hands.

He hadn't taken a sip yet, still in a bit of shock that Jenna had thought to bring him a cup. He wasn't used to that shit. And he knew it was the kid's idea because Callie had jokingly mentioned something about it as she slipped one of the three in her hands to Shane before settling hers on the ground and taking one up to Dale. Leaving the slim red-head to pass the then steaming cups to him and Rick, with a bit of a blush on her cheeks. Daryl slipped his eyes from his still full cup over to Rick's, watching as the former Sheriff had no problem lifting the cup to his lips and taking a sip. He smirked a bit when Rick made a face at the taste and caught Rick's humored glance over the rim of his cup.

Sliding his eyes back to the cup in his hand, he lifted his thumbnail to his mouth. His eyes lifted up at the sound of the thunder cracking over head and then down to where Jenna and Callie were quickly slipping around to the back of the building.

"You gonna drink it or stare at it?" Shane's voice snapped Daryl's attention back to the two men he was standing with. Daryl snarled a bit at his cup and then brought it begrudgingly to his lips.

"Fuck that's bad," Daryl said idly, earning a nod of agreement from both men. He sipped at it again and then looked out at the falling rain.

"I don't know if it's gonna let up any," Rick said squinting his eyes at the rain and then to Daryl. "I'm gonna leave it up to you. But I don't like the idea of you riding that bike through this."

"It'll slow," Daryl said angling his eyes around the awning to look up at the clouds above. He'd spent enough of his time out of doors to know the way those clouds overhead worked. And while it wasn't an ideal climate to ride in, he'd ridden in far worse before.

"Yeah, or you'll slow us down," Shane said shaking his head at Rick.

"Ain't gonna slow nothing down," Daryl said making a face as he slid his eyes to Rick. God help him, he knew he'd get support from the man standing staring at his cup beside him. Whether Rick agreed with him fully, he'd support what he was sayin'. A shocking revelation to come to, but a truth nonetheless.

"If Daryl says he'll be fine, he will be." Rick said quietly angling his eyes to his friend. He put out a hand to steady Shane's heavily lifting shoulders before the darker-haired man could voice anything else. "He's right about the bike being easier to get through and scout ahead on the road. And you're right about not stayin' here any longer. So your gonna have to trust Daryl when he says he'll be fine on point."

Shane let out a disgruntled sigh and ran his hand through his damp hair, scratching idly at the back of his neck as he glanced at Daryl out of the corner of his eye. After about a half a minute of staring, Shane sipped some of his coffee and shook his head in defeat. At that point all three of them caught movement from the store and watched as lanky-ass Miles ducked his head out and made quick run through the rain towards the Hummer.

"That kid's gonna get on my last nerve real quick," Shane said smirking as they watched Miles throw open the passenger side door and dive the top half of his body inside. "He and Danny are gonna make my hair go gray way too fuckin' early."

"Speaking of," Rick said slipping his fleeting smile from Shane to Daryl. Daryl instantly bristled and hunched his shoulders in on himself, not really feelin' like talkin' about anything that even remotely had to do with the asshole in the RV.

Draggin' him into his shit.

He'd already played keeper to one drugged up son of a bitch. A son of a bitch who was kin, not some fuck up he met when the world went to shit. He wasn't lookin' to reprise that role for no one, not even Merle. But he supposed he had to give Danny some credit….

"How is Danny?" Rick's voice broke into Daryl's thoughts and had him shifting his gaze along his cup and over to the concerned man beside him. Daryl bit at the inside of his cheek for a second before squinting hard at the RV behind them.

"He's hurtin'," Daryl said simply, letting his eyes slide away from the RV and Rick's disappointed look at his lackluster response. Daryl let out a gruff sigh and shook his head. "You're so interested, get your ass in there and ask him yourself." Daryl snapped before tossing out the remainder of his lukewarm coffee to the ground and setting his cup on the table. "I'm gonna see what that idiot's lookin' for and then get my shit ready. Loud-mouth can help me get it loaded in the Hummer. If we're gonna leave, we should do it before everyone gets all fuckin' settled in again."

Rick and Shane watched Daryl stalk off into the steadily falling rain, each of them wondering what exactly had just happened.

"You'd think after fuckin' her he'd be in a bit of a better mood," Shane said sipping his coffee and sending a smirk to Rick as he nudged him with his elbow.

"Don't," Rick said back, feeling the hard nudge on his arm for the friendly gesture it was meant to be, but giving in to the instant urge to shy away from it. Rick stepped just a bit away as Shane did it again, a tight smile riding his lips. Rick knew the nudge was a way of Shane trying to remind him of the good old days when they'd discuss crass things like that in the squad car all day. But it wasn't the good old days. And even though what was happening between Daryl and Callie was far from a secret, they still weren't openly advertising it. As far as Rick was concerned they deserved every bit of privacy they could get. Which was minimal in such a close knit and small group. And honestly, Shane's statement just didn't sit well with Rick; like the man had just insulted his sister with that leering look and idiotic observation.

"Shit man," Shane said with a grimace as he followed Daryl's actions and tossed his coffee angrily to the rain, stacking his cup on top of Daryl's on the small folding table near the RV. "It was a joke." Rick looked back at Shane apologetically, but didn't say anything as he sipped at his cold coffee. Shane shook his head and put his hands to his hips, laughing at something he hadn't voiced he put his hand to Rick's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. "Seriously man, you gotta learn to laugh when you can."

Ricks' brows lifted and he smiled tightly at Shane, nodding his head before tossing his own cold coffee to the rain. He didn't say anything as Shane gave him another shake and squeeze. He just listened almost half-heartedly as the man started talking about an old dirty story one of the other guys they had worked with told him. One Rick had heard a million times before as he sat nursing one of his beers after work, while Shane worked the room with the other guys. He found himself nodding and smiling in all the right places, and shaking his head as the woman's breasts grew in size yet again from the original version he'd heard. Shane was desperately trying to rework some of that friendly banter that they used to have, and Rick was happy to oblige.

Happy to try and rekindle a bit of the friendship that he felt he was losing.

As he listened to Shane talk, Rick's eyes watched Daryl pull at Miles in the Hummer. Watched the boy smile and wave his broken left hand around at the Hummer, his mouth as usual moving a mile a minute as he explained what he was doing. And then Rick watched with a bit of a smile as the angry redneck shook his head, pulled open the back door of the Hummer and began to rummage around as well.

Dale slipped down the ladder at that point, his tired eyes skipping over to Rick's. A nod flew between them as Dale rubbed at his face and worked his way through the rain towards the store. No doubt hoping to find a bit of warmth for a few minutes. The older man had been standing guard in the rain for damn near an hour now.

Shane nudged him again, and Rick turned to see Shane smiling like a mad man as he tried to hold back some of his laughter. Rick smiled and shook his head, putting his hands to his hips and letting the forced levity between them try to dispel the weeks of whatever else was building where their friendship had once been.

Slapping his hand to Shane's shoulder he nodded as the dark haired man worked his way towards the ladder to take his turn at watch.

* * *

Callie shifted her eyes behind her just before they ducked around the building, again landing them on the tense form of Daryl. His shoulders were hunched as he gripped his cup of coffee, his eyes squinting through the rain up to the clouds overhead. Whatever had been discussed between Daryl and Danny in that RV was obviously not sitting well with the redneck.

She could tell that instantly.

The last time she'd seen the man hunch his shoulders in on himself like that had been at the Quarry, when his brother had been a heavier burden on his shoulders than he ever wanted to admit.

Callie shifted her gaze back to the girl walking hurriedly in front of her. The rain was still falling, causing that silly straw hat to go a bit limp around the edges. Callie smiled and watched as Jenna shook her head, knocking some of the accumulated rain off and sending it flying out to the sides. The redhead looked back at her with a smile as they rounded the building and the water-pump came into sight.

Shifting her eyes to the sky she put her hands to her hips and worked her way past the girl to start collecting some of the water jugs that they'd left out to catch the rain. It would need to be boiled, but it was better than not having any water at all. With the pump between them, Callie and Jenna worked quickly in the rain to gather the materials.

Jenna was shoving some of Daryl's dirty sleeveless shirts back into one bag, a smile working her lips as she ducked her head. Callie put a hand to her thigh and stared at the girl from her crouched position across from her.

"You're in a better mood," Callie said getting the girl's attention. Jenna smiled back up at her and nodded idly her hands stilling on another of Daryl's bags. "Haven't seen you smile so much in a long time."

"Yeah," Jenna said her head still nodding, her fingers playing on the fraying hem of one of the straps of Daryl's pack. "You know, after everything that's happened thus far, I just have this feeling that things are going to turn around for us." Callie smiled, wishing that she could say that she felt the same way. The smile on the girl's face grew and she wagged a finger at Callie. "I know you don't think so. I saw the way you were looking around when we stepped out here." Jenna wiped at the rain on her face and Callie laughed

"You know me well," Callie said wiping at her face before twisting another cap onto one of the small water bottles. She opened the duffle bag nearest her and started shoving them inside.

"I do," Jenna said nodding and smiling as she looked down at Daryl's bags. "Danny's doing better," Jenna said with a smile and Callie's eyes snapped up. Her smile faltered a bit, but was back in place before Jenna caught it. "He is. Which is really good. I was worried before," she shook her head and smiled at her hands again before looking up and grinning. "Andrea's doing better too. She talked to me last night. Like actually talked."

Callie couldn't help but smile a bit wider as the girl started to get a bit excited. Jenna opened Daryl's bag and began shoving more stuff inside and Callie watched in wonder as the girl gently worked to pack away Daryl's belongings. Things the girl had apparently taken the time to clean thoroughly. A compass Callie had never seen. A second pair of boots that now would need to lay in the sun and dry. Socks. Callie couldn't help but smile wondering if Daryl knew the girl had done all that.

"You know I was worried about her before," Jenna continued causing Callie's attention to snap back to the girl. "She was really having a hard time with Amy. And I understood that, I did." She looked up at Callie her expression more serious now. "But," the girl took a breath, her thin strawberry-colored brows narrowing a bit in thought. "Did Miles tell you about what happened at the CDC? About her wanting to stay behind with Jacqui?"

"Yeah," Callie said nodding her head solemnly thinking back to the time she and Miles had spent together. Riding and talking about everything. Jacqui. Andrea. And a long overdue conversation about Jim. "Yeah he did."

"Danny wouldn't let her," Jenna said that smile growing on her face again, her hands dug into Daryl's last bag by her feet. "Busted up as he was, he still wouldn't let her." She shook her head as if in awe of Danny and Callie smiled. "I think it was good for her. She's still a bit lost," Jenna's eyes hit Callie's again and then went back to her digging in the bag. "But I think she's doing better. I think she'll be okay."

"Me too," Callie said as a peel of thunder rolled overhead. "Shit," Callie said through clenched teeth and a shaking head. The rain was picking up a bit again, and Callie felt every drop like an icy needle in her skin. Her eyes again slipped to the girl before her. Shoving the last of the water bottles into the duffle at her feet Callie wiped her hand down her drenched face again. "We should hurry up, Jen." The girl was staring at her hands, and didn't look up. Callie saw her brow narrowed at her hands and leaned forward a bit. "Jen?"

"What do you think this is?" Jenna pulled out a small canvas bag, the weight of it obvious as her hands held tight to it. She shook it a bit, and looked up at Callie with a weird expression. "It sounds like coins or something." The girl moved to pull open the draw string and Callie's hand shot out to cover hers, causing Jenna's eyes to widen and fly to up to hers.

"It's not our business," Callie said quietly, her eyes stuck to the almost faded letters on the bag. US ARMY. She bit at the inside of her cheek, curiosity tickling her spine. She knew it wasn't Merle's, he'd been a Marine. Shaking her head she patted Jenna's arm and slipped her hand away. "Give the man a bit of privacy, hmm."

Jenna shook her head at Callie but smiled. With a nod she placed the strange bag back into Daryl's pack, her hand grabbed at something Callie hadn't even noticed. A large gun.

"Careful," Callie said reaching forward slightly. Jenna looked up and raised a single brow at her with a look that said, 'duh mom,' loud and clear. Callie sat back on her haunches and watched the girl pick up the gun.

"I know how to handle a gun, Callie." Jenna said in a matter-of-fact tone as she shook her head at Callie. "I've used one before, remember."

"I know," Callie nodded sadly, remembering the last time the girl had used a gun. The first day Callie had met her. Grabbing the bag full of water and groaning under the weight as she slung the duffle over her sore left shoulder, she bent down to pick up one of Daryl's three bags. "Just be careful, and come on."

Jenna's head was nodding, as she carefully picked up the gun and moved to place it back into Daryl's bag. A rumbled of thunder rolled over head and Callie looked up to the sky. The sound of a small shaking breath, a sound that really shouldn't have carried over the din of the storm, but it did. Because that sound was really all Callie needed to hear to have those pinprick sensations flowing back over her skin and the hairs on the back of her neck standing on edge.

"Jen?" Callie's eyes slid down to the girl, who was staring at the small space between Callie's legs. Something behind her. "Wha—"

Before Callie could get the rest of the word out of her mouth. Before she could move to step and look behind her. Before she could even blink. Jenna was pushing to her feet, Daryl's bag left on the ground and both of her shaking hands clasped tightly around the gun she'd been putting away. Before Callie could utter a word against it, Jenna lifted that gun the barrel sliding right over Callie's shoulder.

The loud sound of the gun going off right in her ear had Callie's eyes closing in shock and pain, and her head turning as she threw her body to the side to get away from the recoil and whatever Jenna was shooting at.

* * *

Shane's foot froze on the ladder at the familiar crack of a gunshot echoing in the air. His hands gripped the ladder and his eyes shot down to where Rick had taken a couple of steps out into the pouring rain. Shane watched Rick's entire body tense, shoulders straight and head whipping from left to right as he too tried to figure out if it was really a gunshot.

"Was that—" Shane's foot slipped on the rung of the ladder and he slid down the four steps he'd travelled up. Boots hitting the ground hard as he turned fully to face the still stoic Rick. Shane's eyes skipped out into the steadily falling rain that shadowed the entire parking lot in odd shades of gray. He spotted Daryl and Miles, both mimicking the movement of Rick's head as they searched and tried to figure out the sound as well.

Daryl's face was scrunched tight into a worried, angry frown, his eyes squinted towards the side of the convenience store. The last spot they'd seen Callie and Jenna before they disappeared behind the building. Rick half turned towards Shane, his eyes narrowed and mouth opened ready to respond when another crack filled the air, followed quickly by another.

And then a scream that had all of their blood running cold.

"Jenna!" Miles' voice rang through the air as Shane and Rick both sprung into action and flew to follow the fast moving forms of Daryl and the boy as they ran towards the back of the building. "Jenna! Callie!"

Daryl was snarling as he ran, his eyes sliding behind him to where he saw Shane and Rick rushing towards them. Then his eyes slipped a bit in front of him, where Miles was eating up that rain slicked asphalt like it was nothing as he ran towards those gunshots and that scream. He could see the terror on the kid's face as he ran, and he knew that if he looked in a mirror, he'd probably see the same damn look on his own face.

They rounded the corner at breakneck speed, and Daryl stopped short his crossbow held tight in his hands even though he didn't remember pulling it off of his back. Jenna was standing there, her hands tight against the butt of a gun. Idly he realized it was his gun. Well, not his. It was Merle's Glock. She was shaking like a leaf, her eyes stuck to the ground in front of her.

The world around Daryl had slowed down at that point, both him and Miles stuck to the wet ground as they followed Jenna's eyes with their own. Callie was sitting up against the building, one hand to her left ear, a pained expression across her features. And for the second time today her other hand was pushing at the body of a Walker with the top half of its head cracked open and blown the fuck off. Callie pushed hard against the body finally dislodging the thing from her legs. She lifted her other hand then to put it to her other ear, her eyes slipping up to them at the sound of more approaching footsteps.

"Jenna?" Callie's voice woke Daryl up and had him turning to the girl, his crossbow on his back in a quick well practiced movement.

Daryl pushed past the stoic Miles and grabbed Jenna by her arms, roughly at first but then his hands unclenched and slid down her wet, shaking, fuckin' freezing arms. His hands hit hers and that's when her eyes skipped up to him, wide and teary as her lips began to tremble. The silly hat on her head hit off his chin and he moved back just a bit as she turned her head again to look at Callie still on the ground.

Rick had moved past him now, Shane right at his side both of them heading to Callie. She was waving her hand around muttering that she was fine, that they needed to check for more. Shane was on his feet then, his shotgun pulled and eyes wide as he searched through the rain at the outcropped building at the back and the cars scattered along the grassy hillside behind the building.

"Ease up, Red." Daryl said quietly, his hands still on top of hers as he tried to work the gun gently from her tense grasp. She wasn't listening and he rolled his eyes to where Miles was frozen slightly behind her. "Yo, loud-mouth. Wake up and help out."

Miles shook his head and blinked a couple of times, before sliding his eyes away from where Rick was helping Callie to her feet. He looked at Daryl in wide-eyed shock for a minute before snapping himself back into the world of the living.

"Jen," Miles' voice sounded and got the girl's attention. "Let go of the gun. It's okay. Give it to, Daryl."

Jenna looked at Daryl, as if just realizing he was right beside her. Her hands trembled a little under his and Daryl grimaced when her lip began that telltale tremblin' again. She swallowed hard, and blinked a couple more times and then he felt her fingers go slack against the gun.

"There's a girl," Daryl said taking the gun as her hands fell away. He clenched his one hand around it tight before slipping it to the small of his back. Daryl put his hand roughly around Jenna's thin cold arm, and pulled her backwards. "Get her back to the store." Miles nodded his head and took hold of Jenna's arm beginning to walk with her to the corner of the building.

"What happened?" Rick was asking as he got Callie steadied on her feet. Daryl reached down and picked up one of his bags, smacking Miles' back with it before the boy could get too far. Miles turned took the bag and shouldered it without question.

"We were getting the stuff we left back here," Callie said closing her eyes tight her hand still held to her left ear. She looked up and met Rick's worried gaze, placing her hand to his shoulder and squeezing once. "The rain," she shook her head and looked at Daryl. "I didn't hear it come up behind me." Her eyes went to the body of the Walker at her feet. "Jenna fired right in my ear."

"Fuckin' lucky she did," Daryl said picking up his other bags and handing one to the waiting hand of Rick. Shane turned shaking his head and grabbing the last of the bags from the wet ground, the steady falling rain slowing to a drizzle now. Daryl took a step towards Callie, watching as she shook her head and adjusted her grip on the duffle bag on her shoulder. "That's twice today you almost-"

Another loud shriek filled the air, followed by Miles' loud "FUCK!". The four adults turned to see Miles and Jenna backpedalling away from the building. Away from the reaching hands of two Walkers as they stumbled, wet and hungry towards the unarmed kids.

Daryl had his crossbow off his back and sighted quicker than any of the others could pull their guns. He had one bolt flying as he took a step forward, working his way quickly to Miles and Jenna. The sound of a gunshot from behind him broke through the air again and he turned to see Rick lowering his weapon with a nod.

There was a single second before Miles was backpedalling again, dragging the now hyperventilating girl with him further from the front of the store. Daryl was moving again, Rick and Shane heading around towards the corner of the building. Callie was moving towards her kids, hiking the duffle bag up on her shoulder and pulling her gun as she reached out an arm to swing both kids around behind her. She turned wide eyes forward to where Daryl, Rick and Shane had come to a complete stop.

Walkers. A shit ton of them were working their way through the rain and cars parked haphazardly around the convenience store. Heading straight for their little camp area.

Towards the RV where Danny was laid up defenseless.

Towards the store. Where the rest of their group was no doubt watching in shock and horror as their once safe little area became flooded with the undead.

"Son of a bitch!" Daryl seethed through his clenched teeth. Without another thought he was moving forward, Shane and Rick both yelling at his back.

Callie watched in a bit of shock as Daryl shouldered his crossbow and pulled the Glock from the back of his waistband. He spared one quick look over his shoulder, sliding his eyes past Rick and Shane both readying their weapons and boring straight into hers. She held his gaze for a single beat. A single beat that seemed to stretch and eternity as his eyes hardened and his jaw clenched. Finally with a single breath out and a nod of her head she was shoving the bag she had on her shoulders at Jenna and facing both kids.

The gunshots were echoing through the air as Rick, Shane and Daryl worked to clear a path and keep the Walkers at bay. Callie put a hand to Jenna's shoulder and slipped her hard eyes from Miles to Jenna and then back.

"You stay close to me. I want to feel your hands on my back, hear me?" Callie was squeezing Jenna's arm, the poor girl still in a bit of shock was slowly shaking her head.

"Callie—" Miles began, obviously ready to protest her treating him like a child.

"Not open for discussion, Miles." Callie said angrily. "You're unarmed-"

"There's another gun," Jenna's voice was quiet and had both Callie and Miles turning to look at her. The girl's wide hazel-green eyes slipped to Callie, a single brow raised just a bit. "Man's got an arsenal in those things." In an instant Miles was swinging the bag on his shoulder forward and digging his hand inside. Callie rolled her eyes heavenward and listened to the still ongoing gunfire.

"Callie! Move your ass!" Shane's voice echoed from near the front of the store back to where she was and she let out a ragged breath as Miles lifted out another handgun. Miles held it up, his hand shaking just a bit on it as he looked at her. She was shocked to see that he was still waiting for her approval.

"Alright," Callie said angrily brushing her wet hair out of her face. The rain was falling as what could barely be described as mist now, annoying more than a hindrance. Pointing a finger at the boy she held his eyes. "Don't make me regret this." Miles was nodding, his eyes going to the gun as he finally let his grip on Jenna's arm fall. "Safety off?" Miles flipped the small switch and nodded gravely up at her, his lips firmed to a line as the continued sound of gunfire echoed around them.

"Jesus, how many are there?" Jenna asked, her voice scared and eyes wide as she shifted her gaze towards where the cars were. Where the unending sound of gunfire was going off.

"Smart shooting, Miles. Smart." Callie said as she still held the boy's gaze. He nodded his head again and she slapped his shoulder. He only had one good hand to shoot with, so he braced his right hand on top of his cast covered left and put his finger to the trigger. "Jenna can you manage both bags?" She nodded her head quickly and began stripping the bag off of Miles' shoulder. Miles looked down at Jenna with narrowed eyes, and the look that past between the two teenagers was one that Callie would never forget seeing cross the faces of two people so young; yet so grown at the same time.

"You stay close to us," Miles said quietly, and then he smiled and the moment of sweetness was broken. "Got it Red?"

"I hate that nickname," Jenna grumbled as Callie rolled her eyes at the two, smiling a little and started moving forward. As soon as Callie turned she saw Shane sticking his head back around the building, glaring back at her. Then he was gone and the cacophony of gunshots was joined by the screams of the rest of their group.

Callie, Miles and Jenna rushed forward and slowed just a bit at the sight before them. The entire parking lot was almost overrun. Dale was standing near the RV with Glenn fending off Walkers as they made a path for some to fly inside the RV. She spotted Lori with Ben and Carl, and Andrea holding Gracie close as they ran into the RV. Rick and Daryl were taking out Walkers where ever they could. T-Dog was working his way over towards Shane's Jeep, picking off Walkers and clearing a bit of a path for Shane to make it into his driver's side door.

A look over her shoulder and they were moving again. Callie raised her gun and took out two Walkers that were blocking their path to the RV. Behind her she heard Jenna and Miles' hurried footsteps behind her, their rushed breathing echoing in her ears as she struggled to keep her eyes forward instead of constantly checking behind her. She worked her way to the back of the Hummer pulling the keys and opening the tailgate, finally turning and waving a frantic hand at Jenna.

The girl ran towards her and Miles stood by aiming and firing at anything that got close enough. She saw the boy twinge with the first couple of shots, the bullets going wide. He shook his head and sighted again and finally hit the money shot. He looked over at her and Callie nodded. Jenna was shoving the bags she held into the back of the Hummer and let out a scream when a hand Walker stumbled near.

Callie spun quickly, her gun raised in one hand while her other was shoving Jenna into the back of the Hummer. She fired quickly, taking out not only that Walker but the one right behind it.

"Son of a bitch," Callie seethed her eyes slipping behind her as Jenna scrambled into the Hummer. Suddenly an arrow flew through her line of sight taking out the Walker that was scrambling faster than she'd thought they could move towards her. Her head snapped around the back of the Hummer towards the source and she spotted Daryl near to Merle's bike looking back at her.

"Good?!" he yelled over the shouts and gunshots. She swallowed and nodded, gaining a tight nod from him. She watched him shoulder his crossbow and begin to grab at the few bags still on the ground near his bike.

"Miles!" Callie yelled grabbing the boy's arm. She spun him around and pushed him towards Daryl, slapping the keys to the Hummer into his hand as she did it. "Help Daryl get the rest of his shit in the Hummer and then start it up." Miles looked at her with wide eyes for a moment before she pushed again at his chest to get his ass moving.

Miles rounded the Hummer and then dashed forward to open the back passenger door for Daryl. He skidded around the redneck shoving his shit into the Hummer and slipped his gun into the back of his pants, right as he opened the driver's door. Callie turned from watching him as the boy's body disappeared into the driver's seat and his door slammed shut. Jenna's hands reached for her, but Callie slipped past them and ducked her head around to check back at the store.

From what she could see everyone was safe, throwing themselves into cars and starting them up. The RV was moving already, another epic arc as it started off towards the highway. Glenn hanging out the passenger window, shooting at the Walkers that were surrounding Rick at the station wagon. She saw Rick take out the last few and duck himself inside the wagon. She nodded her head, and was again flipping her view to the other side of the Hummer hearing the familiar roar of Merle's bike sputter and die.

"Fuckin'" Daryl's growled voice echoed back at her and she stared wide eyed as he slammed his hands on the handlebars. "Motherfucker!" He turned the key again, and revved it and it died again.

"Get in the Hummer!" Callie yelled at him, and he turned and glared at her for a second.

"It'll start!" Daryl yelled back, returning his glare to the bike. "It'll fuckin' start."

Callie let out a breath and shook her head at the man. Stepping forward, the retort died on her lips as she watched two Walkers slip between a couple cars headed straight for Daryl. No thought involved she rushed out lined them up and took them out. Daryl's head snapped up to her just as the bike roared to life beneath him. He grinned at her and she couldn't help but grin back.

"Lucky son of a bitch," Callie half-heartedly grumbled as he revved the bike and skidded on the asphalt working towards the rest of the vehicles.

"Callie, we're leaving!" Miles yelled out the open driver's side window.

Nodding her head, Callie shifted on her feet and ran back to the still open tailgate of the Hummer. She was going to shut it and head to the passenger side, but the sight of six Walkers almost right up on her had her jumping in the back with Jenna.

"Go! Go! Go!" Callie was yelling as she kicked wildly at the Walker that had grabbed on to her ankle and was pulling her out the back. Jenna was screaming again and grabbing at Callie's arms trying to pull her backwards with her. The Hummer jolted forward as Miles peeled rubber on the wet ground, and both Callie and Jenna flew back towards the open tailgate and the Walker still clinging on to Callie's ankle.

Callie was fighting against Jenna's hold on her arms, trying to get her gun up. Finally the girl must have realized what she was doing, and she let Callie's right arm go. The gun lifted, and she fired and the Walker's head flew backwards, its grip instantly falling from Callie's leg that was half way out of the back of the Hummer.

Jenna pulled on Callie again, as they both listened to Miles yelling asking if they were okay. His head turning from the front windshield back to them in so fast a succession he was making himself sick. Jenna and Callie scooted together backwards, until their backs hit the now upright backseats. Jenna's arms circled around Callie's shoulders and she hugged her tight as Callie rested the back of her head against the younger girl's chest. Both of them stared out the back of the open tailgate of the Hummer, trying to steady their breathing as they watched the five remaining figures of the Walkers receding into specs.

The Hummer jolted again as Miles jumped a small curb to get back into line with the rest of their vehicles. Callie tapped at Jenna's arms and the girl let go, a shuddering breath leaving her mouth as she watched Callie crawl carefully towards the back of the tailgate to close it.

"_Callie! Miles!" _Glenn's voice practically screamed through the CB at the front of the RV.

The sound of Merle's bike roared through Callie's ears as she worked to lift the tailgate, and just as she pulled it up into place and raised her hand to grab the upper portion she saw Daryl barrel around the side and into view. He turned the bike slow, eyes behind them for a moment before falling into line directly behind them.

Callie's eyes met and held his as he stared back at her, and a feeling of complete relief washed over her as soon as she saw him crack a small smirk at her.

"_Everyone okay? Come back," _Glenn's voice sounded again, still a bit panicked through the static.

Miles leaned forward and grabbed the handset a huge smile in place on his face as he brought it to his mouth.

"Whoooooooo!" Miles yelled into the handset and Callie shook her head and finally broke eye contact with Daryl riding behind them. She looked to the front, watching Daryl ride past the Hummer towards the front of their little convoy. "That was fuckin' awesome!"

Callie finally pulled down the upper portion of the back tailgate and plopped down. She ran her hands down her face and rested her shoulders against the closed tailgate, finally working on gathering her wits and breath. Her eyes caught Jenna's as Miles continued to whoop and holler out the open window, his broken left hand raised out the window as he cheered them on.

"Men are idiots," Jenna said letting her shoulders slack and her head slam against the seat back behind her. Callie smiled, then lifted her hand to her mouth covered it, her head nodding in idle agreement as Miles drove at a crazy speed behind the rest of their group.

Idly, Callie noticed with another smile that the rain had finally stopped.

_Too tough_

_We won't break_

_Enough _

'_Cause when you make_

_Dark shadows_

_The young pros they blow and come back ten-fold_

_We don't need ropes to climb the walls you build_

_Ideas and passion break the brinks with you_

_Man up_

_So man up_

_Yeah, man up_

_Man up_

_~Man Up/ The Blue Van_

_AN: I wanted to get this posted today, cause tomorrow's my birthday,…and I didn't think I'd be doing it then. So they're on the road now…. And next chapter we'll be hitting some very familiar territory. The highway…._

_There's not too many to go through, but here you go:_

_Piratejessieswaby: OMFG HARSH! But I respect your opinion._

_LadyLecter47: A clusterfuck is indeed ahead… and as for Danny…. You may just be surprised at what's going on._

_Rednecks 'n Angels: Black and white? What's that? I'm not giving away any spoilers… but don't count him out yet… okay, and just keep your fingers crossed for him. As for Callie punching Lori… I'll see what I can do for ya, okay? Fillerish with a dose of romance… just to keep you interested. Glad you liked it, because even though it was filler…it was necessary (if only for the part with Danny). Thanks for the review!_

_Emberka-2012: Privacy… yeah, definitely hard to get during the ZA. As for Jenna…I hope this one answered the question. _

_AlabastR: You of all people have to know that there is always a method to my madness. As for Daryl the pusher…and Danny the meth-head… honestly peeps, give it a chance to play out. As for the shitstorm…yeah that's probably coming one way or another. _

_Honestly I have to say that I love that I have instilled just that right amount of anger at Danny into all of you with such a short little moment between him and Daryl. I feel very accomplished right now, and boy that's the best birthday gift ever. So I say to you all, on this my last day in my twenties…. _

_See ya next chapter!_


	11. Vignette Six Feet Under

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_Hi all! Just a bit of a sidebar… something you just can't forget to celebrate_

_Enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Vignette: Six Feet Under**

_In the morning I wake up_

_And in the night I sleep_

_Since the day that I was born_

_Repeat, repeat, repeat_

_Brought to this life_

_Born to this life_

_Where was I before?_

_Non-existent? Not at all?_

_Will I ever know?_

They drove for most of the day. Until the darkness of the sky and the utter exhaustion that had fuzzed the edges of nearly every person's vision begged for them to stop.

They were settled on the side of the road, which was becoming a bad habit for them, all of them milling about in a bit of a daze. Most still unsettled by the recent run in with Walkers. But everyone sharing just a bit of Miles' seemingly endless supply of joy at their still being fucking alive.

The kid had been walking around hanging his broken arm around Glenn's neck as they set up a makeshift camp area in the middle of their circle of cars. And Glenn, God bless him, was smiling and nodding and joining in on Miles' happy-happy feeling, even though he was obviously still shaken up.

Callie shifted herself against the back of the Hummer and ran her hand through her hair before shaking her head. She let her hands slide down the front of her face and linger on her mouth for a few seconds before letting her gaze drop to her feet.

Disgusting marks from the fingers that had clawed only hours ago at her legs stared back at her in the wan moonlight above. The sight of it yet again had a shiver running down her spine as she took in a deep breath through her nose. Bending at the waist she put her head close to between her knees and breathed again.

Good God how close she and Jenna had come to being -

"Hey Cal?" Jenna's voice broke into Callie's thoughts and had her head lifting and looking to the left where the girl stood leaning behind the car to look at her. Callie smiled and Jenna's gave back a small one of her own. A silent bit of something flowing between them as Jenna took in the state of Callie's pants and boots. "You okay?"

"Yeah. We ready?" Callie said with a smile leaning all the way up and stretching out her back. Jenna cracked a wide grin and nodded her head a couple of times.

"Yeah, he's in with Danny," Jenna's smile brightened her features and Callie couldn't help but smile back just as wide. The girl had been planning this since she realized what today was when she pulled out her little calendar last night. "Shouldn't be long. You coming?"

"Yep," Callie pushed her butt off of the back of the Hummer and stood up straight. Jenna nodded and gave Callie one last linger look before ducking away and heading back to where the rest of the crew had set up a tiny little fire in a bucket.

Callie took one more deep breath in through her nose and walked around the edge of the Hummer. She idly ran her hand over her shirt, straightening it and then let her hands slide down the rest of her body. She brushed her hands over her legs, trying to wipe away the stains that marred her lower calf where the Walker had grabbed on to her earlier. The feel of eyes on her had her looking up and catching a few gazes on her.

Rick's eyes lifted from where he was standing talking to Shane near his Jeep. Shane's worried frown turned into a smile that honestly was better described as a grimace. T-Dog was shaking his head at her and rubbed his hand over his face a couple of times as he tried to keep his attention on what Glenn was saying next to him. Glenn's eyes shifted to her and he gave her a wan smile that she returned as best she could.

And then there was a familiar flash of heat that hit her and she turned her head to see Daryl snarling at her as he wiped his hands clean with a rag that had seen better days as he leaned against the RV. He'd been avoiding her, actively avoiding her, since they had stopped hours before. She would have chalked it up to exhaustion, or her seeing things that just weren't there, or just the need to get their camp set up.

But after he'd merely grunted at her and stalked off towards Merle's bike when she approached him with a bottle of water earlier. Busying himself with the apparently necessary task of cleaning the bike's dirty frame instead of talking to her, she figured the avoiding theory was a pretty sound one. Even now, he was just simply staring at her with a look she hadn't seen on his face since their early days at the Quarry. She shook her head and scratched at the back of her neck before breaking eye contact with the apparently perturbed and fuming redneck.

She'd figure it out later. When he wanted her to.

Slapping a grin on her face she walked towards the small circle of people and waited for the man of the hour to arrive.

* * *

Danny bit hard into his bottom lip as Miles shoved his hands as gently as he could around his back. The boy's shoulder settled under Danny's left arm, his body pressing as gently as he could into the sore wound at his flank.

"God fuckin' damn," Danny ground out through his tightly clenched teeth. A wave of dizziness overtook him as he swung his feet off the bed. The searing pain in his left leg causing him to throw his head backwards and almost take the kid back down to the bed with him.

"Jesus," Miles seethed through his teeth as he settled his hip against the bed and steadied Danny. Worried blue-green eyes settled on Danny's pain-filled face just as the older man opened his eyes again. "Maybe you should just stay put, man."

"No," Danny pushed forward again, pressing through the pain and leaning on Miles a bit more as he finally made it to a sitting position. He breathed deeply through his nose and slid his gaze to the boy half-sitting next to him. "I need to get up."

"You need a lot of things, Danny." Miles said earning a furrowed brow from the man he was smiling down at. Shifting and slipping himself out from under Danny's shoulder he got to his feet and scratched at his cheek. "Mental help is toppin' my list right now."

"Fuck you," Danny said chuckling and reaching out his left arm. With a wince he grabbed a hold of Miles' shoulder and began pulling himself up, using his right hand to grab the crutch beside him and get painfully to his feet. Miles worked to keep a hold on the man that was mostly dead weight at this point, his hands trying and failing to grab in a place that wouldn't elicit a groan or sharp pain in his friend.

"Maybe I should get Rick," Miles said quietly once again hearing that sharp pain-filled growl when his hands settled just a bit too close to the wound in Danny's side. "Or Daryl." He shook his head as Danny finally pulled himself to his feet and then nearly pitched forward as he tried to balance on his weak good leg and the crutch. "Fuck anyone else."

"No. I'm good. We're good, man." Danny put his left hand to Miles' shoulder and squeezed it hard as he pulled the boy closer to him. Miles again worked his shoulder under Danny's left arm and let out a small 'sorry' as he bumped the wound in his side again. "I'm up now. I'm good. You and me, Miles. We got this."

Miles let his eyes slide down Danny's body, his head shaking as he looked at Danny's practically dead left leg. The ordeal of helping the man get into the pair of loose lounge pants had nearly had Miles retching. But they'd gotten through it. The shirt. Miles had downright refused. Not really wanting to put the man through any more unnecessary pain. 'Everyone's seen ya without it. We don't need to—' but Danny had been insistent. Both of their eyes sliding over the man's bruised arms at nearly the same time. When their eyes had met again Miles had finally nodded his head and helped Danny into the only shirt he could find that wouldn't cause too much pain to get him in.

Dale's red and white Hawaiian shirt was left unbuttoned, the wrap of bandages around Danny's midsection marred with a bit of blood working as a sick sort of undershirt. The fabric hung ridiculously on Danny's frame, billowing around his lean frame. But it helped to cover most of the self-inflicted mess that Danny had made of his arms. The darkness outside would do the rest. Miles let his eyes settle on Danny's right arm again, and his head shook.

"You sure you're up for this?" Miles asked quietly, his mind working its way back to a time months ago. When he'd first met Danny and Callie and he'd seen those bruises marring the man's arms. He'd felt like such a child then not understanding, and listening as Danny treated him like the adult he always said he was, telling him the truth about why he had those bruises. What he was going through. Seeing them again wasn't really surprising for Miles. Danny was in pain, and he was desperate. So, yeah, seeing them again wasn't a surprise.

But seeing that bottle sitting on the nightstand next to him had been.

"Yeah," Danny said lifting his head and meeting Miles' eyes with a humored glance. "Gotta get off my ass sooner or later. An honestly, I'd prefer sooner. Been laying down too long as is."

"Oh please," Miles said as they shifted slowly out of the small room. "You know you love it. Gettin' waited on hand and foot. Shit, you are a self-proclaimed 'lazy son of a bitch'."

"True," Danny said taking in a deep breath through his nose as he worked past the dizzying wave that almost had him sitting down again. "But I like it better when it's on my own terms, ya know what I mean kid?"

"Yeah. I can understand that," Miles said working his way slowly along the length of the RV with the injured man. They'd made it out of the backroom and only had the small kitchenette area to travel. Danny was taking it slow, deep breaths in through his nose with each and every step that they struggled through. Miles scrunched his nose as they worked past the counter area, wincing along with Danny when he accidentally bumped his newly stitched side. "Guess I just don't understand why you feel the urge to get up and move around now."

"Because I wanna eat with everyone, not have someone bring me my damn food like an invalid." Danny shot back as they made it past the sink. Danny's eyes narrowed at the sight of Carol's trusty iron sitting on the counter. "I don't wanna be in here anymore, Miles." Danny snarled as he shifted his eyes to the boy now staring at the iron as well. "That okay with you?"

"Yeah, Danny." Miles said nodding his head and helping the wounded man to walk past the offending sight of the iron. They finished their trip in silence. Well, for the most part. Danny's stifled explicative phrases and rushed breathing each and every time he tried to lift and move his leg was like their own little theme music as they moved.

Finally they reached the door and Danny stood there looking at it for a long time. No doubt remembering how he nearly fell out the damn thing when he tried to do the stairs the other day. He took in a deep breath and rested his armpit on the crutch so that his right hand was free to rub at the bridge of his nose.

"This is gonna suck," Danny said in a hushed whiny tone that had Miles cracking a smile at the man he was still holding upright. Danny slipped his eyes to the boy and they shared a humored glance before nodding. "You go down first. That way you can catch my ass when I fall out."

"Oh boy," Miles said sarcastically before shifting so that Danny could place his crutch where Miles had been. He left his hands at Danny's upper torso, making sure that the man had his footing before opening the door. His back was turned to the outside as he worked backwards down the stairs, hands hesitant to lift from their place on Danny.

"Miles," Danny said angling his head down with a grin that had Miles raising a brow. "Turn around, buddy." At that point Miles' brow furrowed a bit more, the soft tone of Danny's voice and the smile on his face reassuring and fatherly. Then Danny was shaking his head and smacking him on the head. "Turn the fuck around."

Miles looked at Danny for one more second before shifting his eyes slowly around. His foot stopped on the second step, while his other fell hard to the ground at the shock of the sight before him. Everyone was smiling at him, all of them settled around their little fire bucket. No one was making any noise, like you'd expect in this situation, the world being a different place now. Celebrations that would have been loud and boisterous before were now quiet and calm in the face of the danger associated with making too much noise on a dark night.

Miles' other foot fell from the step to join the one planted on the ground, his hands still gripping the handle of the door to the RV. Jenna was getting to her feet now, smiling widely as she worked her way towards him. He was confused to say the least, wondering what he'd done now, but then his eyes hit on the sheet hung over one of the abandoned cars. The words, 'Happy 18th Birthday Miles!', scrawled in simple black lettering as large as ever stared back at him.

"Surprise," Danny said leaning down, and sighing as the movement caused a sharp pain to fly through him. He put his hand on Miles' shoulder and squeezed, causing the boy to look back at him over his shoulder. Wide eyed and slack-jawed the boy just looked up at him confused and Danny grinned as he looked over at the assembled group. "Ladies and gentleman, we have finally succeeded in shutting him up."

"If only we could figure out how to do it for you," Glenn's voice sounded from beside where Miles was still frozen near the door. Glenn put his hand to Miles' shoulder and shoved him towards where Jenna was waving impatiently at him. "Go ahead, I got loud-mouth."

"Hey," Danny said with a chuckle as he pitched forward. Glenn grabbed him and winced with Danny when he pressed right into the wound at his side. "Tell you what, my birthday's in March. We make it that long I promise to be just as speechless when you throw my ass a party."

"Who says we're throwing your ass a party?" Callie said with a laugh as she settled herself on the ground near Rick. Ben was snuggled up into her, his little head instantly falling to her lap and a tiny smile on his lips. Poor kid just wasn't feeling good, but he was making an effort.

"Ouch, that stings, Cal." Danny said as Glenn finally succeeded in getting him out of the RV and settled both of his feet on the ground. "Let's take a breather, huh, G-man." Glenn nodded his head and helped to settle Danny's back against the RV where he'd been standing and waiting earlier. Daryl slid a chair up and grabbed Danny's arm forcing him to sit painfully down, before settling his back against the RV beside Glenn.

"I don't understand," Miles said his eyes narrowing as he walked forward. Glenn pushed at him and he stumbled forward, only to be grabbed forcibly by T-Dog and pulled the rest of the way.

"It's your birthday. We're having a party," T-Dog said narrowing a humored glance at the kid before wrapping him in a headlock. "Kinda." Miles shot him a glance and T-Dog laughed. "What the fuck is so hard to get?"

"It's my birthday?" Miles said and the entire group of adults started chuckling. From her seat, Callie shifted a smiling glance to Rick beside her and shook her head. How sad was that? "Seriously?"

"Yep," Jenna put her hands into her bag and pulled out her calendar and showed it to him. "I marked it down that first night." She said quietly, ducking her head when Miles lifted his eyes. "You were telling Mike 'bout how your birthday was September 3rd, and that your entire goal in life was to just make it that long."

"Gonna need yourself a new goal," Callie said with a smile as Miles' took the calendar from Jenna. His gaze snapped to her briefly before settling on where Jenna had written his name. The little drawing of a candle next to it causing him to smile just a bit.

His eyes skipped further down, and in the dark moonlight he saw Mike's name written on the square for the 30th. That same little candle next to it. Firming his lips to a straight line he looked up at Jenna, her eyes on her brother's name and a sad little tilt to the smile that had been on her lips. He handed back the calendar and she took it, shaking her head when he opened his mouth to say something.

Shit, what was he gonna say. Sorry I made it to my next birthday and your brother didn't. Miles shook his head and ran his hand over his forehead pushing back at his grown-out hair. Something hard smacked him in the back of his shoulder and he turned quickly towards where Danny and Glenn were chuckling. Looking down Miles saw the small rock near his foot and kicked it.

"You threw a rock at me," Miles said confusedly, causing the men to chuckle a bit more. Daryl was shaking his head but smirking. "It's my fuckin' birthday and you threw a rock at me."

"Get to celebratin' or I'm gonna throw another one." Danny said pitching forward as a wave of pain worked its way through his body. Glenn was putting a hand to his shoulder but he shook him off, shifting slightly. Eyes on the now stoic Daryl angling his gaze over Glenn's head. Danny looked back to the worried face of Glenn and smiled. "Go get me a bigger rock, G-man. Idiot's still just standing there."

"I'm goin'," Miles said tossing his hands in the air and moving his feet. He settled himself on the ground next to Callie and Ben and gave the little boy a smile. "How ya feelin' buddy?"

"Okay," Ben said quietly a little grimace on his face. He then bit at the inside of his cheek and averted his gaze. "I couldn't find anything to give you."

"S'alright, Ben." Miles said sitting forward and ruffling his hair a bit. "I'm thinking the best gift is just being alive. And you know," he looked at Callie then Rick and everyone else. "Not alone."

"Awww," Danny's snide little voice echoed and Miles shot his gaze to the widely smiling man.

"Shut up," Miles said rubbing at the back of his head. Danny smiled again and Callie watched sadly as he kept smiling until Miles turned his attention to Dale and Andrea. At that point Danny raised his right hand and rubbed hard at his face before his entire body arched back at a wave of pain and shifted his gaze to the angry redneck glaring at him.

"So," Dale said with a smile as he leaned over and grabbed something from beside him. "It's hard to come up with gifts nowadays, but I did manage to confiscate a couple of books from the CDC's rec-room. And since you've stated that you read," Dale said smirking at the boy who was again staring wide-eyed and open mouthed. He pulled a small stack of books up and handed them over to Rick who smiled as he passed them to Miles. "You just have to promise to share."

"Sure," Miles said as he took the books and smiled down at the first one. "Lord of the Flies," he chuckled and shook his head at Callie who was running her fingers through Ben's hair. Gracie scooted closer towards Miles' legs and he handed the book down to her so she could look, while he moved to the next one. "Of Mice and Men," he nodded his head and lifted it shaking it a bit. "That's a good one." Dale smiled and nodded in return. "And lastly, Catch-22." Miles smiled and shook his head chuckling a bit as he set the books to his knees. "Shit, you couldn't find something a bit more uplifting?"

"Beggars can't be choosers, son." Dale said laughing as he ran his hand over his head. "Plus, it's better than re-reading the stuff I have in the RV."

"Agreed," Andrea said rolling her eyes and looking at Miles. "Have I told you how many times I've read 'The Case of the Missing Man'?"

"Or 'The Maltese Falcon'," Danny added in earning a groan from Andrea as she rolled her eyes and nodded at him.

"Alright, alright," Dale lifted his hands and shook his head looking incredulously at the group. "How many times do I have to tell you that I wasn't planning on providing literature for the end of the world when I loaded it up. Come on, now."

The group laughed and to Callie it felt like a weight had just suddenly lifted from the air around them. The close call from only hours before had been a harsh enough reminder of just what they were dealing with out here on the road. And it had settled ominously over all of them when they'd decided to stop for the night. She shifted her gaze around at the smiling faces and watched as Miles laughed and smiled at Shane who tossed a couple of shirts at him. Miles laughingly held up one under his chin; the 'I heart Georgia' souvenir shirt ridiculous in its bright orange color, and the big ass peach taking the place of the heart just adding frosting to the cake.

Carl leaned forward from where he was sitting between Lori and Rick and waved something in the air at Miles.

"Found it in the emergency bags we got," Carl said waving the pack of cards at Miles, who looked at the boy with a smile as he reached out and grabbed the fresh deck. "Figured you'd like 'em. You know, since we had to leave your last one at the gas station."

"Thanks man," Miles said smiling and nodding at Carl as he pulled the deck back to him. He looked at the unbroken seal on the cards and ran his finger along the seal. "Old habit, you know, always carried a pack of cards anytime we left the house. You just never knew." He looked up and smiled just a bit at Rick who smiled back. "Me, dad and Steve used to play every Saturday night since Steve was like five." He chuckled and clutched the cards, while the camp grew quiet and watched the boy who had honestly become a man far too soon. "I can teach you how to bluff right if you want. Taught Steve when he was 'bout your age. We always took dad for everything he had after that." Miles looked at Carl and Carl nodded his head, shifting his eyes quickly to his father and then back to Miles.

"I'd like that," Carl said smiling when Rick put his hand to his head and rubbed hard at his hair. "Bet I could beat you and Shane afterwards."

"Wouldn't doubt it, kid." Shane said with a smile his eyes skipping to Miles who was still staring at the cards.

"This is great, guys." Miles said setting the deck of cards atop his little pile of gifts beside his chair an sending a big smile around the group. "Really."

"Hey," Jenna said quietly gaining everyone's attention. Even in the small hint of light from the fire in the bucket everyone could see the tiny bit of a blush on her cheeks. "Gotta celebrate what we can, when we can right?" Her gaze slipped to Callie and the woman found herself nodding and smiling as Jenna again ducked her head and began digging for something in her pack. "I got you something." Miles' brow rose and slipped his gaze to Callie who shrugged at him. "Well, not really got you it. So much as cleaned it up for you."

Everyone was watching now, and the slim red-haired girl was left looking embarrassed as hell holding whatever it was she was planning on giving to the boy. She bit at her bottom lip and held a bit tighter to whatever it was, before shaking herself and stiffening her back. When she turned, Callie's brow lifted as she caught sight of Jenna's present. A slow smile formed on her lips as she watched Jenna approach the still sitting Miles.

"It was a bit," she shifted her gaze to Callie quickly and then back to Miles. "It needed to be cleaned up. But I figured since you had it, you would want to wear it. So," She held out Jim's old worn-out blue ball cap and everyone silently watched as Miles lifted a slightly shaking hand to take it from her. His fingers grazed hers and Jenna blushed a whole new shade of red before snaking her hand quickly back to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Thanks, Jen." Miles said staring at the still stained, but much cleaner, hat in his hands. He ran his thumbs over the tattered brim, his eyes staring at the logo for Jim's mechanic shop logo. Miles lifted his slightly wet eyes to Jenna and the two teenagers shared a little moment that had most of the adults smiling those secret little smiles to each other. Callie shifted her glance over to where Danny was watching from his seat against the RV and caught his sad gaze.

"Fuckin' adorable," Danny muttered finally. Then he was lifting his hand and tossing a rock at Miles and Jenna's feet. "Better knock that shit off. Made me a baby with less heated looks that than when I was your age."

"Eww," Jenna immediately said taking a step back as Danny let another small rock fly at her feet. At that point the entire camp was laughing again, except Miles who was looking up at Jenna with a narrowed brow.

"Eww?" Miles said letting the hat fall to his lap and his arms going wide. "Honestly? Ewww?" Jenna, now blushing the same shade red as her hair was throwing her hands in the air and walking away. Leaving Miles to shift his gaze around the chuckling camp, landing finally on the painfully chuckling Danny and all out belly-laughing Glenn near the RV. "Laugh it up!" Miles reached down at that point and picked up the two small rocks at his feet playfully tossing them back at the two men, which only caused them to laugh harder.

Even Daryl was cracking a grin as he watched, ducking out of the way of Miles' very ill-aimed rock. Daryl's eyes slipped over Miles to where Callie was sitting with the slightly smiling Ben on her lap and his smile fell and his usual scowling look replaced it. Callie shook her head and reached forward placing her fingertips to Miles' arm as he wound up to toss another rock at Danny and Glenn.

"Cool down, or you're not getting your last gift." Callie said smacking his arm just a bit. Miles furrowed his brow as he shot a look over his shoulder at her. He tossed the last rock he had, bouncing it off of the RV right above Glenn's ducked head and then turned a shaking head to his lap.

Callie slipped her hand behind her back, her eyes skipping to Rick and then to Shane before tilting to Daryl watching her intently now. Miles lifted his gaze from his lap and watched as Callie lifted a gun out and flipped it so that the grip of the gun was out for him to grab. She raised her brows at the boy's hesitation and confusion and nodded her head when he looked at her for approval to actually take the weapon.

"We all talked," Callie said as Miles reached out and took the offered weapon, first with his broken left hand and then with his right. His fingers just grazed it for a minute while he shifted his eyes from hers to the handgun. "Figured it was about time. I promised to show you anyway." Miles curled his fingers around the gun and Callie let her hand fall away as the boy gingerly moved the gun towards himself.

"Careful," Dale said as he raised a hand as if to ward off harm. "The safety," Rick moved forward, followed by Shane. "Jesus, don't point it at yourself," Shane said as he was reaching out a hand. The three men had pretty much spoken at the same time and by this point Callie was chuckling as she settled back in her seat. She shared a humored glance with the boy she'd just given a gun to and waved a hand in the air in a 'what did you expect' motion.

"Guys," Miles said lifting his eyes with a roll as he gingerly, yet expertly moved the gun in his right hand. "Seriously, like she'd hand me a gun with the safety off for one," Miles said looking up at the three men while Callie laughed. "And honestly, I did just fire one like a few hours ago. I'm not an idiot. And for lack of a better phrase, this ain't my first rodeo."

"Speaking of," Dale said settling back, obviously appeased, and smiling while Rick and Shane both rubbed at their heads watching Miles with the gun. Dale slipped his eyes to where Glenn was talking quietly with the slightly more pale Danny beside him. "I've been wondering, where exactly did the two of you learn to shoot so well." Dale's eyes skipped back to Miles as the boy lifted his eyes from the gun in his hands to where Glenn was now looking up and shifting his eyes around the group with a 'who me?' expression on his face.

"Yeah," Shane said with a chuckle as he leaned his forearms on his thighs. His eyes skipped from the still slightly confused Glenn to the now also confused Miles. "Neither of you strike me as the type to go out to the range."

"Honestly?" Miles said skipping his eyes to Glenn who shrugged a bit.

"Video games," both of them said at the same time earning a another laugh from the group.

"Great," Andrea said snidely shaking her head as she sent a bit of a smile to Callie. "That makes me feel so much better about giving him a gun."

"Don't worry," Callie said waving her hand and smiling at the blonde woman. "I'll work with him. He's got the basics, just needs the experience."

"And you're qualified to get him that experience?" Lori asked with a smile as she shared a glance with Carol who shrugged and lifted her brows.

"Been going to the range for a long time," Callie said with a shrug. "Honestly, I'd bet the only person who's been shooting longer than me is Daryl." She indicated where the redneck was standing with the jut of her chin, and watched as he shrugged and settled himself against the RV. "But I'll happily defer to the actual legitimately qualified members of our group if you'd prefer." Callie sent a smile to Rick and Shane both nodding.

"We'll gladly help out," Rick said slipping his eyes to Shane who rubbed at his hair and nodded his agreement. "But I trust you with him."

"Who took you to the range?" Jenna asked leaning forward with a smile as she began brushing out Gracie's unruly curls.

"Uncle Tug," Callie said succinctly her eyes sliding to where Daryl was standing. She could feel his eyes on her and she shrugged as she turned back to Jenna. "No big story."

"Why don't you never talk about yourself?" Jenna asked idly as she started to braid Gracie's curls, then apparently thought better of it and brushed it out again. Her eyes lifted and hit on the raised brows of everyone before she shrugged and looked at where Callie was smiling at her. "I mean it's not like you shut us out, you just don't talk much about yourself." Callie lifted a brow and Jenna continued. "You don't. You always sit and listen to us as we go on about stuff. God I remember the first night we were with you guys and with one question from you Nina just about talked your ear off about all of her wedding plans. And Mike, God I don't think I'd ever heard him go on and on about himself like that." The group lowered their gazes when Jenna did, watching as the girl gave a sad smile to Gracie when the younger girl turned around to look at her. "See, just like that. Here I am asking about you, and somehow I'm the one talking about things. Why is that?"

"Awesome bartender super powers." Callie said with a shrug, most of the adults just nodding their heads with smiles. "I'll tell you what," Callie said standing up and picking up the dozing Ben, who curled himself into her. She shifted her feet under his weight and winced a bit as he settled his head against her sore left shoulder. "One night I will sit and answer any question you like," Callie continued as she worked with Ben's weight as he shifted and began to wake in her arms. Miles moved and set his gun down before he stood up to grab the boy. Callie gave him a smile of thanks.

"No using those well-honed bartender deflecting abilities of yours?" Miles asked as he shifted Ben around so that the boy was dangling happily over his shoulder. Ben's head lifted and he shot a grin to Danny and Daryl before his head lolled back down and he started smacking at Miles' butt.

"I'm gonna throw up, Miles!" Ben said laughing and then giggled a bit when Miles bumped him back so that he was standing a bit wobbly on his feet before him.

"No deflecting," Callie said putting a hand to Miles' shoulder. She put moved in and gave the kid a peck to his forehead, that Miles shied away from with a blush as he wiped at his forehead with his cast covered arm. "Happy Birthday, buddy."

"Thanks," Miles said watching as Callie put her hands to Ben's head.

"I'm gonna put Ben to bed in the RV," Callie said as she started walking towards where Danny was breathing heavily from his seat beside Glenn. He looked like shit, but was apparently too happy to be outside even though it was obviously taking a toll on him. She looked over her shoulder to Rick. "I'll take first watch."

"You sure?" Rick asked almost pushing to his feet.

"Yeah," Callie said with a smile as she ushered Ben up the small set of stairs. "Not really tired yet." Callie's gaze shifted to Daryl who was watching Danny as he rubbed and smacked at his right arm. His gaze lifted to hers for a split second before he averted it and walked off towards where he had parked Merle's bike.

"C'mon Miles," Shane's voice broke into her thoughts and had her turning towards him as she put her foot to the first step. "Bring that over here, I'll show you how to strip it and clean it."

* * *

She'd been up on the roof of the RV for nearly an hour before she heard his feet hit the ladder. The smirk came unbidden to her lips and she shifted just a bit in the lawn chair she was settled in. Her fingers instantly began tapping on the pack of cigarettes that she's set on her thighs as she waited.

Daryl's sandy-blonde head popped over into view and she worked hard to keep her eyes off of him. She heard him let out sigh and followed him out of the corner of her eyes as he worked his way to his old spot. Not the one beside her, but the one at the far end of the roof, looking out over the opposite side of the highway. He settled his crossbow beside him and just stared out at the land around them.

She continued to tap her finger on the pack of cigarettes on her thigh, her eyes skipping around their camp area on the highway for a few minutes. Silently listening to him breathe, girlish insecurities starting to take root in her mind. Girlish insecurities that she was fucking pissed off to be worrying about. Just when she was about to open her mouth and yell at the silent son of a bitch she heard him move.

Her eyes widened as she stared at the ground below, listening as he approached on her left. He sighed, and then crouched down beside her. She could feel his gaze on the side of her face, and then on her hands where they continued tapping their slightly annoyed rhythm on that pack of cigarettes. Her eyes slipped sideways just a bit to watch him chew a bit on his thumbnail.

The bastard must have felt her gaze on him because instantly scrunched his face and tore his thumbnail from his mouth. His hand reached out at that point, his fingers grazing over the back of her hand and settling for just a minute. Settling her frantic drumming, with the slight movement of his thumb over her knuckles. Then he was stealing her pack of smokes and pulling two out before tucking the pack away into his own back pocket.

He settled his one knee to the ground near her, not sitting like would have in the past, but maintaining position facing her. His body level with hers, not inches below settled on the ground. She watched him light the cigarettes and then hold both smoldering butts between his fingers as he just stared at them.

"Shit ain't sittin' well," Daryl said finally. The statement earning a raised brow from Callie as she turned in the lawn chair and ended up bumping her knee into his still raised one. He was still looking at the cigarettes, avoiding eye contact with her. "Just ain't sittin' well."

"What -"

"I thought it was you," Daryl said his eyes finally, angrily lifting to hers. She stared confusedly at him and he shook his head and snarled. "When that Walker fell out the back of the Hummer." He held her gaze and she blinked as she realized what he was saying. "I thought it was you." He shook his head and shoved one of the cigarettes at her before taking a long drag off of his own.

The ridiculous sight of a man on one knee beside her lifting a cigarette to her face with a scowl on his had her cracking a grin as she took it. Shaking her head she took a drag, and watched the camp below as she waited for him to continue.

"I damn near crashed the fuckin' bike right into Rick in that stupid Station Wagon when I caught the body fall out the back in my mirrors." Daryl was shaking his head now, the back of his wrist rubbing hard at the space between his eyes. Callie bit at her bottom lip as she watched him, her own cigarette held loosely in her fingers. Finally he looked up and caught her eyes with his piercing blue ones. "I thought it was you."

"It wasn't," Callie said quietly, her brows raising a bit as she tried to understand what he was trying to say. Her brow narrowed a bit when he let out a gruff sigh and stood up. He tossed his half finished cigarette over the edge of the roof and raked both hands angrily through his hair.

"Think I don't fuckin' know that?" Daryl gruffly replied, and Callie's mouth opened and closed a few times in response but nothing came out. "I know that. Now. But then, when I saw it—" he cut himself off an snarled as he turned his back on her. "I froze. Felt like I took a fuckin' gut shot. Like when we found Merle's hand on that roof." Callie's lips firmed to a straight line as she watched him pace away from her. "I mean, fuck," he continued tossing a hand into the air. "Ain't like you're the most careful person 'round. You get into more trouble, give me more grief-" he stopped again and shook his head. "Figure that feelin' shoulda gone away by now, but," he practically whispered into the night, his eyes angling over his shoulder towards her. "Shit still ain't sittin' right."

Callie held his gaze for a few more seconds before he turned away and shook his head at the area behind her. Her lips firmed to a line and she took one final drag off of her cigarette before flicking it out at the street below. She watched the few people milling about below near the small fire still going in the bucket. She caught Rick's gaze and he inclined his head at her. At least she finally understood what had been going on. Placing her hands to her knees she pushed up to her feet and turned towards the still angered man.

"I'm not sure what to say here, Daryl." Callie walked up to him, watching his shoulders tense as she approached. He didn't turn to face her, and she was actually a bit grateful for that. She stared at his back for a moment before placing her fingertips tentatively to the back of his shoulders. There really wasn't anything she could say.

Daryl stiffened, and pulled just a bit away. But as her hands spread slowly over his tight muscles she felt him relaxing just a bit. By the time her palms flattened against his back, his head was rolling to the side, a gruff sigh escaping his lips. Callie slid her hand lower on his back and then under his arms and around to his front. Taking one step she pressed her front into his now relaxed back and put her ear to the space between his shoulders. Her hands settled one atop the other over his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart for a moment before her fingers curled a bit into the fabric of his shirt. She felt his body lift and fall three times in deep relaxing breaths and smiled against his back, breathing him in.

Daryl lifted one hand, and wrapped it around her left wrist and just held it there. His head tipped down and when he spoke again it was so softly she strained to hear it over the sound of his heart beating in her ear.

"Ain't used to this shit," Daryl said, his thumb rubbing circles at the inside of her wrist. "Don't know how-" he shook his head and his grip tightened just a bit. "Ain't used to it."

"It's okay," Callie said lifting her head. Still holding on to her wrist he pulled her hands away and turned so that he was facing her. "You don't have to be. I don't expect you to-"

"Gotta stop doin' that shit," Daryl said angrily as he pulled her closer, his lips just a breath away. She smiled against his. "Gonna put a fuckin' leash on ya."

"It's not like I start the day going 'Gee, what kind of trouble can I get into today'," Callie said pulling back and narrowing a humored brow at him.

"Ya sure? Cause it sure fuckin' seems like ya do." Daryl shot back. His hand fell from her wrist and Callie shook her head as she turned away. "Swear, you're worse than them fuckin' kids."

"Jackass," Callie grumbled tossing her middle finger up at him over her shoulder. She walked back to her seat and plopped down, listening as the grumbling redneck followed. She ignored him as he settled into his spot beside her, and shook her head when he laughingly pulled her cigarettes back out and lit up two more. She snatched the one he offered to her with a growl that apparently caused him a bit of delight.

Her eyes slipped back towards camp, and they settled into a slightly uncomfortable silence. There were a lot of things left unsaid in the air between them. A lot of things that neither of them really wanted to have to worry about. A lot of things. Callie's eyes slipped to where Glenn was rubbing at the back of his neck talking with a worried looking Dale.

"Danny get settled again?" Callie asked quietly to the man smoking silently beside her. He didn't look up, or say anything, just grunted an affirmative. She nodded her head and took a drag from her cigarette. "Is he alright?"

"Like I told Rick," Daryl grumbled. "You're so fuckin' concerned, maybe you should go ask him your damn self."

Callie's gaze slipped to the man staring at the highway beside her. The cigarette held tight between his firmed lips and eyes fixed to a point well out from the people below. She nodded her head and began tapping her fingers on her leg as it bounced a bit in agitation. Beside her Daryl let out a gruff sigh and then she felt his hand wrap around her ankle, stilling her leg's movement. Her eyes slipped down and she saw him staring at the marks from the Walker staining her pants, barely visible to her in the low moonlight, but apparently standing out like a neon sign to the man next to her.

Daryl moved his hand slowly up and down the back of her calf, and shook his head before lifting his hand. He rested both of his arms on his upraised knees and took a long drag of his cigarette. More things left unsaid.

More shit to settle in an uncomfortable lump in the pit of both of their stomachs.

_Today is my birthday _

_And I get one every year_

_And some day…_

_Hard to believe_

_But I'll be buried six feet underground_

_I'll be dead and gone, no longer around._

_I'll be buried six feet underground_

_~Six Feet Under/ No Doubt_

_AN: A strange chapter, but to me a necessary one (at least in my opinion). I wanted to have the moment between Callie/Daryl and it just wouldn't fit in another chapter. I also needed to have Miles' birthday put in… and figured a good old vignette would work. _

_We're hitting the highway we know and love next chapter, so get yourself ready people. _

_Piratejessieswaby: OMFG NOOOOOO! Well… maybe…. Just not yet. _

_LadyLecter47: Happy Birthday to you to *gives you cake as well* Glad you're on Danny's side. I promise there is a method to the madness people. _

_Emberka-2012: Yeah, Daryl is definitely stubborn. Did we really expect anything less? Thanks for the review!_

_Honeyconcha: Thanks for the awesome review and the birthday wishes. Yeah, Danny's going through some shit right now. And honestly I couldn't not put it in there. You're right, the man's an addict, and as it goes… once an addict always an addict. There's bound to be some temptation there, I just hope I'm doing the truth of it justice as I write it. You're right I was trying to build up the apprehension without being too obvious, glad you picked up on it. And yep, we're hitting the highway… buckle up!_

_AlabastR: You know what…I'll bet you're right. And I'll bet Danny knew that he would be…which is why I'm betting Danny brought it up. Just saying… Fic adrenaline junkie…be prepared honey. We're on the muthafuckinhighway! And the bromance moment as you put it, glad you liked it. _

_Saithryn: Thanks for taking the time to review. I'm glad you're enjoying everything that I'm doing. Rick and Daryl's relationship here is a bit of a departure from how it is in the series, honestly I think I've moved them into where they are (or may be) in Season 3. But for me it fits what I'm trying to do with the characters. I'm glad it seems like it's in character and not OOC. As for Danny *points finger at nose* hmmm… you may be right on what you're feeling, but you'll find out soon enough. Thanks for the review!_

_Rednecks 'n Angels: Well, shit, thanks! I love that I have been able to really bring forth the sense of fear on such a tangible level that it had you actually twitching. The empty bottle… I was proud of that moment too. Thanks as always for all your awesome reviews._

_GrimmSapphire: Thanks for the review as always, buddy. As for Jenna/Miles.. I can't kill them off….can I? Hmm..._

_TwilightEclps: Sophia? Live? Hmmm… NO SPOILERS FOR YOU! Thanks for the review!_

_Margo0121: Thank you for the awesome review. I will be sure to try and not disappoint you! _

_AngieInWonderland: Danny's giving a lot of people out there in fic-reading-land a bit of grief right now. I promise all of you that the grief will be resolved in the next couple chapters… at least some of it. Don't worry about him too much, he's stronger than you think. After all, Daryl did say he had to give him credit, right? And yeah, the Ben moment was horrible.. and it really was a turning point for Danny (you'll see what I mean) I'm gonna stop talking about it, cause everyone's worries are making it that I want to give away the secret. Lori's apology was as you say, more for Lori than for Callie. To me, Lori's world at this point revolves around Lori and no one else… but I'm hoping for a change for her, *crosses fingers*. Rick's defensiveness was pretty easy to write. He and Callie have become close, and in another world…it may have been more than friendship spurred between them, but yeah. He feels close to her, and Daryl, finding comfort in their support as Shane pulls away from him more and more. So yeah, fuck yeah, he's gonna defend both of them. And yay! JENNA! So proud of her. Glad you're enjoying Season 2… which seems like it's gonna be a bit longer than Season 1 huh? Seeing as we're how far and I haven't hit actual S2 plot lines yet. Jeeze._

_VaughnZomby: Keep the Danny love alive ! Glad you're loving everything I'm throwing, cause baby I'm just getting started. Keep reading!_

_See y'all on the highway!_


	12. Tomorrow Is A Long Time

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_Howdy peeps! So we've made it to the highway. There's A LOT of jumping around in here, so be prepared. And honestly….surprisingly… a lot of dialogue. _

_As always, read, review and most of all enjoy!_

_~SWW_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Chapter 8: Tomorrow Is A Long Time**

"Two days," Dale said from his position at the front of the RV. "It lasted longer than we figured it would." Dale sighed and ran his hand over his bald head as he watched the boy in front of him.

Miles leaned back out of the front grill of the RV and looked over at Dale nodding idly. Lifting his broken left hand he gingerly removed Jim's old ball cap from his head, he used the cast to wipe away the sweat at his brow before raking his other hand through his grown out hair.

"So," Danny said from his position leaning against the passenger side door of the car closest to them. "You're sayin' that even if we did move all these fuckin' cars," he shifted on his good leg and gripped his crutch closer to his left side. Letting out a low sigh at the rush of pain he closed his eyes and rubbed at his temple. "We still wouldn't be going anywhere."

"Not unless we can find a hose," Miles said angling his eyes to the sound of Daryl's as he parked his bike not far off. "Duct tape ain't gettin' us where we need to go." Replacing his hat on his head, Miles slipped his eyes to quickly to Dale gaining a bit of a nod from the older man before looking to Danny. Placing both of his hands on his hips, Miles adjusted his looser fitting jeans and idly adjusted the gun that was settled at the small of his back.

"How's it look?" Dale asked reaching down and handing Daryl a bottle of water from beside his feet. Daryl snatched the water and took a long swig before inclining his head in a bit of a 'thank you' to the older man.

"Jammed," Daryl said simply letting his squinted gaze cover the length of highway.

"I could have told you that," Glenn said as he lowered his binoculars and looked down at the group from his position on the RV's roof. Daryl sent a scathing glare up at him and he widened his eyes. "But it's good to have it confirmed."

"Whatever," Daryl said scratching at the sweat trailing down the back of his neck he shook his head. Daryl knew that Glenn had an eagle-eye view of the highway, and that he didn't really need to scout ahead. But he'd wanted to. Wanted to get away for a bit. Especially after he'd seen Danny and Callie havin' themselves along awaited pow-wow in that back room of the RV. The look that woman had sent over to him, shit, he still hadn't been able to figure out what it was all about.

And Danny, well the look on his face hadn't really helped at all either. Speaking of…Daryl shifted his gaze to the injured man squinting in the sun. "What you doin' up?"

"Ben threw up," Danny said making face as he caught Daryl's eye. "Again." Daryl snarled a bit and let his gaze slip to the RV and then back to the grimacing face of Danny. "That was always the one thing I never was good at handlin'. Leslie always took care of—" he cut himself off and ran his hand down his face. Shaking his head he lifted a grin to the now quiet men around him. "Figured Callie would fuckin' kill me if I threw up on her too."

"Hell yeah she woulda," Miles said laughing a bit and rolling his shoulders before leaning his head up to look at the sun in the sky. Danny shook his head, his gaze caught by the redneck still quietly staring at him. No doubt Daryl was wondering what he and Callie had been talking about this morning when he walked in. And Danny felt kind of bad for not being able to tell him. Painfully he shifted a bit and began slowly walking his way down the length of the car he was leaning on. "Hey, where you goin'?" Miles moved to go after his friend and Daryl moved out of the kid's way watching interestedly as Danny slowly walked away.

"Where's Rick?" Daryl asked taking another long pull off of the water bottle, dragging his gaze away from the slow moving duo.

"Over there," Dale said stepping up beside Daryl as he pointed idly with his hand towards the grassy clearing on the other side of the highway. Daryl skipped his gaze to Dale beside him, the older man's eyes seeming to bore a hole into the crouched form of Rick as he spoke quietly into the walkie in his hand.

"Determined son of a bitch," Daryl said cracking his neck as he ran the back of his hand over his brow.

"I think that a very astute observation, Daryl." Dale said with a smile. Daryl narrowed his brow at the man beside him, and Dale let out a small laugh. "You're right."

"I know what you fuckin' meant, old man." Daryl shot back, his eyes skipping around the highway. Most of the group was just milling about between the station wagon and Shane's Jeep, waiting for a decision to be made about what the fuck they were gonna do now. Slipping his eyes back to Rick, he watched the man stand up and put his hands to his hips as he just stared down the highway.

"He wanted to talk to you," Dale said, causing Daryl to slip his squinted gaze again to the man beside him.

"The fuck he wanna talk to me about?" Daryl snapped back. "When I left he was heading over to talk with Shane. They ain't figured this shit out yet?"

"I believe he's looking for a second opinion." Dale said as he smiled a bit and shouldered his rifle before slapping a friendly hand to Daryl's shoulder. When he felt the redneck stiffen and move away slightly at the contact, Dale removed his hand and grabbed his hat from where he'd hooked it on his rifle barrel. Daryl lifted his thumb to his mouth and began chewing at the cuticle. "I'm gonna head up top and keep watch. It looks like we're going to be here a bit longer than we anticipated."

Daryl grunted in return and watched Dale head towards the ladder. He watched the older man pull himself up to the roof where his fucking ridiculous umbrella and Glenn were waiting for him. Finally Daryl let finished off the lukewarm water in the bottle and set it back on the ground. He shifted his eyes around the group again as he slowly began to walk towards where Rick was apparently fuckin' waitin' for him.

His eyes caught on Shane, standing a bit away from the group. His back was turned, but Daryl could tell that he was standing there half-listening as Carl chatted away beside him. In the next moment, Daryl watched Shane turn, his eyes slipping over the cars that separated them and locking with his intent gaze. Daryl rubbed angrily at the back of his head as he averted his gaze back to the man waiting in the distance. He rubbed at the feel of Shane's glare on his neck and he rubbed at the very uncomfortable feel of being put into the middle of something he wanted to have nothing to do with.

"Fuckin' idiots," Daryl growled as he continued walking, his fingers pulling at the strap of his crossbow across his chest as it made his shirt stick to his skin. He didn't say anything when he came to a stop not far from Rick. He simply settled his ass along the car closest to the grassy area, crossed his arms over his chest and waited for the man to come to him.

* * *

Callie settled the cool cloth on Ben's forehead and ran her fingers idly through the sweaty hair. His eyes fluttered shut and he curled himself into a small ball on his side, slowly falling back to sleep. Lifting her hand she put the back of it to her mouth and shook her head.

"He'll be okay," Carol's voice sounded and Callie turned to find the woman standing in the doorway to the back room. Carol smiled just a bit and Callie let her hand fall to her knees and returned the smile.

"I know," Callie said nodding her head and shifting her eyes to the now sleeping boy. She rubbed her hand on his back and took in a deep breath. "It's not the first time he's gotten sick like this." She ran her hand over her head and blinked a few times. "After we first picked him up…after his parents—" she looked up at the other woman and they again shared a sad smile.

"Well," Carol said holding out a hand. "Then you know I'm right. C'mon, let's get you a bit of air. You've been in here a while."

"Yeah," Callie pushed up to her feet, and grabbed her gun from the stand between the two beds. She moved to put the weapon in its usual place at the front of her jeans and stopped. Grimacing again at the sight of her clothes she tucked the gun in at the small of her back and started walking towards Carol. "May wanna stay clear, Carol. I'm not smellin' real nice right now." Callie looked down at her vomit stained shirt and pants. "Suppose that's what I get for letting him rest his head on me huh?"

"No worries," Carol said with a smile as she let Callie out into the small living space beyond the back room. "I've been there before. We all have." Callie smiled at the woman now walking a bit behind her. "My momma always said that, that," Carol put a hand to Callie's shoulder and looked down at her completely disgusting shirt and pants. "Was a mother's badge of honor. Wear it proud, honey."

"Don't take this the wrong way, Carol," Callie said with a grimace as she pulled at her still slightly damp shirt. "But right now all I want to do is take off my badge of honor and burn it."

"Oh no offense taken," Carol said with a smile as she looked to Andrea sitting at the table fiddling with her gun.

"God that's disgusting," Andrea said furrowing her brow as Callie slipped past. Callie nodded her head and put a hand to the blonde's shoulder. "Let me know if you need a clean shirt," Andrea said. "Your 'badges of honor' have to be taking a toll on what's left of your wardrobe."

"I will, thanks," Callie said giving her shoulder a squeeze. Carol squeezed behind her and made her way to the doorway and Callie shifted her gaze from Andrea's dismantled gun to the back room. "Do you think you could keep an eye on him?"

"You know you don't have to ask, Callie." Andrea said shortly, her tone flippant as she worked to try and put together the gun that Shane had dismantled as a test earlier. Gracie sat along the bench seat across from the blonde woman, watching interestedly as Andrea worked with the pieces of the gun. Andrea's slightly annoyed eyes slipped up to Callie's and she raised a blonde brow in a perfect arch. "You know I will." Callie smiled and turned away. "But I am not looking to gain myself a badge of honor."

"He should be fine. Just needed to get it all out," Callie said once again grimacing at her shirt and pants. She smiled down at Gracie when the little girl gave her a look that said plain and simple, 'icky'.

"Two days of getting it all out," Andrea said with a grimace of her own. "For his sake and ours, I hope he's done."

"There's some water back there for him. And some fresh clothes if he wakes up." Callie smiled as Andrea turned back to the task of putting her gun back together. The blonde woman was waving an aggravated hand at her over her shoulder and Callie couldn't help but smile. "Thanks, Andrea."

"Go," Andrea said settling hand back to the parts on the table. "You smell horrible," She snuck a small smile over her shoulder and Callie waved her own hand in return.

With one last look at the blonde woman, and the boy she could barely see in the back room, Callie descended the small stairs out into the blasting heat. Her eyes squinted in harsh light of the day, and she again picked at the sticky fabric plastered to her abdomen.

"Oh God," Danny's voice hit her ears, and Callie raised a hand to shield her eyes from the sun as she looked to front of the RV. "That's disgusting."

"This is not the first time you have seen me like this," Callie shot back watching as Danny leaned heavily on Miles as they made their way towards her.

"It's different when it's your own, Cal." Danny said grimacing and mock gagging at the sight of her. He closed his eyes and shook his head as Miles shifted an incredulous look between the two of them.

"You've puked on her before?" Miles said with a disgusted look. Callie met his look with a wide-eyed nod and Miles shifted that disgusted look back to Danny.

"I've done a great many things to that woman that I am not proud of," Danny said stonily, causing Callie's eyes to slip back to him. "Barfin' on her is at the bottom of my list."

"But you did," Miles said angling his gaze to the slowly descending Glenn. "Dude, did you hear that? Danny's puked on Callie before." Miles shifted Danny so that Glenn could touch down on the ground.

"Better her than me," Glenn said, sending his own disgusted look over Callie's attire. She jutted her hip and raised a brow at him and he lifted his hands in mock surrender."What? If the tables were turned you'd be saying the same thing."

"Okay," Callie threw her hands into the air. "I'm gonna go get cleaned up so that I can apparently hold a conversation with someone that doesn't include vomit."

"Good plan," Danny said as he winced and nearly fell. Glenn shot a hand out and helped Miles steady him. Danny's eyes travelled between Glenn, Callie and Miles and then he started moving towards the door. "I think it's time to lay down again."

"Good plan," Callie said watching as Danny unlinked himself from Miles and Glenn and worked his way slowly and painfully into the RV. She heard Andrea's muffled 'Jesus Christ, ask for help' and shook her head as Miles lifted his brows at her.

"C'mon Glenn," Miles said with a laugh as he put a hand to the other man's shoulder. "You can help me look for something that's gonna get this fuckin' behemoth up and running again." Glenn rolled his eyes and followed along behind Miles into the mass of cars surrounding them on the long stretch of highway.

Callie watched them for a second before, turning and heading to the end of the line where the Hummer was parked. It was strange still, the sight of Shane's Jeep in front of the hulking orange vehicle, and not Daryl's familiar blue truck. Her eyes caught onto Lori's slight frown as she passed and Callie sent her a smile. Another mother acknowledging her apparent 'badge of fucking honor'.

Shaking her head as T-Dog gave a loud 'Damn woman' as she passed, she tore her shirt over her head and begrudgingly made her way behind the Hummer. Looking for just that little bit of privacy she could get while she changed out of her clothes. Grabbing for the tailgate she lifted it open and let her disgusting t-shirt fall to the ground beside her. Removing her gun from the place at the small of her back and setting inside the back of the Hummer, her fingers moved quickly to the button on her jeans. She toed off her old well-worn pair of running shoes as she shimmied the damp fabric down her hips, letting it fall in a heap at her feet. Kicking the jeans to the side with her shirt she reached in and grabbed her newly returned lucky pair of jeans.

A smile worked its way slowly on to her lips as she bent down and stepped into the 'as clean as they were gonna get' jeans. By the time she got the jeans worked all the way up, the feel of the heated stare on her back was all most too much to take. Buttoning and zipping her jeans she put both hands to the tailgate and smiled.

"You gonna just sit there, or you got something you need to say?" Callie said with a smile. She turned and her smile widened just a bit at the smirk on Daryl's face as he just sat with backside settled on the side of a car off a bit to the side of the Hummer.

"Man can't just sit and enjoy the show in peace?" Daryl said crossing his arms over his chest and raising a single brow to her. She shook her head and crossed her own arms over her chest, earning a sarcastic chuckle from the man.

"Not you," Callie said back feeling his eyes slide over her semi-nude torso. "Man like you usually has something on his mind when he seeks someone out."

"Oh I got lots of things on my mind now, darlin'," Daryl said as he pushed off of the car and let his arms fall from their crossed position at his chest. Callie nodded as he walked closer and laughed when he lifted his hands put them to her wrists. He slowly uncrossed her arms and ran his eyes over her body, letting his thumbs rub idly at the scars at her wrists.

"Things still sittin' wrong?" Callie asked quietly as he leaned in towards her. Her eyes lowered so that she was looking at him through the thick veil of her lashes.

"Yeah," Daryl said with a snarling smile and a shake of his head. "But I'm starting to get used to it now." Callie chuckled and he cut off the sound by finally closing the distance and kissing her. It was a slow nipping kind of kiss, one that she would have called fucking playful if it had been coming from anyone else. But since it was Daryl, she'd have to just call it different. Different than all the others. A mark of a change in their little 'not a one night stand' relationship.

"How's little man?" Daryl asked against her lips.

"Better," Callie said on a sigh as he left her lips and began nipping a line of little kisses down behind her ear and over the column of her throat. Her head tilted back and she shivered a bit when he hummed against her skin.

"S'good," Daryl said in a distracted tone, his hands now settling at her hips as he pushed himself a bit further into her. Callie slipped up so that she was sitting on the tailgate and let him settle fully between her legs. She was desperately trying to keep some semblance of her sanity while his lips, tongue, and oh God his teeth, worked at the hot skin of her neck. "S'real good."

"Uh huh," Callie said idly letting her hands slide up and tangle in the slightly longer hairs near the back of his neck. Her feet had lifted to hook behind his thighs pulling him just a bit closer. "So, that all you wanted?"

"Was," Daryl said as he worked his way back up to her mouth. "Now I'm wonderin' when we're gonna be gettin' us another uninterrupted moment."

"Seem to be having one right now," Callie said a bit breathlessly as he kissed her again, his feet bringing him a single step closer so that his hardened manhood was pressing into her in just that right way. "Which probably isn't the smartest thing."

"Nope," Daryl said as he again trailed his lips down her throat. Daryl continued to nip at a slow leisurely pace, until he was back at her lips. And the playful kiss slipped right back into the usual heated exchange that was had started to bring Callie's blood to a low simmering boil of anticipation.

If not for the very distinct clearing of a throat to her left, Callie would have gladly let Daryl continue to unbutton her jeans and take her right then and there. As it were, his lips were stilling on hers, and his fingers gave up on the button and simply curled into the loose waistband.

"I'm gonna bet that's not Glenn," Callie said as she felt Daryl shaking his head while pulling away. His hands left her body and she met his slightly annoyed yet still humored gaze. "Boy don't really strike me as the death-wish type."

"I'm sorry," Rick's slightly mollifying tone had both Callie and Daryl turning towards the man. Rick rubbed at the back of his head and shifted his laughing gaze between the two of them before settling it on the ground for a moment.

Daryl raked both of his hand through his hair and growled just a bit, as he watched Callie barely clad chest rise and fall as she tried to steady her nerves. Her fingers ghosted up his arm and then landed in her own hair, raking back a few of the curling strands. Her eyes stayed on his as she let a slow smile lift her lips.

"I need a word," Rick said letting his eyes slip back up to the couple. Daryl was still settled well between Callie's jean-clad legs, and Rick was reminded of the discomfort of the situation when Daryl's gaze finally settled on him. He gave a sheepish smile and let his hand fall from the back of his head waiting.

"Well, go on," Callie said tapping her hand on Daryl's chest with a smile. Daryl raised a brow and stepped back but didn't move. Callie slipped her eyes to Rick who furrowed his brow a bit and straightened up.

"I actually needed you, Callie." Rick said with a smile, before letting his gaze slip from her again. Callie was left to look over at Daryl with a raised brow.

"Already had us a pow-wow," Daryl said sarcastically in return to her unanswered question. He waved a hand around in the air and Callie rolled her eyes back to Rick.

"Well, that's honestly a bit more unsettling," Callie said earning a strange humored look from Rick. He lifted both brows at her and she shook her head.

"Daryl," Rick said as Callie slipped off the tailgate. "T-Dog's heading back here to start siphoning some gas from a few of these larger vehicles. Think you can help him out?"

"Whatever," Daryl said yet again running his hand through his hair as he slipped his gaze to Callie. She was looking at him again, and he scrunched his face at the look in her eyes.

"Just let me grab a shirt and I'll be right there," Callie said over her shoulder to Rick. Rick nodded and stepped back a step before turning and walking a few paces ahead. Callie shifted her attention back to Daryl watching him turn just a bit away from her. Slipping her new shirt into place she settled her gun into place at the front of her jeans and pulled her hair back into a messy knot. Settling her hands behind her head she dragged in a deep breath. "I took your advice," Callie called after him, causing him to stop from his retreat and look back at her. "Had a nice chat with Danny this morning."

Instantly, Daryl's hand lifted and he tapping his thumb on his bottom lip. The action surprising her, because she expected him to nibble it. He slipped his gaze between her and the ground before finally shaking his head and locking eyes with her.

"Saw that," Daryl said nodding his head. "You got something you wanna say to me 'bout it?"

"Thank you comes to mind," Callie said stepping forward and smirking at the utterly shocked expression on his face. "Sorry, might be a close second."

"Ya ain't mad," Daryl asked incredulously.

"At you? No." Callie crossed her arms over her chest and looked down at her bare feet. Turning from him she reached into the Hummer and tossed her boots to the ground. Daryl watched as she tied up her worn out combat boots and waited for her to continue. "At him, yeah. At myself. Most definitely. But you? Can't really say that's what I'm feelin' for ya at the moment, Dixon."

She looked up at him and was shocked to see the utter confusion marring his features. With a bit of a sad chuckle she grabbed her thigh knife and put it on. Closing the Hummer up she stepped over to him and he took a confused step back, before stopping himself.

"Honestly," Callie said letting her fingertips run over his bare forearm and up to his shoulder. "Why would I be mad at you?"

"Most would be," Daryl said quietly licking his lips idly as he stepped a bit closer to her. The sly little smile that cracked over her slightly kiss-swollen lips had him closing the distance again.

"I think we've pretty much established, I'm not like most people you know." Callie said quietly, loving the feel of his hand that had lifted to hers. His thumb was rubbing a sweet, and tantalizing circle on the back of her hand. Reminding her of moments before. "I should go see what Rick wants."

"Yeah," Daryl said, not releasing her hand just staring at her in that very distinct and straightforward manner of his. His eyes had become a bit hooded as well, and it if not for the sound of a bottle rolling loudly past them he probably would have leaned that inch in and kissed her.

Both Callie and Daryl turned to the left to see a sheepishly smiling T-Dog making his way through the cars with an empty gas can in each hand. At that point Daryl dropped Callie's hand and glared at the man.

"Ain't some fuckin' free show," Daryl yelled as he turned from her and waved a hand. "Keep on walkin', dumbfuck. I'm comin'." Daryl shot a glance over his shoulder at her and Callie shook her head before waving a hand and turning to where Rick was waiting near the front of the Hummer. She heard him mumble 'fuckin' nosy people' and 'get a moment of fuckin' privacy'.

Callie continued to shake her head as she walked around the back of the Hummer, and cracked a wider grin when she saw Rick lift his humored gaze up to hers.

"Sorry about that," Callie said waving a hand behind her in the general direction of the back of the Hummer. "Don't know what we were thinking."

"I do," Rick said pushing off of the front bumper of the Hummer and lifting a brow at her. She tilted her head and opened her mouth in a bit of awe at the man and he chuckled. "Can't really say I blame him."

"So you wanted to talk to me," Callie said pushing playfully at Rick's shoulder and directing them towards where the rest of the group was starting to wander through the cars. He laughed and raised his hands in the air as she continued to push at him.

"Yeah," Rick chuckled one last time and lifted his arm to put his hand to the small of her back. Callie slipped her gaze up to watch as the laughter in his eyes slid away once again replaced by worry and indecision. "Yeah, I did." He shifted his eyes to her, and upon seeing how close they still were to a few of the other he led her a bit further away. "I wanted to talk to you about our next move."

"Thought you and Shane were working that out earlier," Callie said narrowing her brow at the man beside her. Rick let out a sigh and put his hands to his slim hips, his head shaking back and forth.

"Shane and I have differing opinions," Rick said, rolling his eyes at Callie's 'NO not you two', look. He lifted a hand to wave off her chuckle and settled his backside against the closest car. Crossing his arms over his chest he looked at her, waiting for her to settle into place across from him.

"So you're working to gather people on your side?" Callie said crossing her arms over her chest and resting herself against the car directly across from him.

"No," Rick said immediately. "I'm working to see what everyone's opinion would be if-" he paused and firmed his lips to a line. "Shane's adamant about keeping going. Daryl scouted ahead, the road's blocked this way. We'd have to reroute, add a good bit of time to our already long trip." Callie nodded her head letting her eyes drift to the highway in front of them. She knew all of this already. "I know that you have your brother waiting for you at Fort Benning." Rick continued gaining her attention again. "Out of all of us, you've actually got something riding on getting there. So I wanted to see what your opinion on—" he stopped again and shook his head.

"Just spit it out Rick," Callie said with a smile.

"Winter's coming," Rick started, one hand lifting to rake through his hair. "There's a good bit of farmland on the map around here. Few miles back," he looked backwards at that point, but Callie kept her eyes on him. "I've been thinkin' it may not be too bad an idea to try and find us somewhere to hold up for the winter months. Gotta be a farm house back in there that would be big enough for all of us. Someplace to hunker down," he sighed and shifted his attention back to her, taking in the firm line of her lips and the slight narrowing of her brow as she now looked to her boots. "The idea of being on the road with no real shelter when the winter weather really moves in," he shook his head.

"Yeah," Callie said nodding as she stared at her shoes. "I agree." She said finally shocking Rick a bit. Callie lifted her eyes to him and smiled as she pushed off of the car and stepped closer to him. "I've been thinking about that myself. Ben being sick as he is," she shook her head and put a hand to his arm. "We travelled a long way up here, and it was hard going even with warm weather at our backs. I'm not really sure the kid's, or any of us would do well pushing at the level we have been in the colder weather."

"But your brother," Rick said eyeing her with a strange mix of appreciation and sadness.

"He's out there," Callie said simply, her eyes skipping down the flooded highway. "If he made it there, he's gonna be staying put. He'll be there when we get there." Rick felt her squeeze his arm and he let out a sigh of relief that he hadn't know he was holding in. Callie tapped at Rick's arm before squeezing again. "I'm with you, Rick. And I'm guessin' Daryl is too." Rick nodded and shifted his gaze back over the group. "What did Lori say?"

"I haven't asked her yet," Rick said, raising a brow. That sheepish fucking smile sliding back into place on his lips. Callie rolled her eyes and her entire head and lifted her hands in the air.

"Jesus, Rick, you gotta start talkin' to her." Callie smacked playfully at his shoulder and he flinched in mock pain. Watching her wave her hands in the air he smiled and nodded his head, scratching idly at the back of his neck as he shifted his gaze to where Lori, Carol, Jenna and Sophia were standing not far off. "Honestly. Talk to her. She has a fuckin' opinion too."

"I know, I just—"

"_Rick," _Dale's quiet voice sounded on the static-filled walkie at his hip and had Callie spinning back towards him. Her eyes went to the RV roof, while his slipped around them. He pulled the walkie just as Dale's voice sounded again an urgent whisper in the static. "_God, Rick! We've got a problem."_

* * *

Lori smiled a tightly at Carl's back as he followed Shane around the graveyard of cars. Her eyes skipped around her and she felt the grimace tugging at her lips as her eyes hit off of abandoned car after abandoned car. Some covered in gore, other's just sitting idly as if waiting for their owners to return from a quick trip up the road.

Her eyes continued to skim around her, and finally her gaze caught on Rick. He was walking with a smiling Callie, his hand resting in that oh-so-familiar way at the small of her back. Closer to her hip, and from this distance all she could really make out was the way that their bodies seemed so comfortable at that close position. Shaking her head she rolled her eyes at herself, knowing better than to think that about either Rick or Callie.

She knew, _knew_, that Callie had something going on with Daryl. A small smile snaked its way onto her lips and she rubbed the heel of her palm against her head. Shocking as that was to try and comprehend, she wasn't really surprised by it. The redneck and the bartender had been drawn to each other early on at the Quarry, pretty much everyone had seen that. It was just after knowing Daryl for those months before Callie and her crew had arrived, it was just a bit of a shock to see Daryl actually actively showing an interest in whatever was going on between him and Callie.

And yet, still, every time she saw Rick smiling at Callie. Or touching her in such a friendly manner, she couldn't help but feel just a twinge of -what was it? Jealousy? She bit at the inside of her cheek and watched as the two of them settled at a couple of cars not far away.

But what was she jealous of? The fact that Rick touched and laughed with Callie in a way he used to with her? Or the fact that he seemed to value the woman's opinion above hers when it came to making decisions? Or was it just the way he looked at her-

"It's kind of creepy," Jenna's voice broke into her thoughts and Lori turned to where the younger girl was standing and peering into a car near the grassy side of the highway. She turned to Sophia who made a face in return. Jenna stood up and shrugged. "We should probably start going through them, huh?"

Carol who was already lifting the slightly opened trunk in front of her slipped her gaze from the car to the girl. A simple nod of her head and she was squinting into the trunk. Lori slid her gaze around at the cars, watching in her periphery as Carol lifted a shirt from the bundle of clothes. The other woman placed the shirt under her chin, testing the fit against her body and caught Lori's gaze. Instantly Carol looked down, the shirt lowering and held tight between her fingers.

"I don't know if I'm comfortable with this," Lori said idly again catching Carol's now shameful look. She sighed and put a hand to the woman's shoulder. "It's just-" She looked to where Jenna and Sophia were now looking at them. "This is a graveyard."

"You can't think of it that way," Jenna said simply, her younger face showing a bit of awkwardness at speaking her mind to an elder. Lori sent her a bit of a smile as she raised her brow. "It's survival, Callie taught us early on—" the girl cut herself off and let out a bit of a sigh apparently catching the look that Lori tried to repress when she mentioned the other woman. "It's survival Lori. Think about it like that. These people," her hands went around the cars. "They aren't coming back. We've got a long way to travel to Fort Benning, and winter's coming. I don't know about you guys, but us," she flung a hand around to her and where Miles and Glenn were going through open hoods of cars not far off. "We didn't get to go home and grab winter gear. We were on the road, on vacation when this all happened. None of us have anything that's going to help us in the colder weather." She sighed and adjusted the straw hat that was helping to shield the sun from her eyes and save her pale skin from another sunburn. "It's survival, that's all."

Lori's lips firmed to a line and she nodded her head. Turning to Carol, still clutching the red shirt in her hands with a forlorn expression, she put a hand to the other woman's shoulder. Carol looked up and Lori smiled.

"She's right," Lori said quietly. "I'm sorry if I made you feel bad. You should take it." Lori settled in beside her and put her hands to the clothes in the trunk. "Let's see what else there is."

"C'mon, Sophia," Jenna said smiling at Lori when she sent her a nodding appreciative smile. She put a hand to the girl's shoulder and shook her just a bit. "You can help me out. I'm in charge of clothes." She gave a humored exaggerated roll of her eyes and then worked her way to the front of the car closest them.

Lori watched them go, her hands still on a few shirts that would probably fit any of the guys.

"She's had to grow up so fast," Carol said idly as she continued to pull shirts. "They all have. You forget that their kids when they put you in place like that."

Lori nodded and chuckled, her eyes lifting from the trunk to watch the girls as they started to lean into the car. Her eyes slipped over the group and caught on Rick holding his walkie to his mouth, and Callie waving her hands at Glenn and Miles not far off.

"Lori!" Dale's hushed whisper of a yell had her head spinning to where the older man was lowering his binoculars and waving at her. "Get down! Dear God get the kids down."

"What's going on?" Jenna's voice sounded and she looked frantically about as Rick and Callie shifted closer telling them to get under the car. "Callie." Her shocked eyes met the little girl's. "Where's Gracie!?"

* * *

Andrea's head lifted at the sound of the back room's door opening and then clicking shut again. Ben's face contorted a bit and he ran his hands over his tired eyes. The kid was clad in only his little pair of khaki shorts, his clean shirt held in his hand, bruises marring his shoulders fading a bit and his sandy blond hair shooting out in all directions.

For just one instant, she was startled with the thought that the kid looked exactly as she imagined a younger Daryl Dixon to have looked. A smile crept to her face as she set her still half-assembled gun on the table.

"I gotta pee," Ben said in a raspy sort of whisper that had her smiling sadly at him. He raised a brow at her and scratched at the back of his head, his lips twitching to the side and eyes averting when she just stared at him. She wished she had the boy's camera to capture the tiny Daryl-like idiosyncratic movements for Callie. The other woman would probably get a kick out of it.

"You need help?" Andrea asked with a raised brow?

"Nah," Ben said shifting on his feet. He looked at the little bathroom and then back to her. "Can I do it in here though?"

"Yeah, go ahead," Andrea said pushing to her feet. "I'll see if I can find where Dale stashed his mouthwash. I'm sure you wanna clean out your mouth a bit huh?" Ben smiled sadly and grimaced, but slowly nodded his head. Her eyes skipped back to the slightly ajar door behind him. "Danny sleeping?"

"Yeah," Ben said shifting his eyes behind him before opening the bathroom door. "He's snorin' and mumbling." Ben's mouth shifted and his nose scrunched and Andrea nodded her head and smiled. "Where's Gracie?"

"She went out with Callie and Carol earlier," Andrea said with a smile watching the little boy nod in apparent approval of her answer. The devotion the boy had to his little sister was adorable.

Andrea moved to the side cabinets as she listened to Ben slide his feet slowly on the floorboards. She knew there was a little bottle of mouthwash somewhere, she'd seen it before. Just as she pushed her hands into the cabinet and hit pay-dirt she heard Dale pounding on the roof of the RV. Her eyes skipped, confusion etching into her face.

"Andrea," Dale's muffled voice filtered down. "God Andrea! Walkers!"

* * *

"Oh God," Callie's voice was a harsh whisper as she turned wide eyes to Jenna. Both of them started walking at a fast pace eyes wide. A hand wrapped around her wrist and she spun to find Rick grimacing at her.

"She was in the RV," Carol said slipping her gaze to the open door and then to Callie. "With Andrea."

"Callie," Rick's urgent voice caught her attention again and she felt him tugging on her. His eyes slipped behind him at the apparent approaching horde of Walkers. "There's no time." He shifted his eyes to the others spread out around him.

Shane had already pushed Carl under a car and was waving a frantic hand at Glenn and Miles to get down. Rick clenched his jaw and motioned for Lori and Carol to get down and pulled Callie with him.

"Everyone. Under the cars," Rick pulled Callie who was looking around wildly.

"Dale!" Callie called up to the older man still staring into the horizon. He looked down to her. "Daryl and T-Dog." Dale flipped around and began to frantically wave his hands in an effort to catch the attention of the two men further down the road.

Callie felt Rick tug on her arm again. He pulled her gun from the front of her waistband and tucked it at the small of her back before locking eyes with her. She nodded and knelt down to squeeze under the car.

Rick watched Callie disappear under the car and locked eyes with the two frightened girls staring at him.

"Get down," He said getting to his knees slowly and watching them do the same. Wide-eyed fear on both of their faces. Jenna's hat fell off, and she left it to roll slightly on the ground while she pulled Sophia with her. "It'll be okay. Just keep quiet and wait for my signal."

Jenna was nodding now, taking in deep breath after deep breath as she slid under the car and then pulled Sophia with her. Rick caught Lori's eyes as she ducked down, the stark fear on her face chilling his blood. He mouthed the words 'I love you' and she firmed her lips to a line before falling from his line of sight. A tug on his hand had him looking down and then falling to his stomach. He slid himself under the car with Callie, feeling her body shaking with a bit of fear.

"God Rick," Callie's quiet fear-filled voice echoed in his ears and he lifted his hand to hold on to hers. He squeezed it and pulled her a bit closer to his body.

"It'll be okay," Rick said feeling her press the side of her body into him as she tried to peak around to where Jenna and Sophia were laying at the next car over. "I promise. It'll be okay."

Callie bit on her lip and nodded her head just a bit. Staring across the road at the stark pale faces of the frightened Sophia and Jenna had her clenching tight to Rick's hand. Fear tingled over her spine as the reverberation of the steps of the approaching undead pounded against her body as she pressed to the asphalt. Callie watched Rick slide a finger over his lips at the girls near them, and watched Jenna's hand slip up over Sophia's mouth.

Thoughts that she was breathing just too loud ran rampant in her head as the first set of feet came into view over Rick's arms. Callie firmed her lips and pressed her mouth hard into Rick's shoulder. She felt him tense at the contact and then felt him squeeze her hand and pull her just a bit closer to his long body.

More feet came into view, the moans and groans of the dead echoing as they slowly staggered past. As Callie watched the slow shambling gait of them pass by, and felt herself push into Rick for comfort her mind was racing.

The door to the RV. They'd left it open.

* * *

Andrea's eyes went wide at the muffled words and instantly looked towards the bathroom where Ben was now poking his wide-eyed head. Her breath left her in strangled gasps as her eyes searched the interior of the RV.

When her eyes landed on the door to the RV, open wide and letting the sun and slight breeze filter into them, she inhaled sharply.

"Get back in there," Andrea seethed waving her arm wildly at the boy behind her. Ben's eyes were wide but he slipped easily back inside just as Andrea headed towards the door. She stuck her head out, catching sight of the horde as it began to shuffle through. Her hand darted out and she grabbed the handle and pulled if closed fast.

Her feet were moving so fast that she didn't even hear it click open again as she threw herself into the bathroom with the boy. Her eyes darted around the tiny bathroom looking for the little boy. When she found him in the small shower stall she let out a sigh of relief and grabbed for him.

"Where's everyone else?" Ben asked quietly as he shoved his face into Andrea's hip.

"I don't know sweetie," Andrea said running her hand over his head. "I'm sure their hiding. They'll be fine."

"What about Danny?" Ben asked quietly and Andrea's entire body clenched with fear. Her eyes went wide as she remembered the door to the backroom left slightly ajar when the boy had exited earlier. The smell of blood that still seemed to cling to the air of the interior. "Andrea, what about Danny?"

"He'll be-" Andrea's voice was cut off as the sound of the RV's door creaking slowly open caught her ears. A faint moan, and the rattle of breath through dead lungs reached her ears, echoing louder than should have been possible. In her arms she felt Ben stiffen, and his hands clench tight into her shirt as he rammed his head further into her. "Oh God."

"There's one in here," Ben said quietly, his voice quaking. "Andrea," he looked up at her.

"I know," she breathed in return, silently cursing herself for not grabbing a weapon of some kind. "Oh God."

"Andrea," Dale's voice echoed down and she looked up to see the old man staring at her through the slats in the vent overhead.

"There's a-"

"Here," he handed down a small knife to her through the slats. Practically jumping from where she'd shoved herself against the vanity she hopped up as far as she could putting her fingers to the hilt. Ben jumped forward and slammed the still open door shut before she could stop the boy. She pulled the knife down and reached forward, grabbing the little boy and pulling him to her side. She stared down at him shaking her head.

"We have to be -" Andrea's voice cracked on a silent squeak of fear as the door thudded. "Oh God." The door thudded again and Andrea pulled Ben close. The next thud had the door opening and a hand, a ghoulish dead hand curling around it. Half of a decaying head followed, jaws snapping wildly at the smell of apparent prey. Idly Andrea found herself hoping there was only one, even as the sounds of the moans outside told her that wasn't possible.

Bracing backside against the vanity behind her Andrea lifted both of her legs and pushed her feet hard against the door. Pushing it shut, vainly trying to stop Ben from screaming beside her. It shocked her when she realized that it wasn't just Ben yelling. It was her.

Heart hammering in her chest she pushed and pushed against the Walker trying to get into them. Her hands held tight to the knife, and she tried to lift her hands to pull it but found her legs losing the needed leverage.

"Fuck!" Andrea yelled as she pressed hard with her feet.

The Walker had an entire arm through the doorway now, it's foot wedged and keeping the door from shutting all the way. Andrea pressed hard with her feet, hearing the sickening sound of the bones of the Walker crunching against the weight she was applying. She felt Ben's fingers clawing at her hand with the knife and with a shaking head she let the boy have it. His small body wedged under her lifted legs and he started hacking wildly at the arm reaching blindly out towards them.

Black blood and gore dripped down from the wounds the boy was inflicting, and Andrea felt herself yelling again at the sight. A finger fell from the hand, followed by another chunk of skin from some unknown area.

The Walker pressed harder to the door, and as Andrea felt herself being pushed backwards and her feet losing purchase on the door she grabbed for Ben. She grabbed him hard around the middle and flung herself to the right falling into the small shower stall, clutching the boy tight to her.

She screamed as the door fell open, and watched the Walker begin to round on them.

Suddenly a guttural growl of a sound reverberated around the RV, and she watched as the Walker fell backwards. Sounds of a scuffle entered into the rush of blood pounding in her ears and her arms tightened on Ben. She listened intently to the very distinct sound of bones crunching and something squishing. What followed was a deafening silence that seemed to stretch on forever.

"Gonna have a long fuckin' talk about you kids leaving the fuckin' doors open," Danny's voice, his harsh breathing and the sounds of him struggling had Andrea letting out a long breath. Danny crawled into the bathroom, his breathing still coming out in harsh gasps as his eyes slid around the room.

When his worried gaze landed on her his body slumped into a sitting position in the doorjamb. She watched as his gaze slipped from hers to Carol's iron held tight in his hand. He glared at it for a minute before lifting that Goddamned hundred watt smile of his up to her.

Her eyes locked with his, so many emotions flying between them that the air itself felt heavy. She watched the pain wrack his body as he shifted around, and laughed just a bit when he finally let his hand fall from the gore-covered iron and he shook it out his hand as if it were burned. Just as she was about to open her mouth to say something to him Ben pulled on her shirt.

"Andrea," Ben's tiny scared voice had her looking down. He looked up at her and frowned. "I threw up again."

"It's okay, buddy." Danny said for her, as he ran his shaking hand over his face. "I did too."

The small moment of levity between them was drowned out by the sounds of screaming from outside.

* * *

"Hey," T-Dog's voice caught Daryl's attention from his spot a few cars over.

Angrily turning to the man he was still finding it hard to forgive. No matter how illogical he knew his distrust was, no matter how much the man had proven himself, no matter if he saved Callie's life or not. Learned habits were hard to break. Daryl rolled his eyes at himself and watched T-Dog incline his chin just a bit.

He was trying. Despite everything, he was fuckin' tryin'. God he could fuckin' hear Merle now…

"What?" Daryl snapped back, again rolling his eyes at himself as he moved slowly down the length of the car he was by. Heading towards the gas cap.

"You got you a shadow," T-Dog's voice rang out and Daryl raised a confused brow at the man. Again T-Dog inclined his chin, this time indicating a bit behind where Daryl was standing. Daryl's gaze shifted slowly behind him, and he found himself squinting in the sunlight.

Just when he was about to turn around and question what the fuck the other man was talkin' about, he spotted her. Tiny little brown head of curls bobbing around over the hood of the car that he was at the back of. He watched Gracie's head as she approached the side that he was on and shook his head when she lifted her tiny 'who me' grin up to him.

"Damnit," Daryl spat setting down his gas can. He angled a look back at the chuckling black man and flipped him off before starting towards the little girl. He close the distance between them and knelt down so that he was as close to eyelevel as he was gonna get to the little girl "You ain't supposed to be sneakin' round. You know that."

Gracie's little mouth moved to the side as she bit at the inside of her cheek, and then he watched in a slightly amused fashion as her little hand lifted and she began biting on the edge of her thumb. With a sigh he reached up a dirty hand, idly wiping it on his pant leg before touching it to the little girl's hand.

"What I say 'bout that, huh?" Daryl pulled just a bit on her hand and shifted his gaze trying to catch the silent little girl's. She lifted her eyes to meet his and he let out a sigh. "What you doin'—"

"Oh God," T-Dog's startled fear-stricken voice had Daryl gripping into Gracie's shoulders and pulling her wide-eyed little body close to his. Peering over the hood of the car that he was crouched down beside he saw a Walker staggering slowly past the other side.

"Shit," Daryl seethed on a breath as he ducked back down. Gracie's little body felt like a stiff heavy board as he tried to move her towards him a bit, and he found himself glaring into her eyes. "You keep right by me."

He heard T-Dog's scrambling steps not far off and shook his head at the noise the fucker was makin'. Shaking his head he stayed low and pulled Gracie behind him as he worked towards the back of the car. A stifled yell of pain had Daryl scrambling faster. He pushed Gracie into the car and stared hard into her wide eyes.

"Stay. Ya hear me. Stay." Daryl shook her just a little and the little girl's head bobbed twice. He pulled away reluctantly and pulled his knife out.

Keeping low he watched T-Dog one car over struggling with some kind of wound on his arm as he scrambled back from the Walker shambling after him. One quick glance to the side and Daryl was up, moving in a cat like crouched run towards the Walker.

No thought was involved when Daryl pounced up and rammed his knife to the hilt into the back of the Walker's head. The dead man fell in a heap to the ground and Daryl went with it, sliding his knife out slowly. He sent a scathing glare up to T-Dog who had his backside pressed to a car.

"Fuck," T-Dog pained voice had Daryl shaking his head as he began to get up.

"You bit?" Daryl said his eyes sliding to where Gracie was peeking over at them, fear written all over her face as she nibbled wildly at her thumb and clutched that gold fuckin' badge on her little sundress. Daryl looked back to see T-Dog holding his arm but shaking his head.

"Caught it on a piece of metal," T-Dog's head inclined towards a car and Daryl saw the piece of metal, blood glistening in the sun. Daryl nodded as he took a step towards the man.

"Let me see," Daryl reached out his free hand and looked up catching the other man's widening stare. "What?"

"Dale," T-Dog said and Daryl turned to see Dale wildly waving his arms around in the air. Daryl moved just a bit and was able to make out the oncoming horde in the distance.

"Motherfucker," Daryl said pushing at T-Dog behind him. He looked to the bleeding man, and then the little girl looking even more frail and terrified than before. "Son of a bitch," Daryl lifted the back of his hand still holding his knife to his mouth and took a few deep breaths, his eyes searching around him.

"Daryl," T-Dog's quiet voice reached his ears and looked to where the other man was indicating with the jut of his chin. Another Walker was heading right for them.

Inspiration, stupid fuckin' inspiration hit him like a fuckin' brick to the head, and he was moving.

"Get down," Daryl pushed at the bleeding man who was looking at him like a mad man. "Get on the fuckin' ground." He pushed again and T-Dog moved slightly watching in bewildered silence as Daryl grabbed the Walker he'd just killed and dragged it over towards him.

"Oh hell no," T-Dog said shaking his head. Daryl sent him a snarling smile and kept dragging the body.

"Shut up and man up, bitch." Daryl said pulling hard on the body as T-Dog shook his head and laid down by the side of the car he was near. "What Glenn say you told him? Think of dead puppies."

"Fuck you man," T-Dog seethed as Daryl laid the body of the Walker on top of him. Daryl slapped his hand against the body twice, nodding once to the man now hidden below it. T-Dog gave a snarling sort of grimace back and nodded, his eyes angling to Gracie still hiding by the trunk of the other car. "What about you two."

"I got us," Daryl said shifting his eyes. "Keep your fuckin' mouth shut."

Daryl stayed low and ducked around grabbing little Gracie and pulling her out with him. He picked her up and settled her on his hip, turning to just in time to face the second wandering Walker. Deft moves didn't even describe how easily he was able to smash his knife into the skull of the Walker and take it down. The feel of the little girl trembling silently in his arms as he settled them on the ground was enough to rattle even his own nerves.

He looked down at the girl who was looking up at him from his shoulder and clenched his teeth tight.

"You just keep your head on my shoulder, alright. You don't look. You just don't look." He pushed her head down so that her little wet blue eyes were hidden in the crook of his shoulder. His left hand lifted to hold her head tight down as he laid them both down on the ground and pulled the body of the other Walker up over them.

Daryl's eyes skipped to T-Dog's watching as the injured man stared hard back at him. Daryl lifted his eyes to the sky above. He'd never been a prayin' sort of man. But as he heard the sound of shuffling feet and the distinct moan of a good many fuckin' Walkers descending down upon them he let his lips move in two simple words.

Please God.

* * *

Rick watched from his position under the car as a few pairs of shuffling feet passed by where he and Callie were hiding. He felt her pressing her mouth hard into his shoulder, her hot breath searing into his skin through the fabric of his uniform shirt. He squeezed her hand again and then turned his head to look at her. She lifted her head and he pressed his mouth as close to her ear as he could.

"They're passing," his voice was the barest hint of a whisper and he felt head nod once. "They're thinning. Give it a few and then-"

A shuffling sound caught his attention and had him looking out to where Sophia and Jenna were hiding. Sophia was starting to shift, apparently thinking the coast was clear, her hand had just snuck out from beneath the car when she looked over at him.

Rick lifted his hand in a gesture telling her to wait, and the girl stopped. Her hand still out in the sun, eyes widely looking at him as she nodded her head. He let out a relieved sigh and let his hand fall back to the street beneath him. He watched her slowly retract her hand, and turned back to talk with Callie.

A groan, followed by a small shriek had him looking back. His eyes widened as he watched a Walker fall to its knees and grab at the two girls now shrieking and pushing back away. Sophia was pushing her body into Jenna who was scrambling out from under the car on the other side. Sophia followed and both girl's shrieked again as another Walker came shambling up from the trunk of the car.

"Oh God," Callie's voice was a harsh breath of horror as she squeezed close to him, pressing at him, pushing at him to move. "Rick, move."

Rick shook his head and scrambled against the push of Callie's hands on his back. He got to his feet and came up wide-eyes scanning the area. The girls were running from not two but five Walkers, heading straight towards the wooded area on the side of the highway.

He heard Callie's hard breathing as she got to her feet, and without a moment of hesitation she was running after the girls. She looked back at him, and in that instant he realized that his legs had frozen. Shaking it off, he spared one glance up to Dale who was looking in horrified silence down at them, before taking off after Callie into wooded area.

_If today was not a crooked highway,_

_If tonight I could finally stand tall_

_If tonight was not a crooked trail,_

_If tomorrow wasn't such a long time,_

_The lonesome would mean nothing to me at all._

_Yes and only if my own true love was waitin'_

_Yes and if I could only hear her heart a-softly poundin'_

_Only if she was lyin' by me,_

_Then I'd lie in my bed once again._

_I can't see my reflection in the waters,_

_I can't speak the sounds that know no pain,_

_I can't hear the echo of my footsteps,_

_I can't remember the sound of my own name._

_~Tomorrow Is A Long Time/ Bob Dylan_

_AN: OH NO! Okay, so I put a lot into this chapter, and I really hope it flowed as well as I wanted it to. I hate to leave y'all on a cliffhanger…but honestly by now, you know that's just the way I roll. I'm gonna try and keep the pace with the posting of the chapters….stay tuned._

_Oh, and due to length…I'll be putting the review responses in the next chapter._

_Much love, peeps!_


	13. The Sniper At The Gates Of Heaven

**New Meanings to Old Words: Love**

_Picking up pretty much right where we left off people! Not much else to say up here except: Buckle up, this is the start of a bumpy ride!_

_As always, read, review and most of all enjoy!_

_~SWW_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Chapter 9: The Sniper At The Gates Of Heaven**

_Where do you go when Heaven calls you_

_What do you do, who do you turn to_

_How old will you be when they finally catch you_

_Don't stop moving, they're right behind you_

_When there's no one left on this Earth you know_

_Who can save you kid, so just wake up, wake up, wake up._

Jenna's heart was pounding faster than she'd ever felt it before as she ran towards those woods. The world around her blurred, her vision nothing but a pinprick as she desperately worked to keep the slightly faster form of Sophia in sight.

Labored breath after labored breath echoed in her ears as her blood pounded between them. Her feet stumbled on the dry brush and sticks as they finally broke through the tree line and entered the forest. Once her eyes had adjusted to the shock of the dimness of the filtered light above them, Jenna dared one glance behind her.

"Oh God!" Jenna said, her voice a rasp above a whisper as scorching heat of every hard breath of air she took in ate at her throat. Wide-eyed she took in the sight of the two Walkers quickly closing the distance to where she was, and the third pushing through the tree line at a slightly slower pace. "Oh God." Turning forward Jenna's legs worked double time, moving faster than she'd ever thought possible as she tried to catch Sophia.

The girl was fast. Smaller. And faster. And frightened beyond all reaches of common sense. Jenna knew that if she didn't catch her, Sophia would run forever.

"Sophia!" Jenna called out. "Sophia! Wait!" A tree root caught her foot and sent Jenna sprawling on the forest floor. She felt rocks dig gouges into her palms and knees and winced when she worked to push back to her feet.

A hand wrapped around her ankle, and tugged her so hard that she found herself once again face first in the dirt. Her hands scraped and clawed at the underbrush, picking up leaves and sticks and throwing them away as she desperately searched for purchase in the soft dirt below her fingers. She flipped over at the next tug on her pants, and was met with the sickening sight of another Walker.

The remaining half of what had once been a man had a good grip on her. She worked in a half-assed sort of crab crawl to get away. Her eyes wide and her breathing coming in short painful gasps as she kicked out with her other foot. Oh, God, how she wished she'd found better shoes than these stupid Keds, shoes that didn't let her feel the impact of each and every kick she landed. She knew she was screaming, but the sound of it didn't register in her ears until she let her gaze slip up to those three Walkers that were still coming at their slow shambling pace.

"No!" Jenna screamed as the half a Walker at her ankle pulled a little harder. She could feel something digging into her backside as she struggled to move. With an unreal rush of euphoria and adrenaline she remembered what it was digging into her backside. Frantically Jenna lifted one arm and dug into her pocket, her hips rising as she continued to crush her soft-soled shoe into the snapping head of the Walker.

Just as her hand pulled the small switchblade that Callie had given her from her pocket, she felt something tugging wildly under her arms. With a shocked scream her eyes flew behind her to see Sophia pulling at her. The younger girl's eyes wide with fear, and her face stained with tears as she pulled and pulled. Jenna let out a long relieved breath and kicked once more, finally dislodging the Walker's hand from her ankle.

"Come on!" Sophia yelled as she pulled harder to get Jenna to her feet. The red-head was left scrambling up and both girls were backpedalling away from the half of a Walker still pawing and growling at them. Jenna pushed the small button on the knife that flipped up the six-inch blade and made a move towards the slow-moving half of a Walker. "No!" Sophia pulled on Jenna's arm and when Jenna looked back she found Sophia staring straight ahead. The three Walkers she had seen before were closing in and Jenna nodded her head. Sophia was right. There was no time.

"Run!" Jenna yelled, and this time she held tight to the younger girl's arm and practically dragged her at her side deeper into the brush.

Jenna's eyes bounced around the wooded area crazily, the sun barely filtering in through the dense leaves above their heads as they ran. Again the blood pounded through her head, and again she could barely make out anything but that rushing sound and the feel of her heart beating. Her hand stayed locked on Sophia's wrist, and she knew that her strong hold must have been hurting the smaller girl, but she didn't dare loosen it. She pushed and pushed through the painful panting breaths scorching through her dry throat, and the feel of rocks and sticks killing the bottoms of her feet as she and Sophia just headed further on into the woods.

Further away from the Walkers at their backs.

Further away from their friends and family and the safety of the highway.

It wasn't long before Jenna's eyes gave up the frantic search for any kind of marker that would help get them back to the highway, and she just ran. She gripped her knife, her only weapon, tight and tugged Sophia behind her. And just ran. Hoping and praying to just make it away from the Walkers on their trail.

She'd worry about getting them back after they made it out of this alive.

* * *

Callie's legs were pumping faster than she ever thought possible. Faster than she'd ever eaten up a trail when she ran every day long before the world had ended. Faster than when she'd run the Walker-filled streets of Atlanta with Felipe. Faster than she'd run in the lower bowels of hell at the CDC. One thought and one thought alone fueling her on.

I can't lose another one.

She didn't need to look behind her to know that Rick was hot on her heels. She could hear his steps, fuck she could hear his frantic breathing almost as loudly as the blood rushing in her head as he worked to match her furious pace.

They had broken through the tree line now, and both dove head on into the dimly lit forest area. Callie's feet stumbled a bit as the slight change in the terrain caught her slightly off guard. She re-adjusted her stride and felt her muscle memory kick in. Enough times running through forest trails over the years had her legs easily picking a path after a few seconds of running.

She heard Rick, only steps behind her, obviously having a bit more trouble finding his stride. Callie spared one look behind her, her eyes catching his. She watched as his eyes widened and his faltering stride smoothed as he ate up the distance between them in seconds. Callie was turning forward again, when she felt the familiar steel of Rick's arm wrap around her midsection and pull her back into his chest as her feet lifted from the ground.

Her breath left her in a rush as her eyes took in the half of a Walker clawing at her from the ground. Rick's arm tightened around her middle, pulling her to the side and further away from the clawing creature before them. Both of them were breathing hard, simply staring at the Walker before reality crashed back in.

With a fierce stomp of his foot and a grimace Rick smashed the remainder of the Walker's head. The resounding squish of the brain being destroyed had both of them letting out a breath of disgusted relief. Rick's struggled a bit to get his foot free, his arm still in a death lock around Callie's midsection. He continued to hold her even after he got his foot free, his eyes searching around them as she pulled at his arm for freedom.

"Let go," Callie said urgently her fingers snaking over his arm and pulling. "Rick. Let go. We have to-"

"Listen," Rick said pulling his arm just a bit tighter and shaking her a bit to get her to stop moving. Instantly Callie stilled, her eyes watching the side of his face as he searched the woods around them. Then she heard it. The very distinct sound of Jenna's very shrill scream. "This way," Rick's arm slid from around her and he was off and running, leaving Callie to follow behind him.

They ran for what seemed like hours, but was really only minutes, eating up the distance faster than either thought possible as they searched the woods around them. The sounds of the screams had stopped and Callie tried to tell herself that it was because the girls had gotten away. That they had made it to safety. When Rick's eyes slipped over his shoulder to her she knew he was trying hard to convince himself of the same thing.

They entered into a small clearing, the peaceful sound of a small creek rolling over rocks and the breeze filtering through the slightly less dense foliage above creating a scene of tranquility. Rick and Callie both froze, eyes wide and ears open to any sound.

"Sophia!" Callie yelled earning a grimacing look from Rick. He began making his way towards her and she shook off his hand as it wrapped around her wrist. "Jenna!" Again he grabbed for her, and again she pulled away, her eyes wide and angry as he tried to quiet her.

"The Walkers-"

"If they're attracted to us, then they aren't after the girls."Callie snapped at him once again violently trying to wrench her arm free. Rick held tight, and pulled her closer to him, his eyes boring holes into hers. "If they're after us, then—"

"I know," Rick said squeezing her wrist. "I get it." His eyes searched around the woods and he ran his free hand over his head, tangling his fingers into his hair. "We need Daryl."

"So go get him," Callie said flatly pulling her hand free and pushing Rick slightly away as she turned in a circle. "Jenna! Sophia!" Callie yelled again stepping slightly away from him, and his reaching hand. "Jenna! Sophia!" She heard Rick let out a sigh and heard his feet begin to move again.

"Jenna!" Rick's voice echoed louder through the clearing and Callie turned to watch as he began turning in a circle as well, his steps arcing away from her. "Sophia!" He turned and his eyes caught hers and she gave him a small smile of thanks.

"Jenn-" Callie's voice cut out and her head snapped up at the same time as Rick's.

"Callie!" Jenna's out of breath voice sounded from behind her. Callie turned and watched the girl run into view, her eyes wide with fear but looking otherwise unharmed. "Callie!" The girl ran up and threw herself into Callie's open arms and buried her face into the woman's chest, a rush of breath leaving her as Callie wrapped her arms tight around her shaking form.

"Where's Sophia?" Rick asked the moment of relief washing away in an instant upon only seeing the one girl.

"Up," Jenna said smiling at Rick and then Callie. Callie put her hand to the back of the girl's head and pulled her forward to plant a small kiss to her forehead. "She's a bit further back that way, up in a tree. I got her up there," Jenna took a deep breath as Callie let her go and the girl worked to catch her breath and steady her nerves. Callie rubbed at her arms, and nodded her head letting her gaze slip behind her to where Rick was studying the woods. Jenna was staring at her hand, and Callie was proud to see the small switchblade she'd given the girl months ago held tight in her right hand. Jenna looked up and smiled as she put the blade back down and slipped the knife into her pocket. "I got her up there, and then led them off." Her gaze slipped to Rick's as she took another deep breath in. "I think I lost—"

The rustling of the underbrush had all of their attention slipping back to where Jenna had appeared from only moments ago. Three Walkers were shambling towards them, their steps only momentarily hindered by the small creek that lay between them and their meal. Callie shoved the again shaking Jenna behind her and towards Rick, her eyes catching his for a brief moment.

And honestly, if Rick had been on the receiving end of that look as many times as Daryl, he'd have known what to expect. But as it was, he was left speechless when Callie shoved Jenna towards him and pulled the large hunting knife from her thigh.

"Get Sophia, and get back to the highway." Callie said letting her gaze slip over Jenna who was shaking her head. Rick was looking at the girl still confused, obviously though, Jenna knew what that look in Callie's eyes meant. Jenna's head was shaking faster and her arms were reaching out as she made to step forward, Rick grabbing her arm and earning a scathing glare as Callie continued. "I'll meet you there. Go."

At that point, Rick understood and he moved forward, hand reaching out and catching air as she moved away. "Callie!" Rick yelled pushing Jenna behind him as he made another apparently vain attempt to grab the woman. Callie stared at him for only a second longer, a sweet sad smile on her lips, before she put her knife's blade to the palm of her left hand and pulled it through fast. The pain marred her features for only a second before she shook it off and clenched her fist a few times to get the blood to flow from the open wound she had just created.

All of their gazes fell to the approaching Walkers, and they watched in dull amazement as the undead things began to sniff at the air around them. When their hungry gazes locked on Callie she let out a huff of a breath that sounded distinctly like 'oh fuck me' and sent her gaze back to Rick.

"Get Sophia and get them back, Rick. I'm counting on you." With that Callie opened her left palm, letting the smell of her freshly drawn blood pull at the salivating monsters making their way towards her. And in the blink of an eye she was gone, running past the oncoming monsters, out of their grasping reach, through that tiny little creek and off into the dense forest area beyond.

"Callie!" Jenna began to move but Rick grabbed her arm and pulled her back with him. She turned wide eyed towards him, the shock clear on her features. "We can't let her-"

"She's already gone," Rick said angrily, he pulled on the girl and she slowly moved back with him. Both of them still watching the Walkers as they followed slowly behind the fast moving and now completely out of view Callie. "Damn it!" Rick seethed as he ran his free hand through his hair and shifted his gaze from the woods around them to the girl still staring after the now gone woman.

They stayed that way for another beat, both of them staring off at the space that Callie had once occupied. Both of them dreading what was going to come of the woman who seemed to have this unending need to play hero no matter the circumstance. Rick shook his head and pulled a bit at his hair as he shifted his gaze around him searching out any more unwelcome visitors.

"Daryl's gonna be pissed," Jenna said idly and it earned a bit of a stifled laugh out of Rick. She turned to him and they shared a worried glance as he let his hand drop back down to his side.

"Yeah," Rick pulled on Jenna's arm and the girl slowly began moving with him, her eyes still locked on the forest where the Walkers and Callie had disappeared. "Let's get Sophia and get back." She nodded and fell into step beside him, and he sent his worried gaze back to where Callie disappeared.

"So you can get Daryl and come back for her," Jenna said. It wasn't a question. It was a statement, and Rick turned to the girl with a slight look of shock before he snapped his open mouth shut and gave a single nod in response. Jenna nodded her head, apparently appeased by his response and continued forward.

Shaking his head once more Rick turned his eyes forward as he and Jenna began picking a path up the small incline that led to where Jenna had apparently left Sophia. Each step had them switching off in looking behind for any signs of Callie. Finally Rick let his eyes wander the length of the girl beside him and came up short when he saw the smears of red along her shirt and pants, and the gore covering her feet and the bottoms of her jeans.

"Are you hurt, honey?" Rick put his hand to her shoulder and the contact seemed to shock her out of whatever thoughts she had been lost in. She raised her eyes to him, her hair plastered to her neck by sweat and dirt, and shook her head.

"No," Jenna said lifting her hands and showing him. "I fell," she clenched her fingers into a tight fist over the dirty abrasions and shook her head. "There was this half of a Walker. It grabbed my ankle," she shivered off the feeling and Rick put a comforting arm around her shoulders pulling her closer.

"Yeah, we saw him," Rick nodded down to his own gore covered foot and Jenna's gaze slid down. She scrunched her face and he chuckled.

"Looks like I'm not the only one who needs some new shoes, huh?" Jenna smiled up at him and he gave her a bit of a playful shake.

"Tell you what. When we get back to the highway I promise to help you look, if you help me." Rick said with a smile. Jenna nodded her head and smiled back, before her eyes again slipped to the trees around them. Rick's gaze slipped behind them again, desperate to hear or see any sign of Callie coming back to them. He grimaced at his own foolish wishful thinking and shook his head as he trudged through the woods behind the quick moving teenager.

"There," Jenna said pointing her finger and taking off at a run for the tree. Rick shook his head at the impulsiveness of the girl, a smile on his face because he knew exactly who to blame for it, and took off after her. She came to a stop near the bottom of a tree and shifted her eyes upwards and then back to Rick. "Sophia," Jenna looked up again and shifted to the side. "Hey, come on. I told you I'd be back for you." Jenna reached up as she smiled at the girl through the branches. Rick put a hand to her shoulder. "She's scared," Jenna said on a whisper as Rick nodded and moved Jenna back.

"Sophia," Rick called up and shifted just a bit and squinted and a smile cracked his face when the little girl finally came into view. She'd wrapped her arms around the large trunk of the tree, and tucked her legs up under herself. "Sophia, honey. Come on." He reached his hands up and watched the little girl slowly begin to move.

Rick started a bit when Jenna put a hand to his shoulder and he turned to her. She tugged on him slightly and jutted her chin towards a root that had grown over a few rocks.

"Over there," Jenna said pulling him along. "That's how I got her up there." Jenna stepped over the large root and Rick looked at her in a bit of awe as he stepped up and was able to look up and see Sophia and the apparent path she took up to the branch about a foot out of his reach. "Callie taught us what to look for." Jenna said idly watching as Sophia started to move now, slowly lowering her foot to the next branch down. Rick slipped his gaze to the sweaty, tired, and slightly scared red-head beside him giving her a reassuring smile when she slipped her gaze around them. "When we were at the Quarry. She said for us to get high if we could and then wait for her or Danny." Jenna chuckled and ran her sore hands through her disgusting matted hair. "We always figured it was more for Ben and Gracie, but it seemed like a good plan. You know?"

"A _very_ good plan," Rick said as Sophia's little leg finally came to a point that he could touch it. "Although, I'll bet Callie's gonna have a few words for you 'bout lurin' them off like you did." He looked up at Sophia and let her put her foot into his hand. "That's it, sweetie, just a little more." Rick turned his gaze back to Jenna and smiled as he slipped his hands around Sophia's waist and finally landed her on the ground. Rick put his hand to Sophia's shoulder and looked into the little girl's scared eyes. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Sophia said back with a small nod of her head as she tucked a strand of her hair behind an ear. "Are they gone?"

"Yeah," Rick slipped his eyes back the way they came and let out a sigh of relief as he closed his eyes. "Let's get back, before anymore show up though." Rick patted the younger girl's shoulders and watched as Jenna put a hand to the tree base and worked her way over the large root. He extended a hand out to help her and she took it with a large smile.

"So, you think Daryl's gonna yell at you?" Jenna said chuckling, her eyes skipped over his and out to the woods. "I think he is." Her jaw clenched just a bit and Rick knew that the girl was desperately trying to shake off her fear for Callie with a bit of humor. He smiled at her and settled her beside him.

"You know what I think," Rick said putting his hand to her shoulder and giving her just one squeeze. One squeeze to let her know that he was there for her. That everything would be fine. "I think you should worry more about the yelling she's gonna do to you when she gets back to that highway." He looked at the smiling Sophia. "And you," he smiled wider and she returned it. "I'll bet your mom's gonna have a few—"

The snapping of a few twigs had Rick's head snapping to the right, and his eyes searching wildly behind them. His damned wishful thinking that it was Callie coming back was dashed by the distinct sound of a gurgling moan, and a few more shuffling steps.

"Oh no," Jenna's whisper soft voice reached his ears like a resounding gong. Her eyes were wide and she moved to put her hands to Sophia's shoulders. Knowing that the girl had a tendency to run without really thinking first. Sophia's eyes skipped up to the older girl and then to Rick who was about to pull his gun. "Rick no," Jenna seethed through her tightly clenched teeth, and shaking his head he realized that the girl was right.

"Move!" Rick said in a harsh whisper, his one hand pulling his knife, while the other hand was pushing hard at Jenna's shoulder. Jenna didn't argue, didn't say a thing, she merely grabbed on to Sophia's hand and ran.

Rick followed behind, his eyes watching the slow approach of the two Walkers that had stumbled out of the woods. The Walkers were moving faster now, the sound of their approach echoing in the forest as Rick and the girls made a mad run towards where he knew the highway lay.

"Keep the sun on your right," Rick yelled when Sophia made a turn that would take her further into the woods. Jenna pulled the girl back on the right path and kept them moving. "That's it. Keep it on your right, Jenna."

Sophia stumbled and Rick moved forward and helped Jenna to pull the scared girl to her feet. But just as he was about to reach them something grabbed onto his shoulder and pulled him back viciously. Jenna had spun with Sophia and both girls were screaming as he tumbled to the ground. He spun along the ground, his body tumbling over itself with a Walker clawing at him as they both went down the slight incline that he and the girl's had been working their way up.

Rick's over and over tumble came to an abrupt halt when his back slammed hard into a rock outcrop. The back of his head collided hard with the rocks and his vision exploded into sparks of light as his eyelids crashed closed against the sharp pain. For a single moment the entire world faded into darkness, and pain and it wasn't until he heard the screams of the girls far off in the distance that his eyes once again snapped open.

The Walker he'd stumbled down the hill with was a foot away and clawing its way through the dry brush towards him. Rick groaned and pulled himself into a sitting position. Head spinning he blinked through the pain behind his eyes and rolled his head along his shoulders. His hand flexed idly, the realization that he'd dropped his knife at some point came crashing into his mind and had his still groggy eyes opening fully to the world around him.

"Son of a—" Rick was pushing up on the rocks and staggering to his feet, shaking his head against the dizziness that sent the forest tilting at a nauseating angle. His eyes caught on the knife not far from where he'd landed and he moved for it, only to find his ankle caught in the vice like grip of the Walker. Rick pitched forward landing hard on knees, hands reaching out towards the knife.

The Walker pulled back on Rick's ankle and he fell to his stomach. The sounds of its hissing breath as it seemed to get excited at the prospect of a good meal urged Rick forward again, a final lunge towards his knife. His finger tips grazed the hilt, desperately moving over it trying to get purchase. Suddenly he was yanked back and his entire body flew a foot down the leaf covered ground to where the Walker's mouth waited. Hands flying out Rick looked for anything to use against the thing at his legs, watching in shocked awe as the Walker's hands began a deadly journey up from his boots to his calves.

Rick kicked out trying to dislodge the Walker, and felt around him. His eyes opened wide when he felt a large rock under his left hand. With every ounce of energy he could muster Rick lifted that rock and shot himself up off the ground. Dizziness and a blinding blackness filled his vision but his hand and that rock continued on its deadly course.

Rick's eyes closed tight at the sound of the rock splitting the soft skull of the Walker. His body slumped forward, his hand still clutching the rock that had taken up residence where the Walker's brain once lived. The dead man lay over his legs, and with a groan he let go of the rock and flexed his fingers. Rick's heavy head pitched backwards until he was once again prone on the ground. His breathing was coming out in ragged gasps, his vision and head spinning in odd ways that had him blinking hard in an effort to right the world.

The silence around helped his body to relax and his breathing to slow back down to a more normal level. He moved to sit up, his hand sliding to the back of his head and coming back with a smear of red across his fingers.

"Shit," Rick said repeating the action and wincing as he felt the gash at the base of his skull behind his left ear. Face contorting in pain, Rick pushed the dead Walker from his legs and turned his squinted gaze towards the woods.

A chill ran down his spine as he looked around, dizziness and nausea forgotten in an instant as he scrambled to his feet.

Silence.

Silence greeted him, and it was not a welcome visitor. He took a few staggering steps forward, his body slipping down and picking up his fallen knife as his feet carried him back up that slight incline. The girls were nowhere in sight, and neither was that second Walker that had been heading towards them. A rush of stark cold fear ran through his body as his eyes frantically searched the area looking for any sign of the girls.

Not even the slight rustle of leaves greeted his ears. Nothing but what he had come to know as a 'deathly silence' hung in the air. Wincing and shaking his head of the lingering black specs invading his vision Rick pushed forward, heading back towards the highway.

He had every faith that Jenna knew which way to go. He'd seen her pull Sophia back onto the right path. She'd obviously heard him. She had common sense. And above all, she was a survivor with a damn good teacher.

All of those thoughts kept marching along with the dull ache of the hit to the back of his head as he worked his way back towards the highway. His eyes snaked behind him once more, as another cold chill ran through him. Thoughts of Callie running through this forest with three Walkers on her trail, after he'd just been almost taken down by one…

Rick shuddered and doubled his pace, hoping and praying and being the fucking wishful thinking fool that he was that that Callie and both girls had already made it back to the road.

* * *

Daryl listened to the passing horde of Walkers, his eyes slipping over the few shambling fuckers that he could see as he held Gracie's little head tight to his shoulder. She was barely breathin', barely movin', just laying against him like some kind of rag doll. He was sickeningly reminded of how she was when he pulled her from under that RV after the attack at the Quarry. How still she'd been. How cold and still.

Daryl's hand idly rubbed just a tiny bit at the back of the girl's neck, his fingers tangling in her sweaty little curls. He could only hope that the little bit of progress that she'd made since that day wasn't about to be washed away by this moment of insanity.

Shuffling feet and legs passed close to him, and he instinctively held tighter to the girl, his fingers stilling on her neck. The Walker was working its way through the cars and Daryl's eyes rolled to where T-Dog lay not far off. The other man's eyes were closed, and to all the world he appeared to be sleeping. Or dead. Daryl felt his lips curl in a snarl and could feel his pulse grow more agitated by the need to stay so fuckin' still.

The Walker bumped into the leg of the body that was atop of him and Gracie, and he felt the girl tighten her grip around his shoulders. A strange sort of relief coursed through him at the movement and he pressed his lips close to her sweaty little temple and wrapped his arms tighter.

His eyes followed the dead man as he shambled on, his broke-ass left foot kicking out at an odd enough angle that it yet again bumped the leg of the dead man hiding them from view. Daryl growled low as he felt the body atop him begin to shift just that little bit. One more fuckin' hit to that leg and the body was gonna fall off.

He'd need to let go of Gracie's little body to hold the dead man in place, but he feared what letting his arms fall from her would do. Would she freak out and give them away? Daryl watched that broke-ass foot slide and lift from the ground and kick out again. He rolled his hips just a bit and lifted his left knee an inch to cradle the fuckin' body on top of him in place, not willing to relinquish his hold on the little girl.

The Walker's head lifted and Daryl's eyes widened just a bit and his nostrils flared as he recognized the motion. Fucker was sniffing around for a meal. His arms tightened for a single second and then he let his left hand slid from the base of Gracie's neck and slowly he worked it under the body on top of him to where he tucked his knife. Suddenly the Walker's head snapped in the other direction, towards the forest area on the side of the highway. Its dead and rotting head tilted in a manner that reminded him of this mutt he'd once taken in.

That same sort of tilt that said it smelt something good to eat, and was tryin' to figure out where the fuckin' treat was.

Then the Walker was off and movin' and Daryl was left to watch it go from his prone position. He kept eyes on it as long as he could, watching the fucker weave clumsily through the cars its steps picking up to a faster pace as it moved. Daryl's nostril's flared again and his lip lifted in a bit of a sneer as he watched. The fucker had caught onto something's scent in those woods. And honestly, the only thing he'd ever seen make one of those geeks move so fast was fresh blood.

The Walker kept moving at a pace that could have been described as a jog if both of its legs weren't lumbering like dead weight, that broke-ass one kicking out funny as it moved along. Finally the thing was out of sight and Daryl let out a bit of a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. His left hand tightened around the hilt of his knife while his right squeezed Gracie just a bit to let her know that he was still there. That everything was okay. Daryl looked to the sky above and shook his head at the fuckin' predicament he'd put himself in.

Bad enough he had to worry about the nig- man…the man laying, possibly dead under a Walker. But to have to deal with that, and tryin' to take out Walkers with a baby on his hip. This shit was just becoming downright comical.

The sounds of the dead passing were fading into the distance of the highway, but Daryl remained on the ground. He wasn't willing to risk getting up too early and alerting them to the veritable buffet that they'd just passed by.

His right hand continued to rub just a bit at Gracie tucked up on him and he slipped his gaze to where he could see the top of her little head dug deep into his shoulder. Moving his head just a bit he put his lips to where he figured her ear had to be under that tangle of hair.

"S'okay, Itty-bit," Daryl whispered as low as he could. He felt the girl stiffen just a bit and her little fingernails dig painfully into his neck. Wincing slightly he put just a bit of pressure to her back with his fingertips. "They're gone. Gonna stand us up, but you gotta keep quiet, ya hear? You keep your head down and your eyes closed 'til I say. You hear me?" He waited for her to respond, never feeling so desperate for the sound of someone's voice in all his life. But she didn't say anything, simply nodded her little head once as her fingers gripped tight into his shoulders. "Good 'nough." Daryl mumbled as he began to shift very slowly under the weight of the dead man on top of them.

Slow and steady. Those were the words he kept repeating to himself as he shifted. He thought about just tossing the body off, but was still weary to make any noise that may attract any stragglers from the horde that had passed. Finally he pushed up and let the body roll so that it was face up and staring at the blue sky above. Grimacing at the ugly fucker he kicked at its face flipping the decaying face away from him. Sitting up he adjusted Gracie on his hip and tucked his knife back into place in his boot.

Daryl's eyes shifted around him, his ears open and listening and he swore he heard screaming somewhere down the road.

"Shit," Daryl seethed getting slowly to his feet. His eyes skipped to the still unmoving form of T-Dog under the body of the other Walker and he felt his face scrunch in disgust. Amazingly it wasn't disgust at the thought of the man, but at the thought of him being dead. Daryl shook his head and glared at the prone man before taking the few steps towards him. He kicked out with his foot, his arms wrapped around Gracie's tiny shaking form as she huddled close to him. Nothing.

Rolling his head along his shoulders and snarling he kicked out again this time causing the man's eyes to flutter a bit. Daryl felt the sigh of relief leave his tightly constricted chest and kicked out one more time, a bit gentler. Not much, but a bit.

"You still with us, boy?" Daryl snarled out as T-Dog's eyes fluttered all the way open. The man let out a pained groan as he moved and pushed at the body on him with his uninjured left hand.

T-Dog let out a low groan, wincing as he worked to get up. Daryl shifted Gracie on his hip and extended his left arm down to the man struggling to get to his feet. The amount of blood pouring from the wound along his right forearm was disconcerting. T-Dog looked up with a raised brow before smiling just a bit and grabbing Daryl's hand.

"Who the fuck you callin' boy?" T-Dog snapped back as Daryl helped to pull him to his feet.

"The man actin' like a fuckin' baby 'bout a scratch on his arm," Daryl snapped back his eyes slipping over the wound. "Put some fuckin' pressure on it, for you lead all them fuckers back here with that." T-Dog put his good left hand over the oozing wound, his face scrunching with pain as he did what Daryl said.

T-Dog's eyes slipped around them, taking in the sight of the bodies on the ground that had saved their asses, and the man with a little girl gripped to his side. He watched Daryl's eyes slip around the highway at the cars searching the area for anymore Walkers. Being saved by Daryl Dixon was on his list of 'shit that ain't never gonna happen', so the words sitting on the tip of his tongue felt heavier than they should have.

Daryl's eyes skipped back to T-Dog and they held for a single moment. T-Dog watched the redneck son of a bitch that had called him every fuckin' name in the book for as long as he could remember. Not one of those words had ever been 'man'. Daryl's eyes slipped from his and T-Dog watched him bite at the inside of his cheek before slipping his eyes back up to his. Eye contact was hard enough for Daryl, but eye contact with him, shit, T-Dog was thinking he needed to start a new fuckin' list of 'shit that ain't never gonna happen'.

T-Dog opened his mouth ready to say those two heavy words to the man before him, but instead he watched Daryl dip his chin in a single nod of his head. T-Dog's mouth snapped shut and he returned the nod. No words. No fuss.

Thank fuckin' God for that.

Daryl's eyes skipped back to the RV. Dale was no longer on top, and he could hear the sound of something going on down there. His eyes narrowed as he remembered the screams he'd heard and the fresh scent of blood that had apparently dragged away that last Walker.

"Something's going on," Daryl said jutting his chin towards the RV. He slipped his gaze back to T-Dog. "Let's go. Gotta get that fuckin' wrapped up." T-Dog nodded and followed slowly behind Daryl, who dipped effortlessly with the little girl on his hip to grab up his discarded crossbow from the back of the vehicle. T-Dog's eyes held on the unmoving form of the girl and he winced again as he pressed harder to his open wound. His steps slow, and his legs were feeling like he had lead weights attached to them.

"She alright?" T-Dog said finally, his eyes opening wide as he worked to keep himself from passing out. Daryl's gaze skipped over his shoulder to him and he watched a snarl form as the redneck quickly looked away.

"Fine," Daryl snarled then shook his head and looked back at T-Dog again. "She's scared," Daryl said finally letting his eyes roam over T-Dog's bloody arm. "She'll be a'right."

T-Dog could tell that Daryl was weighing his options. Trying to figure out how to help him without really helping him. And honestly T-Dog couldn't help but walk a bit easier as a way of thanking the man by not making him save his ass twice in one fuckin' hour.

"You look fuckin' ridiculous," T-Dog said with a chuckle earning another snarl from the man in front of him. T-Dog chuckled and worked his feet a bit more to catch up to the now faster walking man. "Seriously. Fuckin' ridiculous, man."

"Shut up," Daryl growled back as he continued on. Daryl tightened his grip on the girl as he finally came into view of the assembled group near the RV. His eyes slipped from person to person and his heart pounded heavy in his chest when they didn't find Callie. He snarled and sped up a bit listening to T-Dog's pace quickening behind him.

Daryl continued searching the area, taking in the crying Carol being comforted by Lori. Miles pacing like a lion near the edge of the guardrail while Shane shook his head and attempted to calm the apparently agitated boy down. Danny was being tended by Andrea as he sat slumped near the door to the RV. And Glenn was holding tight to Ben's shoulders as the boy pulled at his hair and shook his head as he stared at the body of the dead Walker sitting a bit away from the RV door.

No Rick. No Jenna. No Sophia. No Callie.

"The fuck's going on?" Daryl snapped his gaze flying to Shane and then Dale as his voice apparently alerted them to his presence.

"Daryl! Gracie!" Ben's little voice shouted out and the boy flung himself away from where he'd been standing by Glenn near the RV door. Daryl let the boy slam himself into his legs and placed his hand on his head with a bit of pressure before lifting it back up to the little girl still clinging to him.

"God what happened?" Dale's concerned voice fell to the background as Daryl pushed past the old man and moved towards Shane.

"Cut it on some metal back there," T-Dog said quietly his eyes scanning the area and also taking in the missing members of their group. "Daryl - " he shook his head still a bit on the unbelieving side of what had actually happened. He turned back to Dale with a pained expression as Dale moved to take a look at the wound. "We hid under a few Walkers 'till the herd passed." Dale skipped his gaze from T-Dog to Daryl making his way to where Lori, Carol, Shane and Miles stood near the guardrail. "What's up?"

"Sophia and Jenna got chased by a few Walkers into the woods," Shane said finally answering the question, his gaze was on Daryl as the man approached. With a grimace he shook his head and raked his fingers through his dark hair. "Callie and Rick went in after them."

"And y'all'er just fuckin' standin' around waitin'!" Daryl snapped, his one hand pushing Ben away a bit. The little boy slipped to the side and Andrea put her hands to his shoulders to steady his steps. "C'mon people," Daryl turned and found Lori standing near to him. She lifted her hands and went to take Gracie from him, but the little girl held tight not willing to let go. Daryl snarled at the feel and began pulling the girl off of him.

She whimpered and held tight and shoved her face tight into his shoulder, her little head moving left to right as she shook her head. Daryl's wide confused eyes lifted to Lori who was stepping closer, her head tilted to the side as she looked at the girl. She looked up at him with a tight smile and put her hands to Gracie again trying to remove the girl. Daryl didn't know what was going on; didn't know what to do, and Lori gave him a nod of her head to let him know she understood. He didn't want to hurt the girl, but he needed to get her off. He needed to go find that fuckin' woman.

Again.

"Gracie," Lori's soothing voice sounded and her hands lightly gripped the little girl's shoulders. Gracie was thrashing more, gripping tighter and getting more and more agitated with each little tug.

"Shit," Daryl adjusted the girl on his hip and tore her out of Lori's grip.

"Daryl," Lori's voice was soft and a bit unsettled. He scoffed over his shoulder as he moved to go into the RV. Like he was gonna fuckin' hurt her.

"Idiot," Daryl muttered. "I got this," Daryl spared a single glance to Danny who painfully moved to get up. "I said I got it," Daryl snarled as he stepped up into the RV.

Daryl let his eyes roam the interior of the RV, his eyes catching on the sight of the trail of gore on the floor, and the disgusting sight of the iron covered in shit he didn't even want to think about. Fuck, maybe this wasn't the best place to bring the girl. Shaking his head he turned to the left and placed her butt on the counter.

Gracie's arms tightened on his neck and she continued to shove her face into his shoulder and neck. Taking in a deep breath through his nose, Daryl lifted his hands and set them to her tiny arms, marveling in how cold they felt compared to the heat of his hands. He wrapped his fingers around her little wrists and felt he tense.

"Gotta let go now," Daryl said quietly his head tipped up as he stared at the ceiling. He rolled his eyes at himself and tugged at her hands. He didn't have time for this shit. "You listen to me now, and you let go." He pulled once more and felt her hands finally loosen. Nodding his head he slipped her hands from around his neck and settled them at her sides. Her head lifted slowly from its place at his chest and he stood up straight as he put both of his hands to her little shoulders. "Itty-bit," he said trying to get the girl's attention, get her to move, to just fuckin' look at him. "Gracie."

Her head tipped up at that and her little eyes lifted to his and he couldn't help but smirk. Her little lip started to tremble and his face scrunched at the sight.

"S'okay, Gracie." Daryl said softly. He lifted one hand, looked at it and wiped it on his pants before using it to wipe away her tears. She took over in the motions and he crossed his arms over his chest as he watched her slowly start to come back to herself. At least, the small version of herself that she'd become now. "C'mon. Let's go back outside with Ben. Gotta go see 'bout finding everyone else."

Gracie nodded her head and held her hands out to him. He lowered her to the ground before him and they walked back outside. Lori was there, her eyes softer when she looked at him and he shied away from that look and shifted around to where Shane, Dale and Miles were standing. Gracie grabbed on to his pinky as he walked and he shook his head but let her tag along.

"So what's the fuckin' plan?" Daryl asked as he came to a stop beside Dale.

"We fuckin' go after them," Miles said immediately earning a nod from Daryl as he pulled at the strap of his crossbow and adjusted it.

"No," Shane said quietly and Daryl growled at him. Shane shook his head and held up a hand. "I know we all want to go get them but we have to be realistic. We can't all go get fuckin' lost in the woods."

"I ain't gonna get fuckin' lost," Daryl said through clenched teeth as he moved a bit and started to peel Gracie's fingers from around his pinky.

"Yeah, me and Daryl-" Miles started, but the sound of strangled gasp from beside him had his eyes slipping to Carol.

Carol's hand lifted to her mouth, and she felt Lori step up beside her as a figure emerged from the woods. All of their eyes lifted to see the figure stagger out into the sunlight and then stumble to its knees.

"Oh my God. Rick!" Lori's startled and worried voice echoed around them as she moved past the stone still form of Carol and vaulted herself over the guardrail.

Daryl and Shane followed quickly behind her. Shane grabbed her arm and held her back a bit, shaking his head and lifting his arm for her to stay at the RV. Daryl moved fast past them, his feet flying down the grassy hill watching as Rick pushed himself to his feet. The former sheriff had a hand pressed tight into the back of his head as he took another couple of staggering steps forward.

Rick's head lifted, his eyes squinting in the sun as he spotted Daryl heading towards him. He let out a gruff painful sigh and let his hand fall from his head. He was about to stumble down again but Daryl's hand wrapped tight around his upper arm and dragged him back up to his feet.

"Thanks," Rick mumbled as he shook his head and gave the man holding him up a tight smile.

"What happened?" Shane's voice called out before Daryl could, and Rick felt his other arm being grabbed roughly by the other man. Shane's eyes took in the blood that had stained Rick's shirt all along the back of the collar and over his left shoulder and involuntarily took a step back. "You bit?"

"No," Rick said stiffly as they trudged up the incline to where everyone was waiting. He took a deep breath and shook Shane's hand from his arm as Lori and Carl ran towards him as he settled near the guardrail. Daryl let go of his other arm and Rick slumped into a sitting position against the guardrail. He put his hand to Carl's head and kissed the top of it before looking at Lori. "Walker took me off guard, smashed my head on a rock when I fell," Rick winced as Lori began moving her fingers gingerly through his hair to take a look at the cut. He lifted his hand and took hers placing a kiss to her fingers as she shook her head at him.

"Rick?" Carol's voice cut into the fray and he lifted his eyes to the utterly distraught woman. He furrowed his brow as she took a few shaking steps towards him and let his gaze slip to the worried expression on everyone's faces. "Where are they? Where's my Sophia?"

"We got split up," Rick said in a hushed tone as he pushed painfully to his feet. Shane grabbed his arm and Rick met his gaze with wide-eyed worry. "Callie led off-" he sighed and could feel Daryl's eyes snap to him. "She sliced open her hand and led off the three Walkers that were trailing the kids." Daryl rolled his eyes skyward and shook his head leaving Rick to look back to everyone else to finish. "Jenna, Sophia and I were heading back, but a couple of Walkers caught up to us. We took off, I told Jenna to head this way. She was running with Sophia when one of the Walkers took me down." Rick's gaze slipped around the group before landing on Carol again. "They didn't make it? None of them made it back?"

"No," Daryl sneered as he shifted on his feet and glared out into the woods. A sense of foreboding filled his body as he peered into the darkened depths of that forest. His mind went back to that fuckin' Walker that had been drawn off by something in the woods, and that feelin'-that fuckin' feelin' that hadn't been sittin' well in the pit of his stomach dropped another inch. "Fuck!"

_What is it like when hell surrounds you_

_How hot does it get, I think I've already felt it_

_Is there any way out, you better find one_

_Where do you go, down, down the book says_

_When there's no one here in this world of truth_

_Who knows first-hand, so just wake up, wake up, wake up_

_~The Sniper At The Gates Of Heaven/ The Black Angels_

_AN: I really hope you guys liked this last installment, my brain has been fighting itself on exactly how to flow out the search for the girls. I hope you aren't too mad about them still being out there...and Callie too… but you know. DRAMA DRAMA DRAMA. _

_I have to say that I am still so floored with the reception that y'all have given to my little family of characters and my story here. I can't say enough how much I value each and every one of you that reads. Reviewer or not, you are appreciated and I would have probably stopped if not for your support in this little endeavor of mine. Thank you!_

_And now for the fun:_

_Piratejessieswaby: OMFG…I make no promises… *ducks and hides*_

_LadyLecter47: I am so glad that you liked the chapter, and the conversation between Callie and Rick. And as for Daryl and Callie and the not so private bit of privacy…yeah, well… I don't think that either of them really expected that to go that far, but that's the nature of their relationship right now. That hands all over all the time, but you know, in the post-apocalyptic sense of it. Thanks again for the great review and I'm so humbled that you save me for last to read, it makes me feel very special._

_Honeyconcha: THANK YOU! No less no more. THANK YOU!_

_Emberka-2012: Fate indeed! Although, honestly…I'm pretty sure y'all saw that one coming. Thank you for being such a great supporter of the fic. I appreciate your reviews!_

_CottonStrings: Winter is coming seemed so…formal for the tone… Eh. To each their own I suppose. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR REVIEW! I love hearing from you! And you flatter me with the 'master of suspense' title. I try very hard to keep up the pace and keep you all from getting bored by all of my many characters. I'm so happy when people say that they love them all. Thanks again!_

_AngieInWonderland: Miles' birthday was really important for me, for all of the reasons you named. I needed it to be a bit of a departure from the drama that I'd been working towards and really wanted to show how much of a family the little group has become-and yes the fact that he got his gun was well planned to that point. I had originally tried to figure a way to put it into one of the earlier chapters before they left the gas station, but then it branched off into its own little world. I'm so glad that you liked it. And yeah, Miles and Jenna..they are just damned cute. Daryl and his feelings were crackin me up as I was writing it. But I needed to show that he's still Daryl, that he's not used to this, and that he's struggling with it. And boy-howdy are you right-he better buckle up for the rollercoaster that's a'comin'. Ben and Gracie taking on Daryl's habits is one of my favorite things to put in and I'm glad that you enjoyed it. I had the hardest time figuring out exactly how to break up the crew, and trying to remember who was where and what they were doing….God I just about broke my damn brain. But I did it! And I'm so glad that you liked what I threw out there. The first scene I roughed for this one was Daryl, Gracie and T-Dog and I'm glad it didn't seem farfetched that Gracie would follow Daryl. Yeah…Jenna and Sophia… Yikes there… All I can say is, buckle up peeps. Just buckle up! Thanks as always for your awesome review! _

_PiratesLife: I tend to have that effect on a lot of people in my life. *grins* I'm so glad that you're so invested in my story. You and all of the people that read this little fic are what keep me rolling and keep me going even if my brain is starting to get jumbled up with ideas. (Good God I'm surprised I can even get a chapter out a week with all that's going on in my head right now) Thank you so much for your review! _

_AlabastR: I cannot fault you for your Shit-faced-ness. I recently celebrated my thirtieth birthday like I was fuckin' twenty-one…only to be reminded that I wasn't by a crying baby at 3 AM… yeah. *facepalm* God BLESS my husband for taking care of that one. Anyhoo. Yeah, Daryl's gonna be coming to terms with a lot of shit in the coming chapters, so I fully agree with the 'suck it up and deal'. Callie's reaction to Rick was exactly what you said. Pragmatic. That's exactly the way she faces this whole entire fucking world ya know. And like I've said before… your 'something tells you feeling'… gonna have to wait on that one chick. And yeah, Danny-boy, he's a badass when he needs to be. I think people may start to like him again in the next few chapters… gotta see where it fits in. But yeah, he and Daryl would probably make a kickass team if they had to. GRACIE…OH GRACIE. Yeah. She needs a fuckin' leash. But honestly, I think she learned her lesson there. And reluctant daddy Daryl…that cracked me up. Glad you enjoyed the chap. Can't wait to hear from you on this one!_

_BeingLolaStar: Shit girl. Big fan of your work right here, awesome to see that you're readin! Sorry 'bout the 12 chapters and no highway thing… I'm a bit longwinded when it comes to this, and I tend to drag out… yeah, well you know. Sorry 'bout the 3AM thing…I've done that to quite a few people now. I'm gonna have to start sending out pillows and shit for people. I'm glad you like my little universe, and liked that term. I hope that I don't disappoint you with where I go with everything, I have a feeling I may get a bit of backlash eventually, but I'm prepared. SHANE. I have to say. I have my own personal little love-affair going on with Rick and Daryl… but Dude, Shane's my boy. I love his character, and writing his slight decent into the madness of the world is one of my favorite things. I would have loved for the show to redeem him, show him come back from the edge and live on in glory. I think I read someone somewhere say that Shane and the Prison/Woodbury arc would have been probably the best thing on TV and honestly…I agreed with that. I can't spoil what's coming, but I can only hope I don't disappoint you. As for Merle, I heart MY Merle too. Can't wait for Season 3 to see how I can incorporate what I've gotten here and what has actually taken place in the land for Merle…and what happens when Merle, Ben and Daryl meet up again… thank you so much for your review. Happy Reading!_

_Rednecks 'n Angels: I DO LOVE LEAVING YOU LIKE THAT! *Grins* Glad you enjoyed how that went and I hope I didn't disappoint too much with Daryl's reaction… trust me you get to see a bit more of it in the next chapter. Thanks as always for your awesome review!_

_Alright kiddies, I think I may have missed some of you… sorry about that. Much love if I did and I'll try and be better about it next time. _

_See ya in the woods!_


	14. It's Not My Time

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_Yeah, so Callie is running through the woods with a bunch of geeks on her blood trail. Jenna and Sophia are off somewhere…and Daryl is fumin' and frothing at the bit to go after them all. Yeah, just another day in Walker-World. _

_As always, read, review and most of all ENJOY!_

_~SWW_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Chapter 10: It's Not My Time**

Callie's body was on fire.

Her lungs were burning with the effort of every heated breath as it worked through her dry throat. The words 'fucking cigarettes' on a repeated loop in her head.

Her skin was tingling with the fire beneath that had caused sweat to drench her entire body. The sticky feel of it sliding over her igniting memories of the feel of the fingers of the dead as they slid off of her slick skin.

Her eyes were wet, tears sliding down her cheeks as the wind blew into them and caused them to water and burn. Yeah, that's right. It was the fucking wind causing them to water. Just the wind.

The muscles in her abdomen were clenched tight, the slight pain of a cramp starting to drill into her side as she pushed further and further to her limits.

Callie's legs were blazing from the run, her muscles protesting the strain, but she pushed on. Her mind flew back to her first half marathon, when she had hit mile four and felt her legs start their little bit of whining and protesting. She'd pushed through it then, and she'd finished. She hadn't come in anywhere close to the time she'd wanted, but she hadn't been last. Fucking close to it, but not last.

And she'd be damned if she were even close to last in this fucking foot race.

Callie pushed on the surge of adrenaline fueling her steps and propelled her left leg up onto the rock nearest her, nimble in her flight as she pressed along in the underbrush. The sun was filtering down a bit more than it had been, making her think she was about to hit some kind of clearing. She'd zigzagged around the forest area for a while, buying Rick and the girls the time that she figured they would need to get back to the highway. After she'd taken out two of the walkers on her ass, she figured it was time to start heading back and had altered her steps accordingly. Sun on her right, creek to her left, her mind silently thanking two rednecks that had taught her not long ago what to look for when venturing into a thicket such as this. The thinning of the natural flow of the forest meant only one thing. A manmade clearing. Which fucking meant the highway had to be close.

Whether she was close to where their group had been, or nearer to the herd that had passed them by-Callie shook her head. She really didn't want to think about that right now.

With a grimace of pain Callie flexed her sliced left palm, feeling the tightness of the slow clotting scab that had formed and then curled her fingers into a fist. Three deep breaths in and she spared a look over her shoulder.

"Fuck," Callie seethed at the sight. Yeah, she'd taken out two of the three Walkers that had been on her trail, and yet strangely she found three more still dogging her steps. "Fuck are they comin' from?" Callie muttered to herself as she rolled her head back to the front and planted her foot into a patch of wet earth. She slipped slightly, felt her knee roll a bit but pushed through. "Shoulda left my damn running shoes on." Callie spoke again in a muttered stilting tumble of panted words. She shook her head at herself for feeling the need to talk to herself, and wasting her breath on it, but then sneered a smile at her surroundings. "God-fucking-bless adrenaline."

Callie kept her feet moving as she listened to the fast approach of the Walkers behind her. These were not the decayed bastards that had walked the road and chased the girls. These were fresh fucks. Ones with uneaten muscles to their legs that gave them just a bit more function and bit better grip to the terrain that should have hindered them. Letting her gaze slip around her she wondered where they'd come from.

Had they been a part of the herd that had passed them on the highway?

Or had they been a part of the mass of cars stalled out? Had they taken refuge here in the woods only to find their apparent refuge left much to be desired?

There were farm houses out here, Callie thought idly, again letting her gaze slip around as she deftly worked over the rocky terrain. Maybe they had come from one of those. Maybe these woods were full of them.

"Son of a bitch," Callie muttered feeling the pain in her side stab at her and cause her feet to falter just a bit on the brush of leaves and sticks. Sweat slipped over her brow and down her nose and burned a path into the corner of her eye causing her to close it and shake her head, and thus lose her focus.

And that was all it took really. A fucking drop of sweat burning into her already wet –from the wind—eyes and her foot hit a loose rock. Her left ankle twisted and rolled painfully, her leg buckling and knee hitting the ground with such force it rocketed up her entire body and flared into her hip. And then she was tipping sideways, her body still moving with the momentum she'd carried through those woods. She rolled, elbow hitting hard on the ground and she felt the skin break open. Her sliced hand smacked into the ground and reopened the wound sending a searing wave through her fingers.

Callie tucked in her shoulder as she regained a bit of her mind during the fall and controlled the rest of her descent down the small incline. A rush of water hit her back and right shoulder before her face was submerged and she came up spitting out the tepid water.

Her breathing, the thing which she'd been controlling so well in the zone of her run, came out sputtered and she began gasping for breath as she painfully pushed up to her knees. Wincing at the feel of her sliced hand pushing in the rocky water, she again spared a look at the Walkers.

"Oh for fuck's sake," Callie rolled her head along with her eyes and pushed painfully back to her feet. Four of them now. Honest to God they were fucking multiplying on their own. Callie's toes slipped on the flat rocks under the water and she found herself struggling to gain her footing. She pressed on and when her hands hit the bank she finally just had enough.

Turning around, Callie planted her ass along the dry bank and pulled her gun from the back of her waistband where Rick had tucked it before they slid under the car. The first Walker, a man in a pair of pants that she shuddered to realize where fatigues staggered towards her. His dead arms reaching out as his shambling steps faltered on the soft ground around the creek. She took one moment, to flip her eyes up to see the other Walkers, and figure out her plan of action.

Quick as she could she reached across her body with her wounded left hand and gripped her knife, sliding it quickly from the sheath on her thigh. She shook her head and let out one breath at the oncoming monster in the dark green fatigues, before propelling herself painfully to her feet.

One thought sliced through her mind as the pain in her left leg shot a burst of adrenaline into her body.

It worked for Rick.

Callie dove forward, lifting her right hand, her gun hand, and whacking away the one reaching arm circling her arm around it's dead one and pulling it down. The dead man's jaws snapped at her and she snarled in return, thrusting up with her knife. It slid as she expected it to, like a hot knife through butter, up under the chin and right into the brain stem. She took a moment, biting her bottom lip hard, and twisted the knife. She felt the moment it died, for the second time, it's weight becoming heavy and she strained under it.

Her feet sloshed in the low waters of the creek and she stumbled back. Her right hand continued its journey and she placed the barrel of her gun into the still fleshy belly of the dead Walker.

Three more.

With an effort she continued to backpedal, the brunt of the weight of the dead Walker helping to take her back the necessary steps. But her fatigue was causing her arms to shake as she pressed the barrel of her gun as deep into the gut of the Walker as she could. The next Walker came into view and she fired. She wasn't sure if it was muffled or not, because it sure sounded as loud as ever in her ears.

The bullet flew out of the back of the Walker she held and hit the oncoming Walker in the side of its neck.

"Son of a—" Callie tipped herself backwards and angled the gun just a bit up to a new spot. She fired again. Pay-dirt. "Booyah," Callie said smiling and calling forth her inner Daryl as she watched the fucker fall. The next Walker tripped on the body of the one she'd just felled so when she fired it went well over the falling body of the geek and imbedded high into a tree. Shaking her head, Callie took one final step backwards and felt the back of her heel hit a root.

Callie started falling, the body of the dead man coming right on top of her. She pushed hard at the body using all of her strength to pull it up and off of her. Her left hand with held the knife which was still imbedded under the chin of the Walker and she tipped the upper portion of the body to the left. She moved her gun with it, putting the barrel to the pectoral of the Walker. She fired and hit pay-dirt again, watching in utter delight as the bastard crumpled in a heap a bit down from his friend.

One more.

Callie's eyes slipped around the woods, her arms shaking like brittle little twigs under the weight of the dead man she was still holding up. Her eyes were wide, her ears listening hard to the sounds around her under the rush of the blood between them. Deep inhale, long low breath out. Eyes sweep right. Deep inhale, long low breath out. Eyes sweep left. Deep inhale-

A long hissing breath and a moan over her left shoulder. Instant reaction, and adrenaline, that's really all she could really use to explain what happened next. Callie pushed up with her left hand still holding the knife that was leading the head of the dead body she was using as a silencer, her right knee between its legs helping to lift it over her. Her right hand, moved up the body to sit beside her knife under the head, and she simply fell back on to the ground.

Her vision flew back too. Tree trunk. Thick branches. Green leaves parting slightly to reveal a beautiful blue sky and a smatter of clouds and yellow splendor. More leaves. More branches. Brown matted hair. Dead eyes. Big fucking ugly mouth open and trying to get to her.

Callie fired, the bullet tearing through the skull of the man she held and going straight into that wide open jaw. The back of both Walker's heads disintegrated into an explosion of blood and brain matter that rained down on her in a disgusting burst that had her closing her eyes. Finally Callie fell limp to the ground, her gun hand falling to her right and her knife finally sliding out and coming to rest between her body and the dead one atop her.

"Sweet Jesus," Callie said on a shaking breath out. Callie's head tipped up and she pressed hard into the body atop her dislodging it and rolling it off of her. Her head fell back into the dirt, her feet once again submerged into the low water of the creek.

She stayed that way for a few seconds, desperately trying to control her breathing and the erratic beating of her heart. She needed to calm down. Otherwise she was going to have a heart attack. Three deep breaths, then three more.

She pushed up, at the sound of rustling that could have been anything but her mind instantly went to Walker. 'Cause they fuckin' multiply out here. She pushed up to her knees and looked around, eyes skimming over the bodies, the trees. That thinning out that she'd been so close to, now a bit further than she would have liked. She pushed to her feet and shoved her gun into the back of her jeans, groaning at the feel of the mud and muck coating her jeans and shirt. She wiped her knife on her legs and smiled down at her jeans.

"Lucky fuckin' jeans," Callie muttered with a smile as she put a hand to her right knee as she trudged sullenly but forcefully up the small incline towards that thinning area of trees. "Never taking you off. Not ever." She took in another breath and shook her head at herself. "Fuck me." She let out another breath as she pushed against the pain in her left leg and her whole body, her eyes glued to the thinning area of trees.

* * *

Shane cupped a hand over his mouth and stared down at the tree line where Daryl and Rick had just disappeared. His lips twitched under his fingers and he again let his eyes close as his head shook. What the fuck was it gonna take to get Rick to just stop and fuckin' listen to him again?

Honest to God. What part of 'we need a plan' didn't seem to ring through in that head of his. Shane let his hand fall back into place at his hip and firmed his lips as he shot his gaze once again over the length of trees he could see.

He understood what was going through Daryl's head. He did. Callie was out there, taking on the fuckin' world again and the poor redneck bastard was 'bout at his wits end with it. Along those lines, Jenna was out there too. And they'd all been around Callie and her crew long enough to know that they were a fuckin' package deal.

So yeah, whether he liked the fucker or not, he understood what was rushing through Daryl Dixon's fuckin' head the moment he vaulted that guardrail and shot an angry glare at every one that tried to talk him into anything different.

But Rick. Fuck. This Lone Ranger and Tonto bullshit he had going on with the redneck was really starting to claw at his insides. Not a moment's hesitation. Not a single one had stayed Rick's steps from following Daryl right over that fuckin' guardrail. Not the whack to the back of his head. Not the slight dizziness that anyone could see still plaguing him as he half stumbled to catch up to the faster man. Not a single word that Shane or Lori uttered had stopped or even slowed him.

Shane wiped the back of his hand under his nose, sliding the sweat that had accumulated there away with a snarl. He slipped his gaze beside him and watched Miles kick angrily at the metal guardrail, his booted foot smashing hard into it over and over as he grumbled to himself. The kid's gaze shifted up to the trees, and then down to his boots and he was again smashing his toe to the metal. That angry glare slipped to Shane then back down as he grumbled and kicked out again.

At least Shane was able to talk some sense into the two idiots before they ran off. The one thing all three of them had agreed on. Miles was staying put. The kid's heart was in the right place, and watching as he kicked at the guardrail again, Shane felt for him. He did. His heart was in the right place, but sadly his head was right there with it. And the one thing that all three of them had been able to agree on was that if the kid couldn't separate the two he was going to be a liability more than an asset in the woods.

Shane squinted his eyes at the trees again and watched as Miles picked up his bat. The kid hefted the weight in his hands, tapping the weight against the cast that still covered his left palm and eyed Shane with so much contempt that Shane actually felt himself grinning.

"You can think about it all you want, kid." Shane said watching Miles brow tip as he lowered his head against the harsh sun above. "But you actually try it and I will floor your ass. Get me?"

"Fuck off," Miles said simply, causing Shane to chuckle. Shane watched Miles shift the bat into a settled position on his right shoulder. He slipped down the guardrail, further away from Shane and then settled his ass against the nearest car. Propping one foot on the guardrail, Miles shrugged his shoulder and let the bat fall between his feet. His eyes slipped back to the trees and Shane's followed.

"Shane," Lori's voice sounded and for a single moment he thought he was imagining it. She hadn't talked to him, not really him and him alone, since that _incident_ they had at the CDC. The one that haunted him day in and day out. The look on her face when she scratched him and pulled away -"Shane," a bit more force to the voice and the feel of her fingertips on his shoulder had him turning to face her.

He didn't say anything. For some reason he couldn't fathom at the moment, he just couldn't seem to form words. He stared at her for a long time, watching her wait for him to acknowledge her or something. He squinted hard at her, and scratched the back of his thumb to the middle of his forehead. Finally she must have realized that the look he was giving her was all she was going to get. She took a deep breath in and let her eyes slide from him and over to where the rest of the group was milling about by the RV.

"T-Dog's arm," Lori began, her eyes lifting back to his. Her mouth stilled, stuck open in mild amazement at the look of shock that seemed to be stuck on his face. She shook her head and blinked twice before starting again. "His arm. It's pretty bad. Can you take a look. I think he may need stitches-"

"Shit Lori," Shane, woken from his fuckin' stupor when she shook her head at him, rolled his eyes and his head along his shoulders. Lori stepped back as he shook his head and looked at her incredulously. "Have someone else look at it. Fuck," he tossed his hand up and out towards the RV. "Callie taught Carol how to do it. Have her fuckin' -"

"She's distraught," Lori snapped back, her body advancing on him. Shane stood his ground, marveling at the woman coming at him, his eyes sliding over her aggravated features. "She's worried about her daughter-"

"So get her un-distraught," Shane snapped again cutting her off. Lori let out an irritated breath and licked at her lips as she readied herself for a fight. God could she fight. It was something he'd always loved- Shane shook his head and shoved his hands to his slim hips. "Have her look at it. Help her get her fuckin' mind off of it. God knows she isn't doing anyone any good sitting up there cryin' 'bout it."

"I can't believe you would—"

"Shane!" Dale's voice cut over the air and both Lori and Shane shifted their attention to the man standing watch as usual atop his monstrosity of a vehicle.

Dale was looking out at the tree line, his eyes shifted down the road a bit where the Walker herd had first appeared from. He lowered the binoculars from his face and skipped his gaze down, his heavy brows furrowed and worry etched into his features.

"There's someone down there," Dale said quietly, obviously not trying to alarm any of the others nearby. His eyes finally met Shane's, and Shane found himself staring numbly up at him for a moment before Dale slipped his gaze to Lori and then the trees.

Shane flipped his eyes to the trees, and squinted in the sun, idly he wondered where the fuck he'd set his hat. Lifting his left hand he shielded his eyes and tried hard to make out the figure just breaking through the trees. Dark matted hair was really all he could make out.

Shane's gaze slipped back to Dale, watching the old man lift his binoculars up and then quickly back down.

"It's Callie!" Dale said, a bit more authority and force behind his words.

Shane's eyes went wide and his gaze slipped back to the figure of the woman staggering slowly out into the sun. Not far off Shane heard Miles' boot slip off the guardrail, and he turned slightly to see the boy staring at the woman making her way into the grass. A flash of a look over his shoulder at Shane and he was off, vaulting his body over the guardrail. Shane's head rolled along his shoulders and he growled low in his throat as he followed quickly behind.

Shane ate up the distance separating he and the boy in no time, his hand shooting out and grabbing the boy by his shoulder and pulling him just a bit. Miles shrugged him off, but Shane had succeeded in pulling the kid just a bit behind him. They were running full tilt down the hill when Callie's head snapped up to see them coming.

Shane watched her smile, the width of it nearly eating up her entire face and he felt himself returning it despite the anger boiling in his blood at her reckless fuckin' actions. His smile didn't last though. No, that euphoric feeling came crashing down around all of them as something emerged out of the woods after her. Callie must have heard it because her smile faltered and her eyes went wide.

Shane's legs pumped faster, and he was fuckin' galloping down the hill rather than running as he watched the woman slowly begin to turn around to face the Walker shambling out after her. Faster, and harder he pushed himself down the hill, amazed at himself that he didn't fall. Callie was turned all the way around now, her hand lifting with the knife, but the Walker had grabbed on to her arm. Shane spared one look over his shoulder, his eyes colliding with Miles' hardened stare. The boy gave him a single nod as he lifted the bat he was running with and sped up his stride.

"Callie!" Shane yelled and the woman spared one look over at him.

Her eyes went wide, and he watched her face contort as she worked to brace herself. Shane's arms went wide and he dipped his shoulder low, settling it under her arm as his arms hooked and wrapped around her. The force of his hit loosed the grip of the walker and sent if flying upwards as Shane and Callie flew down to the ground.

Miles pushed harder, and ate up the remaining distance in no time. His bat was swinging just as the Walker was righting itself and collided hard with the geek's head crunching into its face and obliterating it. The force of the swing continued through and both Miles and the Walker went down. Miles shot up and rammed the bat two more times into the head.

Shane and Callie rolled along the ground, tumbling in a tangle of limbs and painful hits to the grass below. They both ended on their backs, Callie's head rolled up on to his chest and she curled her fingers into his shirt as she pressed her face into him. Both of them were breathing in ridiculously hard shallow breaths, and Shane lifted his left hand to his eyes rubbing his thumb hard into his temple as he felt the woman struggling to lift her face from his chest.

He lifted his head a bit and shifted his eyes to watch her lift her head. Callie breathed hard a few times, and then let her eyes slide to his, a smile again lifting the corners of her lips. She pushed up and grabbed his face planting a firm kiss to his lips. Shane laughed as she smacked at his chest and put his hands to her forearms to help her to sit up along with him.

"I think-" Callie started her shoulders lifting and falling with her deep labored breathing. "You broke my ribs," she continued smiling and wincing a bit as she sat up fully beside him.

"Yeah," Shane said nodding his head and running his hand over his dark hair. "You're welcome." She laughed and smacked him again before letting her head loll back on her shoulders so that her face was tipped up at the sky above. Shane watched her for a moment, taking in the dirt, grime and gore covering her clothing. The blood on her hand had him reaching out and taking it. "You a'right?"

Callie nodded, wincing as Shane inspected her sliced hand with a worried frown. She let him go with it and shifted her eyes to where Miles was still straddling the body of the Walker that had followed her out of the woods.

"Miles, ya okay?" Callie said between breaths. The boy's head began to nod, as he too struggled to get his breath. Suddenly his wide eyes lifted and his head snapped to her.

"Where are they, Cal?" Miles asked, and Callie's brows narrowed in confusion. She slipped her eyes back to Shane his fingers now working to look at the gouge in her elbow. Shane's dark eyes lifted and the etched look of worry there had her widening her eyes and skipping them back to Miles. "Where's Jenna? Sophia?"

"Wait," Callie shook her head and shook her arm from Shane's grip. Her eyes went wide from Miles to the man now working to get to his feet and reaching down a hand to her. "Wait. They didn't come back?"

"C'mon," Shane said flicking his hand into her face and waving it until she slowly reached up to take it. He slipped his eyes to Miles who was shaking his head and angrily grabbing his bat as he got to his feet. Shane looked back to Callie, pulling her to her feet and steadying her when she staggered just a bit. "Let's get back. We'll talk up there."

* * *

Rick watched Daryl shuffle around the body of the Walker that they'd found. It was one of two that they were both pretty sure that Callie had taken out in her run through the forest. The sight of both bodies had renewed a sense of hope into both men, and had Daryl smiling a wicked little smile up at Rick only moments ago.

But now, watching the redneck stalk around staring at the ground and the trees, the small sense of relief was dwindling. It was once again becoming replaced with that dull sense of foreboding that had pretty much followed their steps as they worked their way along the forest underbrush. Daryl had asked Rick to take him to where Callie had cut herself, and Rick had merely nodded and jutted his chin sending them off in the direction they needed to go.

They'd followed the blood trail that Callie's self inflicted wound had made in the leaves, and found the two bodies. Which by Rick's count left one unaccounted for. The pounding behind Rick's eyes doubled as he spun around, away from the sight of the angered redneck still searching the ground for where she had gone next.

"Can't find it," Daryl said, causing Rick's eyes to open. Rick shook his head and instantly regretted the motion as the world spun a bit. He braced his hands on his hips and widened his stance as he turned to look at Daryl.

Daryl scrunched his face and again let his squinted gaze slide around the leaves and dirt around him. He kicked out his foot and smashed it into the side of the dead Walker at his feet and lifted his gaze to Rick not far off. Rick opened his eyes wide and lifted his brows high as he fought off what was probably a mild concussion. One more kick and Daryl was shouldering his crossbow and scratching at the side of his face.

"Good bit of a dust up," Daryl said idly his feet sliding along the sticks and leaves as he made his way to where Rick stood. "She put up a fight here," he nodded his head and indicated the decaying geek he'd just kicked. He kicked it again and Rick shook his head at him. "Probably took this fucker out and then ran off again. Guessin' the cut in her hand was clotted up," he shifted his eyes around and watched Rick do the same. "Or she wrapped it."

Rick's eyes skipped to his and Daryl snarled at the look. Yeah, he knew he was being fuckin' hopeful. Daryl snarled and kicked at the fuckin' ground again.

"Anyway," Daryl continued. "Whatever happened, she ain't here, and there ain't 'nough blood to let me trail her."

"Which is a good thing," Rick said succinctly, his chin dipping and his eyes once again blinking hard against the pressure building behind them.

"Yeah," Daryl said in return, his nose twitched to the side and he stepped a bit closer to the slightly pale looking man with his hands on his hips. "Ya ain't gonna drop on me are ya?"

"No," Rick said firmly, his head tilting up from where it had dipped to his chest. Daryl regarded him for a long moment and then smacked his fist hard into Rick's shoulder. Rick flinched back and gave Daryl a look that said 'really?' and followed the now humored redneck's movements with his eyes. "Good. Now c'mon. Let's go back to where you and the girls split up."

"You sure?" Rick said slowly following behind the almost graceful movements of the other man. Daryl's gaze slipped over his shoulder, Rick's complete view of the man's profile hindered by the crossbow. Rick watched Daryl's jaw clench, the muscle ticking under the slight growth of hair there. He watched as Daryl skimmed the area that they'd been milling about for a good length of time, and watched him snarl a bit when he dipped his head and turned back around to start walking away again.

"S'what she'd want me to do," Daryl said simply as Rick moved to follow behind him. "Ain't got nothing to follow here," he tipped his head back as Rick fell into step beside him. Their eyes met and Rick watched Daryl yet again twitch his nose before biting the inside of his cheek. "We're losing light, can't go traipsin' 'round after her when we got ourselves an actual trail back where you split from the girls. She's smart. She'll get back."

"Gonna have to tie her to the damn Hummer," Rick said idly rubbing at his left temple. He heard Daryl's steps stop, and Rick stopped too. The look on the other man's face was downright laughable and had Rick grinning for the first time since they entered the woods. Daryl stared at Rick for a good long while, watching the grin grow on his face. Finally Daryl nodded and started walking again.

"Crossed my mind," Daryl said simply and Rick chuckled as he started walking again.

They walked in silence for the most part, both men searching the area around them for any signs of the girls, or Callie, or Walkers. Nothing. Absolutely nothing disturbed the tranquility of the forest area as they trekked back to where Rick had been attacked. Daryl's feet stopped at the rocks where Rick had hit his head, the large streak of red along the rock causing him to look to where Rick was working his way slowly around the body of the Walker he'd taken out.

Daryl watched Rick move, his footing unsure but his posture stiff as he worked to overcome the heaviness that was no doubt sitting on his shoulders. _In more ways than one, _ Daryl thought watching Rick slip his eyes up the incline to where the he'd last seen the girls. Daryl may not have known Rick for that long, but he'd been through hell with him enough times to know when the man was shouldering a bit of the devil's work as his own.

The worry marring the brow of the former Sheriff was similar to the way he'd looked in Atlanta. When they'd reached that roof top and found Merle's hand. It was the same as it had been when Gracie had been missing during the attack at the Quarry. And it was the same as it had been when they'd been in those halls together at the CDC.

The man had a bad habit of taking too much on his shoulders. Shit that was well out of his hands, he took responsibility for. Daryl let out a huff of breath and knocked the tip of his crossbow into the destroyed head of the Walker at his feet. Man was just like Callie in that respect.

Probably why they got on so fuckin' well.

A blast of static filled the air around them, and had Daryl's head snapping up from where he was poking at the ground. His eyes slipped to Rick who stared almost shocked at the walkie at his hip.

"_Rick_," Dale's voice, barely heard over the static had Daryl's brow quirking as he got to his feet. Rick slipped his gaze to Daryl as he unclipped the Walkie.

"Thought the thing had died," Rick said listening to the distinct beep indicating the battery was almost dead. Daryl's brow quirked again and he shrugged as Rick pressed the button on the side. "Dale. We got no battery or signal. Can you read me?" Rick depressed the button listened to the static as his head slipped around him, as if the old man were gonna pop outta the fuckin' trees and say 'boo', Daryl huffed and let his eyes slip around looking for the girls trail. "Dale. Come back."

Daryl half listened as Rick continued to try and raise Dale on the walkie, his eyes picking up what he assumed was the trail of the girls in the brush. His eyes slipped back to Rick and he watched as he shook his head and closed his eyes tight. Rick's free hand rubbed at the back of his head and his face scrunched in a wince as he hit the gash.

"Gonna fuckin' open it up if you keep rubbin' at it," Daryl shot down to the man. Rick didn't look up, just lifted the hand from the back of his head and waved it around in the air. The 'yeah, yeah' motion had Daryl smirking as he walked the erratic path of the girls.

"_Rick_," Dale's voice again and Daryl was shaking his head at the ground. "_Callie's back_." The words were hard to make out through the static, but Daryl heard them loud and clear. His head snapped up and his gaze met Rick's instantly. Daryl's feet moved without him really thinking about it and he was by Rick's side in a second.

"She a'right?" Daryl asked almost angrily, huffing when Rick wasn't moving fast enough to ask the question. "C'mon." Rick put up a hand when Daryl grabbed for the walkie and pumped it twice to tell Daryl to back off. Growling Daryl bounced his head and waited for Rick to respond.

"_She's -" _Dale's voice started again, but then in the background of the static Daryl picked up Callie's voice. '_I'm fine. Swear to God Glenn, you try and get me to sit one more time I'm gonna snap.' _Daryl and Rick shared a humored glance before both men were shaking their heads. "_She's okay,"_ Dale continued with a bit of a chuckle that died with his next words. "_The girls aren't with her."_

"Damnit," Rick said quietly. He shook his head and licked his parched lips before lifting the walkie to them. Just as he was about to respond he looked to Daryl. The redneck's hand was cupped to his mouth and he was shifting his eyes around the woods as his shoulders lifted in deep breath after deep breath. "Daryl?" Rick said catching the man's attention and causing his hand to fall to the strap holding his crossbow around his chest. "You wanna go back? Or you wanna keep going?"

"What and leave you to get lost too," Daryl snapped back. "Yeah, that'll go over _real_ well." Rick chuckled but shook his head, waiting for a real answer. Daryl shook his head and looked to the sky. "We keep at it," Daryl said nodding his head back at the trail he found. "Girls may be 'round here in a tree somewhere. We keep goin' 'till the light starts to fade. Then we head back, figure the rest out from there."

"Alright," Rick nodded his head and lifted the walkie back to his lips and watched Daryl head back to the trail he found. He pressed the button and squinted again at the pain in his head. "We read you, Dale. We got the girls' trail. Gonna check around before we lose the light."

"_Right_," Dale's voice came back and even through the static you could hear the dejected tone loud and clear. Rick pinched at the bridge of his nose and before clipping the walkie back to his belt. Daryl was a few paces ahead, his eyes skimming the wooded area around them and when Rick moved forward the wash of black specs that slipped into his vision nearly had him stumbling back to the ground.

"Ain't gonna have to carry your ass am I?" Daryl said idly as he shifted a glance at Rick over his shoulder. There was humor lacing his words, but the concern in his eyes was sincere and Rick shook his head and rolled his shoulders back. "Right," Daryl sneered and shook his head as the walkie beeped again. "Should turn that fuckin' thing off 'fore all that beepin' attracts more Walkers."

"Right," Rick said spinning the knob on top until the walkie clicked off. Rick rubbed hard at his temple and then pushed through the pain and jogged to catch up to the other man. Daryl slipped his eyes to Rick and there was a brief nod between them before they headed off further into the forest.

It was a quiet trip, silence hanging comfortably between the two of them as they worked along the trail that Daryl had picked up. Rick's vision continued to shift in a dizzying tilt as they went, but he shook it off and kept his eyes glued to their surroundings and the branches above them. The thought that maybe, just maybe the girls were hidden above and just waiting for them, kept his steps moving along.

"Looks like they had a couple of geeks on them." Daryl's voice sounded from a bit further up and had Rick's head snapping back down from his perusal of the trees.

"A couple," Rick said anxiously as he moved forward to stand beside Daryl. Rick let his wide eyes slide to the ground as he desperately tried to see what the other man was seeing.

"Hard to tell," Daryl said idly, his foot again kicking out at a disturbed area not far off. "The girls ain't real graceful, and it looks like they was just zigzaggin' around like chickens with their heads off," he looked up and smirked at Rick. "So could be they was making all this mess. But something 'bout the way they were runnin' here," he snarled and kicked at a stick that upon closer examination was actually a couple of severed fingers. "Yeah, somethin' tells me that they was runnnin' from more than just one geek. Jenna coulda taken out just one."

"You got a lot of faith in that little girl," Rick said kneeling down to look at the two fingers still attached by just a bit of skin. The decaying grayish skin told him it didn't belong to one of the girls, and he lifted it to Daryl's nodding view.

"Yeah," Daryl said simply watching Rick angrily tossed the fingers aside and put his hands to his knees as he continued to skip his eyes around the woods. After a few seconds Rick pushed groggily to his feet, and Daryl watched him with a wary eye, waiting for him to just fall over. But the former sheriff didn't fall, he winced just a bit, shook his head and trudged on past Daryl with intent but no real idea which way he was supposed to go. "Ain't no blood," Daryl said idly as they worked their way further into the woods. Rick shifted his gaze from where it had been on a few trees behind them, and watched as Daryl kicked at the leaves in front of him. Daryl's eyes slipped to Rick and held for a moment. "That's something."

"How far could they have gone?" Rick said in return, shaking his head as Daryl quirked his brow and continued working the trail. "Why wouldn't they just head back? We're heading in the complete wrong direction now. Jenna was heading the right way before. I figured they'd be okay, that she was old enough-"

"Jenna's tough," Daryl said cutting off Rick's guilt-ridden speech. Rick looked up and Daryl shrugged. "Girl's been through a lot. Killed herself a few Walkers 'fore they got to camp, and even took out one or two when she was there." Rick stared as Daryl moved along, eyes stuck to the ground as he walked. "Callie ain't one to let them kids go soft. She and Danny been trainin' them to survive since they found 'em. Hell, even Ben knows how to use a knife. If she's with Sophia then they got a fightin' chance."

Daryl looked up at that point and Rick stared as the man idly nodded his head. A few beats of silence and Rick was shaking his head.

"I shouldn't have left them," Rick said quietly. "I shouldn't have let Callie run off, and I shouldn't have left those girls."

"You saw the look right?" Daryl asked and Rick furrowed his brow in confusion before watching a smirk fall onto the other man's lips. "Callie," Daryl continued letting his gaze fall to the ground as he and Rick again began walking. "She gets this fuckin' look on her face 'fore she pulls this shit."

"Yeah," Rick said idly his footing slipping over a bunch of loose leafs and soft dirt. He pushed forward and again scanned the trees.

"Can't beat yourself up over her runnin' off," Daryl said surprising Rick and causing him to stop again. "Woman got this stupid streak in her that's workin' my last nerve." Rick smiled as Daryl shook his head and slipped his gaze over his shoulder. "But she's back, and she's fine. So don't put that on your shoulders. As for the other two," Daryl bit at his cheek and let his eyes skip over the ground and Rick stared at him. Daryl grew a bit uncomfortable under the stare and walked a bit away, leaving Rick to wonder if he'd even finish what he was going to say. "Far as I see it," Daryl started again, eyes still locked on the trail they were following. "Ya didn't really have much choice, getting taken down by that Walker." Daryl caught Rick's eye at this point and both men yet again stopped walking. "Ya didn't leave 'em behind."

Rick stared at Daryl, that simple statement hanging in the air between them. It was strange to think that it was only a few weeks ago that Daryl was saying quite the opposite to him. That only a few weeks had passed since Daryl was happily tossing life after lost life onto Rick's shoulders as penalty for the wrong committed against his brother.

Daryl's jaw clenched and Rick's mouth opened. He wasn't really sure if he should say the 'thank you' that was sitting on the tip of his tongue. But he felt like he needed to say it. Say something to the man. Rick scrubbed at the back of his neck, feeling the sweat mixing with the dried blood on the back of his neck and opened his mouth again. His mouth snapped shut again when he brought his hand forward and stared at the blood once again marring his fingertips.

"I told ya, you were gonna open it back up rubbin' at it like that." Daryl snapped at the sight of Rick's bloody hand. The redneck reached back to his back pocket and pulled out a rag and shoved it at Rick. Rick's hand closed around the rag and he grimaced at the feel of what he now knew to be blood once again slipping down the back of his shirt's collar. "Cover that shit up 'fore-"

A snapping twig caught both men's attention and had their heads flying in the other direction. Daryl's hands snapped up, his crossbow up and sighted in the second that it took Rick to unsheathe his knife. Daryl's tongue slipped out and licked at his bottom lip before he grabbed it with his teeth. He slipped his gaze to Rick and motioned with the simple jut of his chin for Rick to move.

Rick's gaze narrowed when Daryl's lips tilted in a bit of a smirk, realization hitting him hard and causing him to narrow his brow in a bit of agitation. Daryl's smirk grew into a full on grin and he shrugged his shoulders causing Rick to shake his head.

"C'mon," Daryl whispered that grin still in place. "You're the one bleedin'." Rick lifted his hand and shook a finger of chiding at the man and then started walking away. "I got you, Deputy Bad-Ass, just draw 'im out a bit."

"Unbelievable," Rick muttered as he made his way slowly out of the growth of trees that they'd been situated behind. Slowly Rick began to put himself into the path of the Walker sniffing at the air around him. It was obvious that the smell of Rick's once again bleeding wound had drawn the Walker from where ever it had been. The undead man in a pair of work pants and a ripped blue flannel continued to search until Rick stepped fully into the open air. The snapping of the Walker's head was instant, the flaring of dead eyes as they connected with the source of the fresh smell of blood was a shock to see up close and personal.

Rick suddenly realized that the Walker was much closer than he'd really like it to be. He backpedaled a bit and gripped his knife tight, wondering just when Daryl was gonna choose to come out and take care of the problem. Rick's foot slid a bit down another incline and he snarled as the Walker reached out for him. Rick's foot fell a bit more and he went down to a knee as a branch under his foot rolled.

The familiar twang of Daryl's crossbow being released, followed by the whizzing sound of the arrow as it cut through the air towards its target. The arrow pierced the back of the Walker's head and the thing fell in a heap in front of Rick. The breath that left Rick was long and angry as he stared at the redneck as he came out from behind a tree.

"What were you waiting for?" Rick snapped.

"Had to get around him," Daryl said simply, but the smile still in place on his face told Rick a different story. Daryl skipped his humored glance around to him and shook his head. "Figured you'd be good. Seein' as you had your plan of fallin' down the fuckin' hill again all worked out."

"Fuck you, Daryl." Rick said simply earning a loud bark of laughter from the other man.

"Oooh, Deputy Bad-Ass got himself a potty-mouth today. Gonna have to watch who you're hangin' out with, momma's gonna have herself a heart attack when she hears that language." Rick let out another sigh and pushed to his feet. Daryl was at his side, pulling on his arm and Rick couldn't help but shake his head again at the now stoic man. Daryl jutted his chin towards the back of Rick's head.

"Get some pressure on it," Daryl said as he squinted at the wound. "Way it's bleedin' probably gonna need some stitches."

"Yeah," Rick said lifting the rag Daryl had handed him earlier to the back of his head. He winced as he put a bit of pressure on the wound and watched Daryl begin to circle the body of the Walker. Daryl was staring down at the Walker for a few seconds before he finally reached down and pulled out his arrow. Rick watched Daryl's face contort and his nose twitch just before he began to chew the inside of his cheek. "What is it?" Rick asked pushing the rag harder into his head as he walked over to where Daryl stood.

"Fucker's missing a few fingers," Daryl said kicking the left hand of the Walker. Rick looked down and noticed that first and middle finger on the hand were severed. Rick pressed the rag tighter to the back of his head before tucking it into the back of his shirt's collar to let it catch some of the blood.

Kneeling down slowly Rick pulled his gloves out of his back pocket and put them on. He could feel Daryl's gaze on him as he lifted the hand of the walker and began to inspect the three remaining fingers. Daryl's gaze narrowed and then his eyes skipped up and around them. Rick heard the man shifting in agitation behind him and let out a sigh. A deep breath in and Rick moved his hands towards the mouth of the Walker.

"The fuck you doin'?" Daryl's irritated voice sounded in a harsh whisper over head. Rick shook his head but didn't look up, just continued to pry open the awful smelling mouth of the decaying dead man.

"He's got skin under his nails," Rick said simply, grimacing and turning away a bit as the smell of the inside of the Walker's mouth hit his nostrils. "And between his teeth." Rick let go of the Walker's mouth and shook his head and idly wiped his gloved hands along his pants. He spared a glance up to Daryl who was now staring at him in full understanding of what that may have meant. Rick pulled his knife up and tapped it against his leg. "We should check."

Daryl fell to his knees then, his crossbow sitting on the ground beside him and he pulled his own knife. "I got it," Daryl said watching Rick's eyes widen as he shook his head. "How many things you gutted before?" Rick's mouth opened and then closed as he sighed. Daryl nodded his head and hesitated only a bit before plunging his knife in and slicing the Walker open.

The smell hit them both like a ton of bricks, but hit Rick a bit harder. Memories of smashing into a couple of Walkers with an axe and covering himself, Glenn and Miles in the decaying innards flew into his brain. He'd held it together then, but couldn't quite seem to this time. As Daryl dug in deeper with his knife and spilled the intestines and pulled with his bare hands Rick felt his body tensing. A rush of heat filled his entire body, and his vision tipped to an unbearable angle. Suddenly Rick pitched to the side and heaved the contents of his stomach to the forest floor.

Daryl stopped in his work and spared a glance to the man beside him. Rick's body convulsed and heaved again, the blood-soaked back of his head tilting oddly as he spat out the contents of his stomach. Rick spat one final time and pushed back to a kneeling position beside Daryl, wiping the back of his forearm over his mouth. Rick's eyes lifted to Daryl's raised brow and he grimaced.

"Must be the concussion," Rick said and Daryl couldn't help but snort.

"Whatever you say," Daryl said in return, his eyes going back to the body he'd just opened up. He reached in again and pulled out the stomach. "'Bout to have me a concussion." Daryl swallowed the lump of bile that was trying to force its way up his throat and listened as Rick snorted beside him. "Definitely had himself a big meal not too long ago." Daryl said letting his hands feel around the stomach.

Rick slipped his gaze to Daryl and he sidled closer, watching Daryl's brow raise. Rick nodded and then winced as Daryl stuck his knife in and cut an opening in the stomach. Both men made disgusted noises and turned slightly away for a single second. The next second Daryl was stuffing his hands into the stomach and Rick was waiting to follow. Their fingers squished in the innards of the stomach grabbing and pulling the contents out for them to inspect in the slightly fading sunlight overhead. After what seemed like way too long of a time Daryl's knife pulled out a tiny skull and held it up for inspection.

"Looks like this ugly sum'bitch had himself a woodchuck for dinner." Daryl said twisting the skull for Rick to see. Rick nodded his head and watched Daryl chuck the skull off of his knife point.

Both men sat there for a few minutes, staring at the sight of the disemboweled Walker. They wiped their hands as well as they could on their clothing and idly Rick realized it was probably the best defense they could have walking around in the woods. They now smelled like death and decay, and hell, it had worked before.

Rick watched Daryl kneeling on the ground, his eyes glued to the body before him and his hand pressing into his right hip. He watched the redneck continue the motion, a slight grimace on his face and finally he had to ask.

"You a'right?" Rick asked, his voice apparently waking Daryl from his thoughts. Daryl's squinted gaze lifted to him and Rick jutted his chin towards the hand still idly pressing at his hip. "You hurt?"

"No," Daryl said quietly, his hand falling from his hip and to his knee. Rick continued to watch him for a minute, and finally Daryl's face contorted in that uncomfortable way it did when he didn't want to talk. His shoulders hunched just a bit and he shifted so that he could slip his hand into his pocket. Rick was not prepared for what he pulled out, but the sight of it had him smiling.

The gold badge. The one he'd worn for so long that it didn't feel right leaving it behind at the station when he Morgan and Duane had found it. The one given to Gracie to make her feel better. The one the little girl wore every day, hell even when she slept, was clutched in the dirty hands of the redneck. Daryl's fingers smoothed over the numbers and letters as he just stared at it.

Daryl lifted his gaze just a bit catching the silly ass grin on Rick's face. He snarled at that and then turned his attention back to the badge in his hands, watching his fingers run over the numbers. Gracie had damn near attached herself to his fuckin' hip again when he made to go off after Callie, Jenna and Sophia. She'd pulled on him, and embarrassed the fuck outta him and finally he'd had to drag her back into the RV to try and calm her down.

She's stared at him with those glassy sad eyes of hers as he explained what he needed to do. And shit if he hadn't felt like a fuckin' idiot the whole damn time. Since when did he have to answer to some little girl and her fuckin' worries? He shoulda just left her with Lori or Andrea and been done with it. He was shaking his head when her little hand wrapped around his, and she pulled him close. He'd flinched back, like the pansy-ass motherfucker he was and furrowed his brow. She smiled at him, just a bit and pulled him close again. That's when he felt her put the badge in his hand. He let her pull him close, her little mouth on his ear, he heard her take a breath and his own had held tight in his chest.

The single word was said so in so hushed a tone he still wasn't sure if she had actually said something, or if it had just been his own wishful, hopeful fuckin' imagination.

"Lucky," Daryl said to Rick, his eyes finally meeting the other man's. Rick looked shocked for a minute but then his eyes skipped to the badge and his silly ass grin was back and Daryl was groaning and rolling his head along his shoulders. "Said it was lucky."

"Callie's gonna want to hear that whole story," Rick said watching Daryl contend with whatever was playing in his head. Daryl nodded and looked back to where Rick was still staring at the badge. Suddenly he thrust it out towards the former Sheriff, his eyes downcast on his dirty gore covered legs.

"You want it back?" Daryl said, his voice harsh and angry but his expression wasn't. No, the man's body language reminded Rick of when he'd caught Carl playing with his uniform. The boy had looked at him with that same sort of embarrassment at having the badge and had handed it back with the same averted gaze.

"Nope," Rick said pushing to his feet. Daryl's eyes snapped to him and watched as Rick peeled his gloves off and grimaced at them. Rick met his gaze and shrugged. "I told her to give it away when she thought someone needed it. It's yours now," Rick smiled just a bit as Daryl's eyes widened for a second before his usual squinted glare was back in place. Rick held out his hand and Daryl stared at it for a minute before taking it and letting Rick help him to his feet.

Daryl put the badge back into his pocket, making sure it was tucked in deep so it wouldn't fall out. He brushed his hands on his pants again, and grabbed up his crossbow from the ground. Both men spared a glance to the slowly setting sun overhead.

"What do you think?" Rick asked and Daryl looked over to watch the man scan the area and the trees around them. "A bit longer?"

"Yeah," Daryl said shouldering his crossbow and nodding. "We got time." He smirked at Rick and Rick raised a brow. "Long as you ain't planning on taking a header down a fuckin' hill the next time we hit a Walker."

"Shut up, Daryl." Rick snapped back, the smile taking a bit of the edge off of his words.

Daryl laughed and nodded his head back up the hill towards where he'd left off on the trail. Rick nodded and followed behind, with determined steps. Daryl's eyes skipped ahead to the forest and then to the sky. The sun was lowering at a rate that Daryl cursed, the shorter days of Fall and Winter slowly heading in. They'd be in the dark soon, and both men knew that any chance they had of finding the girls today was slowly dwindling.

Idly, Daryl moved his palm along the shape of that badge in his pocket. Hoping and praying for some of that luck it apparently had to rub off and help him find these girls.

_I look ahead to all the plans that we made_

_And the dreams that we had_

_I'm in a world that tries to take them away_

_Oh but I'm taking them back_

_Cause all of this time I've just been to blind to understand_

_What should matter to me_

_My friends this life we live, it's not what we have_

_It's what we believe in_

_Cause it's not my time I'm not going_

_There's a fear in me but it's not showing This could be the end of me_

_And everything I know_

_But it's not my time I'm not going_

_There's a will in me and now I know that_

_This could be the end of me_

_And everything I know _

_Oh but I won't go_

_I won't go_

_~It's Not My Time/ 3 Doors Down_

_AN: Well, there you go. I have answered absolutely NO questions about the fate of Jenna and Sophia. But, I did get Callie back to the group safe and sound. YAY ME! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this one and can tell you that you may actually like what I'm throwing down for the next chapter…then again… NO SPOILERS_

_But, Gracie said a word...and sure y'all only got a bit and piece of how it went down I hope it was still a good segment. _

_So, because I'm an eager monkey, I'm gonna be doing the response portion in the next chapter… I know I got a lot of feedback on the last chapter so I do want to be sure to respond… It may be in PM. So keep your eyes open peeps. _

_Much Love! _

_See ya next chapter!_


	15. This Little Light Of Mine

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_So I'm not sure if this fits as a vignette or a chapter… but I decided chapter made a bit more sense to me-mainly due to length and a bit to do with the movement of the plot. _

_Not really much more to say than:_

_Read, review and most of all enjoy!_

_~SWW_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Chapter 11: This Little Light Of Mine**

Jenna had a pounding headache. The type that rested right behind your eyes and made it difficult to blink let alone keep your eyes open against the pull of the pain. She tried to tell herself that it was from the swift kick to the head that she had taken the first time she'd shoved Sophia into the tree that Rick had helped get her out of.

Or that it was from the second time the younger girl's foot had connected with the side of her head as they scrambled away and yet again up a tree to get away from the two Walkers hot on their heels.

Or maybe it was from the searing pain of the wounds in her calves. The cuts and abrasions on her knees from the mad scrambling dash up the tree. The slice that ran down the right side of her face from the branch that had caught her on the way up.

Right before Sophia's foot had once again planted itself into her temple.

But she knew that really, all of those things were as Danny would have put it, 'Addin' fuel to the fire, sweetheart'.

No, this pounding headache was due to one thing and one thing only. The pressure of holding back the tears that she so desperately wanted to let flow. She could feel her eyes burning with the effort and she knew that if Sophia were able to see her face she'd see that it was contorted in a strange manner with the effort she was putting into it.

Jenna had never been what you would call a crier. In fact, she'd always hated to do it. She was not a pretty crier, not that she really thought anyone looked good doing it. But she was a decided 'hot mess of gross' when she cried. Her face usually turned the same shade as her hair, if not brighter, and her eyes became the size of puffed up slits. Nose running, eyes leaking, breathing erratic and bordering on hyperventilation.

No matter the reason for the cry, the results were always the same.

Ever since she was a kid and Mike had coined her Red for a whole month after she'd fallen off of her horse during riding practice and cried for a whole hour, she'd pretty much vowed to never let herself fall apart again.

God how she hated that nickname.

But that of course had been before the dead started walking the earth and she lost everyone she loved in one fell swoop. Before she and Sophia had been chased from the safety of their friends and family by Walkers. Before Callie had gone off on her own to try and save them. Before Rick had been taken out by a Walker-Jenna sniffed hard and shook her head as her eyes skipped down to the forest floor below.

"God, please let them be okay," Jenna mumbled to herself. She listened to the louder sniff behind her, and put her hand to the leg of Sophia huddled close to the tree trunk behind her. She gave a single squeeze to the girl's shivering leg and heard herself hush the girl.

Shaking her head at herself Jenna lifted her hand from Sophia's leg and put it to her left temple. The place she knew a bruise had to be forming from the multiple times Sophia's foot had collided with it as they climbed the tree. The pressure was building to an almost unbearable level, and her vision became washed in liquid as she stared down at the forest floor before her.

The sounds of the undead men clawing up the tree. Dead eyes staring up at her. A mouth full of rotted teeth and a face so decayed and garish that she had a hard time really looking at it at all. Growls and moans echoed around the forest, only intensified by the sound of the Walker's fingers clawing at the bark of the tree below.

"They won't go away," Sophia's tiny voice sounded behind her and Jenna turned just a bit from her perch on the branch. She'd back Sophia into the trunk of the tree, putting herself between the Walkers below and the view of the girl. But honestly, she couldn't really block anything from view. "They aren't going to leave. We're stuck here."

"They'll come back for us," Jenna said in a quiet whisper to the girl. She knew that Sophia was shaking her head, and Jenna's chin dipped just for a moment to rest on her chest. Blinking her eyes hard at the sight of the Walker pawing up at her legs where they hung precariously from the large brand of the tree, Jenna stiffened her spine and finally shot her gaze over her shoulder to Sophia. "And even if they don't. We're gonna get out of this and get back to them."

"How?" Sophia said in so quiet and dejected a tone that it almost faltered Jenna's train of thought.

"I don't know yet," Jenna said catching Sophia's gaze with her own. She dipped her chin, this time in an effort to catch the younger girl's eyes as she looked at the ground. "I'll figure something out. I promise."

They fell into silence again, both of their eyes stuck to the sight of the two dead men pawing at the tree. 'Get high and wait for us to come,' Those had been Callie's instructions when they first got to the Quarry. And sure, Jenna and Miles had both rolled their eyes and pretty much figured they'd be doing no such thing. And yeah, Jenna had balked when Callie first started making her climb trees and get the hang of it. But now, as she sat feet above the Walkers below she said a silent thank you to the woman that she really wasn't sure she'd ever really thanked aloud.

"Gonna have to fix that, Jenna." Jenna mumbled to herself as she fiddled with the knife in her hands. The fear and adrenaline from their run earlier, when she's hacked away blindly behind her at a hand that had grabbed her shoulder, had completely worn off now.

Jenna watched the tiny drop of blood slip off of the toe of her right foot, and drip right onto the face of the Walker below. She watched the drop slid down the cheek of the walker, the red streak hard to see in the low light of the slowly fading sun above. Her eyes widened as she watched the Walker in what had once been a blue flannel shirt, turned towards the Walker with the fresh blood flowing down its face. She watched in awe from her elevated position as the blue flannel wearing dead man's nostrils flared and his hands left the tree.

In a sickening kind of slow-motion the Walker began to claw and paw at that little spec of blood rolling down the face of the other Walker. Her stomach heaved, and her entire body clenched as she held tight against the sight.

And then inspiration hit her like a brick, and her eyes were wide and clear for the first time in the half an hour or so that they'd been stuck up in that tree.

"Sophia!" Jenna rasped out to the girl behind her. "Give me your sweater," Jenna reached a hand behind her to the girl now staring at her with a confused expression across her dirt-covered face. Jenna wagged her hand impatiently at the girl. "Give it to me."

Sophia watched Jenna's hand as it bounced up and down in agitation waiting for her to do as she asked. As slowly and carefully as she could, Sophia inched forward a bit, letting her iron grip on the large tree trunk fall. She dug her little fingers into the knot of fabric around her waist.

"What are you going to do?" Sophia asked quietly, her eyes skipping down and watching the blue flannel wearing Walker continue to growl as Jenna shook her foot so more blood rained down on the other Walker. Sophia turned away, swallowing hard against the sickening sight below, and was met with shining eyes that in any other setting would have been described as mischievous.

Somewhere in the back of her mind she remembered Glenn remarking that Danny had this look that always made his stomach clench. Glenn had called it an 'Uh-oh' look, because that's always what he ended up saying when he saw it cross the other man's face.

To Sophia, watching as Jenna grinned just a bit madly at her as she handed over her blue zip up sweater, the phrase 'uh-oh' seemed to fit perfectly.

Jenna grabbed the sweater and slid herself back so that she had a bit more room to bring up her feet onto the large branch. She took the sweater and wiped it over her face, grimacing at the feel and the slight pain from the large scratch that ran from her brow to her chin. Taking in a deep breath, Jenna watched the blue flannel clad Walker dig into the face of the other Walker. The jaw of the other Walker dislocated, but it kept pawing at the tree trying to get to at her and Sophia.

"Brainless idiots," Jenna muttered. "Men," Jenna shook her head and smiled. "Mom always said they were only after one thing." Jenna looked back at Sophia and saw the girl's brow drawn further in confusion. Jenna hiked up her pant leg of her heavily bleeding leg, wincing as it stuck to the wounds there. "Sorry, I tend to talk to myself when I'm scared."

"I know," Sophia said with a shy little smile. Jenna looked back again and smiled just a bit. Of course she knew. Sophia had been right at her side for most of their close calls.

"God, we're just as bad as Carl and Ben, huh?" Jenna said quietly as she wiped at the blood along the back of her calf. She twisted the wound a bit to look at it and her eyes widened just a bit.

"At least people knew where we went," Sophia said, causing Jenna's gaze to slip up from her leg and to the girl. They both smiled and let out tiny little giggles, that were broken by a long low snarl from below. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going to hopefully get us a diversion," Jenna said jutting her chin to the scene below. "See how he keeps going after the other one. It's because of the fresh blood. I figure if I can get enough of it on this," she again wiped and winced as she pushed the once blue sweater into the back of her leg. She felt her hands begin to shake and she clenched her fist tight to the fabric as she looked back and plastered what she hoped was a reassuring smile onto her face. "If I get enough on here, and stop the flow of it on my leg here," Jenna shook her head. "We can toss this out far enough from the tree, get them to leave the bottom of the tree and run."

"Run? Where?" Sophia asked, obviously not liking or fully backing Jenna's crazy plan. Jenna shook her head.

"Anywhere but here," Jenna said watching the blue flannel Walker continue to paw at the other Walker's face. "You'd think it would realize," Jenna shook her head and lifted the back of her hand to her mouth as she watched the blue flannel wearing Walker gouge the eye out of the other Walker, it's dead black tongue slipping out and licking wildly at the blood along the other one's face.

Jenna looked back at Sophia and smiled. The younger girl clenched her jaw, and let the single tear slip down her cheek.

"Hey," Jenna said pushing hard against the wound and giving a sigh of relief at the low amount of blood she got. "We're gonna get down from here, and we're gonna run towards the highway. The sun on our right, that's what Rick said. We run and we don't stop until we get to the highway."

Sophia nodded her head and watched Jenna gingerly lower her pant leg. Jenna balled the sweater up and grimaced at the feel of the blood that had soaked through it.

"That looks bad," Sophia said quietly, her hand slipping out and touching on Jenna's ripped jeans. Her eyes took in the large gash in the back of Jenna's calf. "How-"

"Must have happened when we were climbing," Jenna said shaking her head and shooting a smile back to Sophia. "Or when I fell," Jenna rolled her eyes. "Miles always said I was a klutz."

"It doesn't-"

"Okay," Jenna said cutting off Sophia and clenching her hands tight against the bloody sweater she held. "Get your foot onto that branch there," Jenna said jutting her chin and slipping a finger up to guide a strand of her hair behind her ears. Sophia stared at her for a moment longer, but at the nodding of Jenna's head she complied. Sophia slipped quietly towards the next branch, her foot slipping just a bit causing her to cringe and both girls to again look to the Walkers at their feet.

There wasn't much left of the face of the second Walker, the fingers of the blue flannel wearing bastard had dug far enough into the skull now that the left orbital bone was hanging completely off. Jenna took a deep breath and slipped her eyes back to Sophia.

"Ready?" Jenna asked, and Sophia took a long inhale before jerkily nodding her tear stained face. "That makes one of us," Jenna mumbled. Taking in another deep breath Jenna slipped the sweater down a bit and watched in awe as she actually caught the attention of both Walkers with it. They're hands groped for the fabric and Jenna let out a shaking laugh. "On three," Jenna said quietly. "One," Jenna began to ball up the fabric leaving a single bloody sleeve to entice them. "Two," Jenna heard Sophia give a long exhaling breath and the rustling of her feet on the branches heading down. "Three!"

Jenna tossed the sweater out as far as she could and watched in a strange sort of amazement as the two Walkers shambled towards it. Jenna scrambled down the branches, pushing slightly at Sophia who was almost all the way down. Jenna's injured leg caught another jutting branch, the feel of another slice to her leg causing her to yell out. The world upended for a single moment and then Jenna's back hit the ground hard, her breath leaving her in a rush.

Sophia screamed, her hands wrapping tightly underneath Jenna's arms and pulling her along the brush. The Walkers looked at them, and Jenna let out a low moaned 'Damn it', before she scrambled painfully to her feet. And off they ran, further into the slowly darkening forest around them.

Further from the Walkers at their heels.

Further from the highway and their friends.

Jenna spared a look back and was shocked when she saw only the Walker with half a face left on their heels. Her eyes searched as best they could as she ran, looking for where the Walker in the blue flannel may have gone. After a few moments of searching she gave up thoughts of finding it and simply said a 'thank you' to whoever upstairs may have called that demonic undead thing off to somewhere else.

Turning forward again, Jenna scrambled painfully after the slightly faster form of Sophia. Slowly she slipped her knife from her back pocket and pressed the button to extend the blade.

She could take out one Walker. She'd done it before.

* * *

Callie's gaze slipped the tree line again as she crossed her arms and snuggled herself deeper into the worn auto-mechanics shirt she'd tugged on an hour ago. Her finger idly worked along the stitched letters that spelled out the name 'Butch'.

She settled her backside against the Hummer, and lifted her boot to the guardrail. Biting the inside of her cheek she slipped her gaze from left to right, and back and sighed as the brisk breeze blew strands of her hair into her face. She didn't bother to move them, just again slipped her eyes along the tree line.

Rick and Daryl had come back as night began to fall. The only sign of either girl had been Sophia's blood soaked sweater. The sight of which had sent Carol into hysterics, and Callie slipping the grasping hands of everyone as she vaulted over the guardrail. It was Shane's arms that had managed to drag her to the ground, and Miles' face in front of hers that had stilled her protests.

Rick had knelt down then, and she'd broken away before he could say a word. She'd passed by Daryl's angry reaching hands and worked her way to the Hummer. And that's where she stayed. She didn't eat. She didn't sit. She didn't remove her eyes from that tree line.

She just stood there, letting her fingers work on the stitched letters of her shirt and her dirty hair blow across her face. Her fingers were still moving along those stitched letters when a familiar warm calloused hand settled on top of them. Instantly stilling their agitated motions with a simple swipe of a thumb over her knuckles. Callie didn't move her eyes from the tree line.

That hand slipped off of hers, and wrapped around her upper arm. She didn't fight him when he pulled her out from the Hummer. Didn't let her eyes roam to his face as he slipped himself in behind her. She licked her bottom lip and pulled it between her teeth as he settled his back where hers had been. His hand fell from her left arm as he worked it to the other side of her body, and tucked her back into his chest.

Still no words passed. Callie felt him shift behind her, adjusting to a more comfortable position. Her foot fell from the guardrail when he kicked it with his own and she almost smiled when he put his own foot up and snuggled her backside tighter against him. Her eyes dipped to his foot, staring at the dirt-covered pants and boot in the moonlight. His hands lifted and uncrossed her arms so that he could lift her left hand with his. His thumb moved along the bandage that Shane had applied to the wound and she felt him shake his head.

Daryl's chin moved back and forth, and his right hand lifted to push her hair away from her face and remove it from her face. He swung the tangled mass over her right shoulder, and settled his stubble-covered cheek near hers. His lips settled at her ear and they both took in a deep breath and settled their gazes o the line of trees.

They stood like that for a few moments. Her body just settled against his. His right hand rubbing her arm in slow strokes, while his left settled at her bandaged left hand idly playing with the frayed ends of what had once been one of Miles' undershirts.

Callie fell into a stupor as his lips continued to move along her ear, the low grumbling sound of his voice calming her nerves. The reverberations from it flowing through his chest and into her back. She felt the tension slowly leave her body as she listened to him.

"Ben and Gracie are in the RV tryin' to sleep," he said quietly and she felt a tiny tug at her lips. "Miles is up top doin' a pretty good impression of you right now. Ain't taken his eyes off the trees since he got up there." She didn't respond to his words and he nodded his head once before continuing on in that same low whispered tone.

He told her about what had happened to him and T-Dog on the road. About Gracie following him and how they'd had to hide under Walker bodies to avoid the horde. All of which made her cringe and a larger sense of guilt to ride over her shoulders. He must have felt the tension in her body, because he shifted just a bit. His booted foot slipping on the guardrail as he pulled her just a bit further against his warm body behind her. His voice stopping for only a second as he let out a low sigh and shook his head ever so slightly at her.

Then he was talking again, low dulcet tones in her ear. "Gracie said a word," Daryl's low whisper soft voice in her ear. Her breath hitched, and she felt him smile just a bit against her ear as he continued. He gave her every detail, down to his own thoughts that he'd just imagined the entire thing.

Silence fell between them again, and Daryl let out a long sigh. In the recesses of Callie's mind she was tempted to laugh. To turn around and spout out about how that's the most words he'd ever spoken to her in one sitting. How he yet again brought her news about her kids that she hadn't even asked for. How he was fucking snuggling with her in clear view of the three men currently sitting atop the RV.

But she didn't say any of that. She kept her eyes to the trees and let her breathing settle into the same rhythm as his. Willing away the lump that had formed in her throat the second he'd started talking so that she could say something-anything-in return to this very out of character action on his part.

Silence but for their breathing and the low crunching sound of approaching footsteps.

"Gonna find 'em," Daryl said in that whisper soft voice right in her ear. "Ya know that." Callie didn't say a word she just let her chin dip once in response, and she felt him nod his head along her shoulder. She felt his thumb continue to move along the bandage on her hand. His head turned behind hers, his eyes no doubt locking with the figure of the man standing at the front bumper of the Hummer. "Jenna's smart. She's a fuckin' survivor. I'm gonna find 'em."

"I know," Callie said finally as she felt him push her up and watched his foot fall from its perch on the guardrail. "I know. _We_ will find them. A bloody fuckin' sweater isn't a body."

"Damn straight," Daryl said smirking a bit as he realized she had been listening when he'd yelled it to her as she stormed off earlier.

Callie turned to face him finally and when their eyes met the connective spark was stronger than she'd ever felt it before. Her mouth opened with the want to say 'thank you' but for some reason no words made it out of her mouth. Daryl's eyes lifted over her head, and with a sniff he shook his head and finally let his hand fall from her injured one.

"You good?" Daryl asked and Callie nodded once. Daryl left her side and walked towards the front bumper where the figure still stood waiting. Callie listened to him walk, and worked her way over the guardrail. She sat on the metal and put her elbows to her knees, her hands dangling between her knees. "Gonna scrounge you up some food that you're fuckin' gonna eat. Can't have you traipsin' 'round the woods on an empty stomach tomorrow."

Callie waved her hand over her head at him, not bothering to look at him. She heard the sound of his hand hitting off of the shoulder of the man, and the slight wince from that other man. Her eyes stayed on the tree line as she listened to the approach of the other man's steps. He pushed gingerly over the guardrail and sat himself beside her, his hands dangling between his knees in mirror of her pose.

Silence yet again and Callie found herself shaking her head at the absurdity of it all.

"I keep going over it in my head," Callie started, her eyes on her hands now clasped between her knees. "I keep thinking of all the things we could have done in those woods. Fuck, all the things we should have done," Callie shook her head at herself and finally turned to face the man beside her. Rick stared back, his eyes shining in the dark as he listened to her, his lips firmed in a straight line, guilt hunching his shoulders as deep as her own. "I keep thinking, and thinking, and thinking, and it's not doing a damn thing to help anything."

"Yeah," Rick said quietly, his hand lifting to tangle into his hair. Callie saw him flinch as it reached the recently stitched wound in the back of his head. Another twinge of guilt settled on her as she thought back to Daryl having to be the one to handle taking care of it, while she was busy throwing herself a bit of a pity party. Her hand clenched and she winced, causing his eyes to fall to her a tiny smile tipped his lips. "We're quite the pair you and me."

"Yeah," Callie said with a chuckle. Her eyes skipped up to his and he lowered his gaze back to the trees.

"We'll find 'em tomorrow," Rick said in a forceful tone. And just in the way he said it, the inflection in his voice, she knew that he was repeating the words of someone else. A man who was far more Zen than anyone had any fucking right to be nowadays. A small smile found its way on to her face as she just stared at Rick's hardened jaw.

"Jenna's smart," Callie said in return, taking a deep breath and returning her eyes to the trees. "She smart, and resourceful. And she's a fighter," Callie smiled and looked at Rick who was again staring at her. "She, Mike and Nina had taken care of themselves for a month on the road when we found them. She's tougher than she looks." Callie's eyes tipped back to the trees. "She's smart and resourceful and a survivor."

"Sounds like someone else I know," Rick said shifting a bit closer to her on the guardrail. His pinky hit off of her hand just before he slipped his hand on top of hers. They sat that way for a while both staring at the woods, replaying events in their heads. "You know," Rick said finally, causing her gaze to slip back to him. "For someone so smart, you do a shit load of dumb things."

Callie barked out a laugh and put her injured left hand to her head. Rick's eyes followed the white bandage and held her gaze when her eyes met his. She nodded her head and tapped her fingers on the guardrail below his.

"You know, that's really not the first time in my life I've been told that." Callie said and it was Rick's turn to laugh.

"Am I supposed to be surprised by that?" Rick said in return and they smiled at each other for a few seconds more. Then their eye contact broke and the weight of the guilt that they were both shouldering over what happened in those woods today came crashing back down.

"You okay?" Callie asked as she stared at the trees.

"Yeah," Rick said quietly, his hand tightening over hers. "You?"

"Yeah," Callie said nodding and letting him scoot just a bit closer on the guardrail. "Jenna's smart. She's resourceful. She's gonna keep Sophia safe. They're both survivors."

"We'll find 'em tomorrow," Rick said scooting so that their hands were squished between their no touching thighs as they sat on the guardrail. They both continued to stare out at the woods and silently recite their own little mantras in their heads. Each one trying to ease the guilt of the other by sharing the weight.

* * *

Jenna was exhausted, and in pain, and ready to collapse by the time she and Sophia stumbled their way into the small clearing.

The darkness of the woods was unsettling, and the sounds of the animals-please let it just be animals-had both girls jumping at every turn. So finding the small clearing of trees should have been a godsend. The sight of two tents, and what looked to be a little campsite in the woods should have been something to be happy to see.

But the smell. Oh the smell.

Jenna's head turned away as the smell of decay filled her nostrils. It was a smell that she was sad to say was becoming all too common here in the supposed fresh air of the great outdoors. Jenna pulled on Sophia's hand and held the girl close to her side as they both squinted into the darkness at the tents and the campsite.

"The completely ruined and utterly scary looking campsite," Jenna muttered to herself. Sophia let out a sigh and sidled closer and Jenna squeezed her hand. "Sorry kid, bad habit."

Sophia looked up at her and gave a tiny little smile in return before both girls were again looking to the campsite before them. The smell of decaying bodies was so strong that it had Sophia backing up and trying to take Jenna with her.

"We shouldn't stay here," Sophia said quietly, her eyes skipping around the forest as she pulled on Jenna's hand. "We should go. The smell-"

"I know," Jenna said eyeing the area. Her knife was still in a death grip in her right hand, her entire arm covered in gore from ramming the knife into the lone Walker that had pursued them from the tree. She could feel the dried brain matter and black blood as it cracked along her knuckles. "I know."

And while she did know that Sophia was right. That the smell of the place was just too telling a sign that something dead, walking or not, was in those tents. Another part of her knew that they just couldn't keep running anymore. They couldn't. It was too dark now to see anything. And their bodies were both too tired to be able to move any further.

As if on cue the gash in Jenna's calf flared to life and had her shifting her weight angrily to the other foot. Both legs were covered in scratches and bruises by now, but that one on the back of her right leg was deeper and far worse than any of the others.

"So let's go," Sophia again pulled on Jenna's hand and slid her eyes around the woods.

Jenna held strong in the spot that they were at, and rolled her eyes to the younger girl staring wide eyed at her in the dark. Jenna slipped her hand away from Sophia's arm but motioned for the girl to stay close.

"Sophia, we can't keep running," Jenna said quietly. "We need to find somewhere to sleep. Somewhere to wait until morning."

"I don't want to stay here," Sophia said with a grimace. "The smell—"

"I know," Jenna said sighing and slipping her eyes to two tents. "But remember what Miles and Glenn said about getting out of Atlanta with Rick. How they covered themselves in Walker-" she cut herself off at the sight of Sophia's face contorting. "This may be out best bet at finding somewhere to stay." Sophia shook her head vigorously and Jenna sighed. "I'm sorry, Soph. I'm not really asking you here." Jenna grimaced at the slightly shocked expression that passed the younger girl's face. "My leg hurts, I can't really run anymore. I'm going to check out the tents. I want you to stay behind me and keep an eye on the area. If you see anything you yell and I'll be more than happy to run again."

"But—" Sophia started, but when Jenna began to slowly limp towards the tents she shut her mouth and slowly followed behind. Sophia really didn't want to stay in the camp. But she also didn't want to keep running further into the forest. And she knew that Jenna was hurting…but that smell. Sophia followed behind slowly, her eyes skipping around them as her feet tripped over debris. Her tennis shoe hit off of something metal and she slipped to her knees to see what it was. "Jenna."

"What?" Jenna said in a harsh whisper of fear as she turned to face the younger girl. Jenna's hand tightened on her knife and she let her gaze sharpen on all the dark recesses between the trees around them.

"Here," Sophia got up and walked quickly over to Jenna holding the small lantern in her hands. Jenna smiled just a bit and nodded for Sophia to go ahead and see if it worked. After a deep breath Sophia turned the knob on the front and both girls waited with baited breath.

The light was dim, and obviously the battery wasn't at full power, but it was on and both Sophia and Jenna let out a sigh of relief at that tiny bit of light it provided. Jenna swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded at Sophia.

"Okay, stay close, and keep behind me," Jenna and Sophia walked together to the closest tent.

Jenna took a long deep breath in, and instantly regretted it. The decaying smell from inside was almost too much for her and she gagged and turned her head away from the flap to the tent.

"Oh God," Jenna said putting her hands to her knees and shaking her head. "I really don't want to do this." She looked back at Sophia over her shoulder and felt the tears slipping down her cheeks. Sophia furrowed her brows in a silent effort to say 'you don't have to' and Jenna steeled her spine. "Okay," Jenna stood up, fighting the pain in her leg and unzipped the tent flap.

"Oh," Sophia's hand dropped the lantern and her hands covered her face, as Jenna's arm lifted so that her nose and mouth were covered by forearm. The lantern lay on its side, the dim yellow light illuminating the inside of the disgusting tent just enough to show the body sitting propped up next to a cot.

The gun in the man's hand, and the lack of anything that resembled the back of a head left very little question as to what had happened in this tent. Jenna shook her head, her eyes watering as she slipped slowly inside. Each step had her whimpering and she didn't even try to hide the sound of it or pretend she was anything but distraught by what was inside that tent. The only thing inching her forward was the sight of that gun, and the small flashlight sitting near the man's leg.

"Jenna don't," Sophia was saying as Jenna moved further inside. The younger girl's voice was quavering in fear and for a second Jenna paused.

"I want to check the gun," Jenna said. "We might need it. You could take my knife, and then we'd both be armed." Sophia's head was shaking violently from left to right as she continued to cover her face with her hands. "Soph, come on. Pick up the lantern and keep your eyes behind us."

Sophia let out a low moan of displeasure but did as Jenna asked, her small fingers curling around the little wire handle of the battery operated lantern. She lifted it, and the light shook with Sophia's arms. Jenna gave the girl a tiny smile as she worked her way forward.

Sliding her foot forward Jenna kicked the leg of the dead man and then jumped nearly a foot back, her knife up and ready. No movement. She repeated the action, because really, you just couldn't be sure anymore. When the man again remained stiffly seated near his cot Jenna reached out with her free hand and put her fingertips to the gun still sitting in the loose grip of the dead man. As she eased the gun from his fingers the hand began to slide and Jenna fell backwards. Her knife raised and ready to strike.

Sophia scrambled forward, the lantern again forgotten at her feet, as she pulled at Jenna's arms to help the other girl get away. Jenna's breathing was labored and hard as she stared hard at the dead man, and his hand that had fallen away from his body. His hand was still curled as if it were clutching the gun, but the gun was now laying on the ground.

"It's okay," Jenna said finally, her words coming out in nothing but whispered pants as she struggled to catch her breath and slow the beat of her heart. "It's okay. It just slid off his leg a bit."

"I don't want to do this anymore," Sophia said practically crying as she continued to pull at Jenna's arm. "Please."

"No," Jenna said with more force than she expected. "We're not leaving here, Sophia. So hate me if you need to but just deal with it."

Sophia fell into silence behind her and Jenna closed her eyes tight, willing her tears to stop. Finally Jenna blinked her eyes open and moved forward on her hands and knees. She took a single hesitating movement forward and then lunged, her hand wrapping around the gun. She propelled herself backwards and was surprised to feel Sophia at her back pulling her away. Jenna set the gun aside, and took one more breath repeating her motion and grabbing the flashlight near the man's leg. She gripped it tight to her chest and then pressed the bottom relishing in the added light.

Smiling up at Sophia, Jenna ran her hand through her hair and winced when she hit the scratch on the side of her face. Sophia winced too, and gave a sad little smile as Jenna clutched the flashlight close to her breast.

"Okay," Jenna said on a shaking breath. "Let's see what we've got here." Jenna picked up the gun gently and tried her hardest to recall everything her father had ever taught. Everything Mike had showed her. Everything that Danny and Callie had tried to drum into her head.

It was a revolver. A six shooter, like Rick used. She remembered watching Rick flip the cylinder out plenty of times when he would be sitting with Shane cleaning it, or reloading it. Jenna flipped the gun in her hand just a bit, her finger finding the safety and putting it on. She smiled at herself and then licked at her lips before working to push the cylinder out. It popped out and her shoulders shook just a bit as she scared herself with the action.

Empty.

"Maybe we'll find some bullets around here," Sophia said quietly looking over Jenna's shoulder at the empty gun. Jenna nodded her head tightly and then worked her way painfully to her feet. Sophia helped her up and held her arm tight. "I'm sorry. I'm-" Sophia shook her head. "I just want to get back to my mom." She looked up at Jenna and gave her tight smile. "I don't hate you."

"It's okay," Jenna said flipping the cylinder back into place and tucking the gun into the back of her waistband. Holding the knife and flashlight tight Jenna gave Sophia a small smile. "You might change your mind." Sophia's brow narrowed in confusion. "We still have another tent to check."

Sophia inhaled sharply and then let Jenna slowly push her out of the tent with the dead man. Both girls stood and stared around the clearing, ears open and listening for any sign of anything. They kept their lights low, not wanting to attract any unwanted attention with the flailing beams of light and then just stared at the other tent.

"Ready?" Jenna said to Sophia.

"Are you?" Sophia said in return. Both girls locked gazes for a moment but neither one felt the need to answer. Of course they weren't ready. This wasn't something you were ever ready for.

But thankfully, months of living on the run at least gave them some semblance of a thicker skin for the horror of their new existence. Not much. But a bit.

They moved slowly towards the other tent, both trying hard not to make much noise in the debris littered about the campsite. When they reached the tent again the smell of decay lingered in the air. Jenna's eyes began to water, and she shook her head to clear her vision. The last thing she needed was to be slowed down by something so ridiculous.

"Keep it together, Jenna," Jenna mumbled to herself. "Just think of how badass you're gonna be able to sound when you tell this to Miles." Sophia chuckled just a bit behind her and Jenna shot the girl a look. "You too. Earning our badass badges, Soph."

"I think Danny and Callie are rubbing off on you," Sophia said with a slight smile.

Jenna smiled back and handed Sophia her flashlight and took a deep breath in. Holding her knife tight, and waiting for Sophia to put the flashlight at a spot that would allow her to see inside, Jenna opened the tent. Again the wafting smell of decayed flesh hit her like a ton of bricks and again she was gagging on the vomit that was working its way up her throat.

"Oh God," Jenna pitched to the side, unable to hold in the urge anymore and emptied her stomach on the ground to the left of the tent. Sophia's hand continued to hold the flashlight and lantern, the light shaking wildly as her wide eyes took in the shapes of the bodies. Jenna sat up, wiping the back of her hand over her mouth and shaking her head.

Two bodies, snuggled into their sleeping bags, lay on the ground of the tent. Both children looked as if they had been laid down for bed, so peaceful and at rest. Both of them with a bullet hole through the middle of their foreheads.

"I don't think we're gonna find any more bullets," Jenna said sickly, connecting the dots in her mind. There really was only one thing that led to this kind of desperation. At least in her adolescent mind. And that was if there was no other way out. "And I'm not gonna look."

Sophia who was still frozen to her spot merely nodded her head frantically in answer. Jenna worked her way to her knees and stared into the tent. She shifted her gaze between the two tents and the shivering, frightened girl standing slightly behind her. Clenching her jaw tight Jenna wiped at the tears that were flowing freely from her eyes and shook her head.

"Okay," Jenna said pushing painfully up to her feet. "I'm gonna drag them out of there-"

"No!" Sophia practically yelled and Jenna hushed her instantly.

"Yes," Jenna said putting her hands to Sophia's shoulders. The younger girl was still shaking her head wildly and Jenna felt her own lip begin to tremble in the need to just let out the rush of emotions she was feeling. "Sophia. I want you to stand right here," Jenna moved the girl just a bit away and held her by her small shaking shoulders. "I'm going to drag them out and set them on each side of the tent." Jenna clenched her jaw against the strangeness of the words she was saying and felt the tears gliding down her cheek. "The smell will keep the Walkers away, and we can stay in the tent."

"No," Sophia said very quietly, her head still shaking back and forth.

Jenna sniffed and let her hands slide off of Sophia's shoulders. She turned away and heard Sophia continue to mutter 'no' as she worked her way back into the tent with the two children. Jenna rolled her eyes and her head along her shoulders and then felt the now familiar feel of her stomach protesting the next action she was going to take.

"Don't you dare," Jenna muttered to herself. "You do not get to throw up again. Not until after," Jenna shook herself and stiffened her spine. Slipping her knife back into her back pocket, she clenched her hands a couple of times and then rubbed them hard on her pants. "Okay. Now or never," Jenna said to herself but her feet didn't move. She blinked back the tears again, clearing her wavering view of the two bodies before her. The smell had fled to the back of her mind as the reality of the situation took complete precedence over any and all thought.

"Okay," Jenna said again, her entire body convulsing once with a chill so powerful she thought it would floor her. "Okay."

This time Jenna's feet began to move, and just as her hands were about to touch the bag she thought better of it and kicked out with her foot. "Better safe than sorry," Jenna muttered. The body jiggled a bit but didn't move, not that she really expected it to, but she wouldn't have been able to forgive herself if she didn't check. She did the same thing to the other bag and then blinked her eyes hard and readied herself again. Her hands shot out and gripped the end of the closest sleeping bag. She pulled and felt the body move just a bit. A searing pain shot up her right calf from the use of the muscle, and she seethed out a breath through her clenched teeth. Jenna tugged again and worked her way slowly out of the tent. Just as she exited she found Sophia behind her.

The younger girl didn't meet her eyes and simply set the lantern and flashlight just inside the tent. She then stepped up beside Jenna and put her smaller hands on the sleeping bag. Jenna stared at Sophia beside her, but the younger girl didn't look up from where her hands had curled into the bag. After a few moments more Jenna shook her head and together the two of them dragged the body of the little boy to sit directly outside the tent on the left side. They did the same with the body of the other boy and settled him to the opposite side.

The girls settled themselves inside the little tent, and Jenna pulled the zippered flap closed. They sat in silence for a minute, both of them settling into the shock of the day. Sophia shivered and pulled her knees up to her chest and Jenna gave her a sad smile.

"We should get some sleep," Jenna said, her voice a monotone and hollow sound in the tent. Sophia didn't say anything but lowered herself so that she was curled on her side in the fetal position. Jenna moved to sit near the flap, her eyes peering out into the darkness.

"I don't think I can sleep," Sophia said quietly, her voice barely a whisper.

"Try," Jenna said in return. There really wasn't any room left for joking, or soothing, or anything.

"My daddy died in our tent," Sophia said in a very matter-of-fact tone that had Jenna's shoulders stiffening with the memory. Jenna blinked away her tears, grateful suddenly for the dimness of the light provided by their lantern.

"Well, we aren't going to," Jenna said firmly shifting her eyes to where Sophia lay staring at her back. "We aren't."

Sophia nodded her head once and tucked her hands under her cheek on the ground. Jenna shifted her eyes back to the small opening of the flap and stared out into the darkness of the forest around them. She felt her body spasm in pain, in exhaustion, in fear, in God you name it. The tears were sliding down her cheeks now and she made no effort to wipe them. She just kept blinking them down her cheeks so that her vision would be clear enough to see if any Walkers stumbled upon them.

She knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that no matter how long she lived she would never be able to clean the smell of death off of her skin. Jenna shuddered just a bit, as she listened to Sophia silently cry behind her. Scooting the lantern back just a bit to offer the girl a bit more light against the darkness that they found themselves in, Jenna pulled her knife and gripped it tight in her hand.

One thought was on an infinite loop in her mind as she stared out into that darkness.

They would not die here.

_There's a little flame inside us all_

_Some shine bright_

_Some shine small_

_The rains will come_

_And the waters rise_

_But don't you ever lose your light_

_In this life you will know _

_Love and pain_

_Joy and sorrow_

_So when it hurts_

_When times get hard _

_Don't forget who's child you are._

_This little light of mine_

_I'm gonna let it shine_

_This little light of mine_

_I'm gonna let it shine_

_Gonna let it shine_

_~This Little Light of Mine / Addison Road_

_AN: So I have a feeling, with the way the story seems to be breaking down that chapters are going to be a bit strange… some long, some short, and still some vignettes worked in. Keep with me people. I can hear you screamin' at me to save the girls….just be patient and let the story flow._

_I did a good bit of PMing with the last bit of reviews…So:_

_LadyLecter47: Thanks for your review. I'm so glad that you like the Daryl/Rick interaction. I'm working hard to build their bromance at a believable level. And it's so fun to write. Hope you enjoyed this latest chapter_

_Piratejessieswaby: OMFG SORRY DUDE! Thanks for the review. _

_Druid Archer: Thank you so much for your review. Glad you enjoyed the song choice, sometimes that's the hardest part for me. I've worked really hard to develop all of the characters so it's nice to see that the work is appreciated._

_Emberka-2012: Thanks so much for the review. I'm glad that you enjoyed the autopsy scene._

_AlabastR: I'm so glad that you think I got the FEELS of the running down. I'm a runner (novice) myself and I was really just drawing from my own personal experience. I love that I inspired you to possibly pick up the shoes again. Go for it, we can be in pain together my friend. Callie's Walker-Silencer trick was so fun to write, that I honestly just needed to add in the BOOYAH to solidify how much fun I was having. I am SO glad that you loved the Lone Ranger/ Tonto ref. I was laughing when I wrote it ( how strange is it how much I was fuckin' laughing while writing this chapter huh?) I'm really glad you liked it. Shane's tension is slowly building for me, but I really wanted the chance to work on the at odd relationship he's having with Rick…and the dynamic between Rick/Daryl and Rick/Shane. I'm glad you're picking up on that and hope you like where we go with it. I think it should be good. *Shrug* And as for Daryl himself, yeah, boy's gonna be put through it (yes my dear we are the SUCK when it comes to treatin' our man right aren't we) so yeah, get ready for it. Look forward to seeing what you have to say 'bout this one. _

_Thanks for all the reviews kiddies, and of course….See ya next chapter. Do you know where we are in Season 2…do you know where we're heading? _

_Much Love! _


	16. Restless Sinner Pt 1

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_So, we saw what the girls were up to installment, and how they survived the night on their own. This chapter finds everyone on the search, and the girls still very much on the run. _

_As always, please read, review and enjoy!_

_~SWW_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Chapter 12: Restless Sinner Pt. 1**

_Restless sinner, rest in sin_

_He's got no face to hold him in_

_He feels his day is dark as night_

_He's been waiting with the blind_

_Just to find a place to hide his ghost_

Jenna woke to a cold hand gripping her shoulder. Her eyes opened wide, and her breath left her in a startled gasp as if taking her first breath of air after being submerged in water almost to the point of no return. The hand gripped tighter, and Jenna's wide eyes shot over her shoulder as she flipped to her back. The knife in her hand once again held tight.

Sophia's face was an inch away. Her eyes were wide with fear and she instantly hushed Jenna with a hand over her mouth. Sophia's freezing cold fingers dug painfully into Jenna's cheek and under her chin as she shook her head wildly back and forth.

Jenna let the moment of shock and fear ebb slowly, her brain coming back to her. She was still in the tent, the one that had housed the bodies of two dead boys. Two dead boys that had apparently been shot by their father, before he shot himself. The smell of death and decay was still strong in the air, and the bile again rose in Jenna's throat as she remembered herself and Sophia dragging those bodies out of the tent. Thoughts of Sophia curled in a ball, crying herself into a fitful sleep while Jenna sat and kept watch at the flap of the tent entered her mind.

She'd fallen asleep.

Jenna chided herself and gave Sophia a sorrowful look that the girl shook off. It was at that point that Jenna realized Sophia's hand was still covering her mouth, and her eyes were still widened with unbridled fear.

That's when the sounds of the woods, the quiet that she'd grown somehow accustomed to during their night in it, fell away. And all that was left was the shuffling sound of feet moving in the brush outside, and the sickening sounds of the groaning and moaning of the dead.

Jenna's eyes widened and it was as if Sophia read the understanding of their situation in those depths. Sophia slowly removed her hand from Jenna's chapped lips and both girls were left to breath shallow fearful breaths into the early morning air.

Jenna moved to sit up, and was met with a blinding pain behind her eyes. Her head swam and she almost crashed back to the tent floor, but Sophia's arm around her shoulders kept her upright. Jenna's head slipped forward to rest between her knees as the dizziness threatened to overtake her.

Looking over at Sophia, she saw the intense worry marring the girl's brow and worked a shaky smile onto her lips. She licked her lips and shook herself a bit, willing the dizziness away. Pushing past the intense searing pain in her right calf, Jenna slowly maneuvered herself onto her hands and knees. Another wave of nausea pushed aside, and she crawled very slowly towards the still slightly unzipped tent flap that she had spent most of the night staring out.

Her chin trembled as she stared out into the still dark wooded area. It was so early that the sun hadn't even begun to shine yet. Not really at least. The dull yellow hue was stuck above them, not strong enough to break through the foliage above.

But Jenna didn't need the sun, or the dim light of the now dead lantern that sat in the tent with them, to see the terror almost on top of them. A Walker milled about the clearing, dead shambling steps kicking into the debris of the abandoned and ravaged campsite. Trying to steady the trembling of her chin, Jenna shifted painfully on her knees to try and see if there were any others. Each tiny little movement, the lingering sound of the swishing fabric of her jeans on the nylon below her, echoing in the quiet that surrounded them.

The Walker stopped, and Jenna froze. Sophia moved just a bit, her small foot slightly hitting Jenna's calf. Jenna's hand lifted instantly to cover the painful gasp of a scream that sprang forth from her mouth. Sophia sucked in a quiet breath and moved in as quick a fashion as she could to Jenna's side to support her as the older girl's body sagged with the pain.

Sophia opened her mouth to say something but Jenna shook her head and stared at her with wide eyes. A few deep breaths in and Jenna was steadying herself and peering out the tent flap again. The Walker's head tipped to the side now, and Jenna watched in painful anticipation as it sniffed at the air around it.

"Please no," Jenna whispered in the tent, her brain registering the painful grasp of Sophia's little hands on her arm. "God, please."

The Walker turned towards them and Jenna and Sophia both scrambled away flap, and put their backs to the nylon wall. Jenna could feel the body of the boy still in his sleeping bag pressed against her. She only hoped that the smell from body would overpower the smell of them. Looking down at her pant leg, completely soaked through with blood from the wound in her calf, she knew that it was a long shot.

Jenna gripped tight to her knife as the sounds of the shuffling feet of the Walker got closer. She could make out the hissing of its breathing as it left dead lungs and she turned her head to catch Sophia's eyes. The younger girl sat stone still beside her, arms pressed to the ground below as her back too pressed into the body of the dead boy that they had dragged only hours before. Jenna held Sophia's scared gaze until they both couldn't take it anymore.

Jenna closed her eyes as the sounds of the Walker echoed in the air practically on top of them. She and Sophia both clasped their hands to their mouths when they felt the Walker hit off the body of the boy behind them. The shove against their backs caused them to jolt forward and then press back again.

Slow panting breaths through their fingers, eyes stuck open wide as they waited for the Walker to just tear through the thin nylon wall that separated them from it. Tear into it and put an end to the horrible waking nightmare that they were apparently stuck in.

The body of the boy jerked again as the Walker yet again shambled into it, and again the girls jolted forward. Jenna listened to the Walker move, the moaning finally growing so distant that she couldn't hear it anymore.

Jenna left her shaking hand over her mouth for a few more minutes. She felt a squeeze on her left hand and was shocked to see that at some point she and Sophia had linked hands. Jenna squeezed back, feeling the smaller frigid fingers of the other girl squish and respond with a squeeze back.

"I think it's gone," Jenna said with a trembling voice. She firmed her lips and took a long inhale through her nose to help steady herself and then gave jerky nod to herself.

"Should we stay here?" Sophia asked, her glazed tired eyes scanning around the small tent. The darkness wasn't as overpowering as before with the promise of sun so close on the horizon.

"I don't know," Jenna said quietly, her eyes yet again burning with tears. The pain was just unbearable. In her head. In her leg. It was all too much.

"Jenna?" Sophia said quietly, but urgently. "What do we do?"

"I don't know," Jenna responded, her hands lifting to the sides of her head, slipping into her sweat drenched hairline. "I just need a minute," Jenna closed her eyes trying desperately to focus, to get her mind ready to go back out into the woods. "My head," she said shaking her head and clasping her hands tighter to it. "It hurts—"

"Your leg," Sophia said quietly and Jenna shook her head violently and opened her eyes.

"I just need a minute to think," Jenna said nodding her head at herself before slipping her eyes to Sophia beside her. Sophia was staring at her right leg with a worried frown and Jenna grimaced. "I'm fine, I just need a minute to-"

The sound took them both off guard. The scratching noise as something threw itself against the back wall of the tent, the nylon ripping easily under the ragged claw-like hands of the Walker as it scratched at it. Both girls screamed, not able to control the reaction and keep quiet. They screamed and pushed through the slightly open flap of the tent and out into the dim pre-dawn light of the world around them, just as the Walker demolished their pressed through the back of the tent.

Neither girl spared a look back at the campsite. Not a look back to see how many Walkers there may have been in the darkness of that small site that had been a very short refuge to them. Not a look around them to see where they were headed, or where they should be heading. They just ran; ran as fast as their tired bodies could.

Jenna let the adrenaline in her veins push the pain of the searing wound in her right leg out of her mind. She pressed on, following as close as she could after Sophia's faster form.

They ran, and didn't stop as they heard the bells of a church ringing somewhere in the distance.

* * *

Callie woke to a hand on her shoulder. She jolted awake and moved to attack whatever it was without a second thought as to who it could be. The bright light of the new day blinded her temporarily as it filtered in through the now open back passenger door of the Hummer.

"Son of a-," Danny's voice echoed in her ears and had her lowering her hand and blinking away the bright flashes that had distorted her entire field of vision.

Callie blinked a few more times and raised her hand to rub at the ache in her head lingering in her temples. She squinted her eyes out the door and saw Danny, crutch grasped tightly in his left hand while his right hand was held over his heart.

"Shit," Callie said shaking her head at the sight of the man barely on his feet and breathing hard at the door. She kicked at the blankets around her feet and was about to remove them when she realized she wasn't wearing any pants.

"Jesus, I thought we got past this whole you trying to kill me every time I woke you up thing." Danny said finally finding his voice. He lifted his hand from his heart and scratched at his beard covered cheek watching as Callie shifted the blanket around her waist.

"Yeah, well," Callie said shaking her head and tucking the blanket around her waist as she looked for her pants. "I thought we got past the point of you fuckin' sneaking up on me."

"I knocked," Danny said with a furrowed brow. "A lot." At this point he leaned in and tossed her lucky jeans at her. Callie caught them and shot him a confused glare. "They were tossed out here, hanging on the guardrail. Figured you'd want 'em." Danny grinned and leaned in a bit further watching the confusion fly from Callie's face as more memories of last night fluttered back into her mind.

Thoughts of Daryl surprising her and coming to sleep with her in the Hummer after Dale cut his stint at watch short with a 'You've done enough tonight, son. Rest' remark. The face he'd made when he saw her still in her clothes, and the feel of him stripping her out of them. All of them, and tossing them out onto the highway caused her to smile and blush. The feel of him beside her, his hot breath tickling the back of her neck as he draped himself around her and muttered tiredly in her ear that she was more trouble than any fuckin' woman he'd ever met, had been the last thing she remembered before falling into an apparently deep fucking sleep. They'd both been too damned tired, both emotionally and physically, to do anything but sleep, just the memory of his strong body pressed to hers last night was enough to heat her up.

"Earth to Cal," Danny muttered with a chuckle, causing Callie to shake her head away from thought of the tender way Daryl had buttoned her back up into Butch's shirt before leaving her early this morning, and look at her friend. "Shit girl, the man got you blushin' like a fuckin' teenager and he ain't even around. You got it bad, sugar."

"Fuck you," Callie said tossing the blanket off of her legs and kicking her feet towards the man blocking her path. Danny backed up with a chuckle, his crutch and bum leg causing the motion to be a bit less graceful than normal and Callie gave him the extra time to back up before pushing out and slipping her legs into her pants.

"Those are disgusting," Danny said with a sneer at her ripped and stained jeans. "Honestly, they smell like-"

"I know," Callie said with a grimace as she slipped the disgusting things onto her legs. Wincing at the feel of the slice in her palm protesting the motion she clenched her fingers a few times to try and work out the tight feel. "But they're my lucky pair, and I made a promise to myself not to throw them away."

"I think you should break that promise," Danny said scrunching his face as she rolled her eyes and buttoned them. "Seriously, Cal. If _Daryl_ of all people think they're too disgusting to sleep in the same place as, that's fuckin' sayin' something."

"Is there a reason you're the one waking me up?" Callie said ignoring his comment. No matter how true it may have been, if she was going to be walking around in the Walker infested forest again, smelling like a Walker was exactly what she was going for.

"Aw, expecting someone else," Danny said with a smile as he settled his backside painfully on the guardrail behind him.

"You're lucky you're already hurt," Callie said snidely over her shoulder at him, and he chuckled. She reached into the back pocket of the driver's seat and grabbed her thigh sheath and knife, as well as her gun.

Settling the weapons into place on her body she took a moment to look over her friend in the full light of day. He looked better. Not completely back to normal, but not the shadow of himself that he had been. The week of hell he'd been through after being shot and mended was finally starting to ebb away. He was getting around better, not great, and certainly not pain-free, but he was moving without two people holding him up. So it was definitely a plus.

His face was still pale, and his cheeks still covered in the dark growth of a heavy beard, but he was starting to be a bit more of the Danny that everyone remembered. His arms were still littered with fading bruises, but his tendency to smack at them was becoming a thing of the past yet again.

Danny caught her eye as she looked him over, his left hand still settled on his crutch as he watched her settle her backside to the lowered seat and begin to put on her socks and boots.

"What?" Danny said smirking as she shook her head and began to unbutton her shirt, tossing it back inside as she made her way towards the back of the Hummer to get a new shirt. Danny got quiet again and watched her actively ignore him. "Didn't think I'd make it did ya?"

Callie's head shot around and she stared at him for a moment, her still waking mind taking a moment to realize what he was talking about. She smirked at him and slipped back to the task of finding a shirt. "I think you were the one doubting my faith in you, jackass." Callie said with a shake of her head. Angling her head around the Hummer to look at where he was still seated she gave him a small smile. "Remember."

"I didn't doubt your faith in me. Shit, you're probably the only person in my life who's actually had any faith in my dumb ass," Danny said wincing and shaking his head against the pain as he got to his feet and watched her come back towards him. She put on a fresh dark gray t-shirt on and tucked the front into her jeans before replacing her gun in its usual spot. "I doubted your ability to do it all again." Danny took a deep breath and scratched angrily at his outgrown hair. "Still mad?"

"Wasn't mad," Callie said smiling at his raised brow. "Just a bit upset that you really didn't think you could trust me to do it."

"After everything we've been through," Danny said as she settled into step beside him. "I figured you deserved a break from babysitting me. Plus," Danny slipped his head down a bit and whispered. "I think Daryl actually enjoys it."

"I think you're reaching with that one," Callie said with a bit of a smile. She put her hand to Danny's right arm and linked it through. "So, what are you really doing up and about?"

"A man can't come and wake up the beautiful platonic love of his life without ulterior motives?" Danny said with a grin, and Callie just gave him a look. He sighed and let his hard held grin fall as he slipped his gaze forward. "I wanna come with you guys," Danny said solemnly his eyes fixed ahead at the RV. "I need to help-"

"Look," Callie said cutting him off and turning him to face her. He took in a sharp breath through his nose at the abrupt halt in their steps and Callie shook her head. "I know you want to help—"

"I _need_ to help," Danny said abruptly. "She's just as much mine as she is yours."

"I know," Callie said putting her hand to his shoulder and squeezing. They shared a small moment of silence before Callie shook her head and squeezed his shoulder again. "I know, Danny. But you are nowhere near being able to walk around those woods with us. You need to rest—"

"I've been fuckin' resting for a week now," Danny said angrily pulling his arm away and seething as a fresh wave of pain nearly buckled his legs. He faltered a bit and Callie reached out for him but he pulled back using Shane's Jeep to steady himself. "Fuck!" He shook his head and ran his hand through his unruly mop of hair. Shifting his eyes back to her he furrowed his brow in anger. "I need to start doing something again Callie. I need to work this leg out or I'm not gonna to be any use to anyone. A fuckin' gimp ain't gonna last long in this world."

"You're healing, dumbass." Callie said taking a few steps forward and smacking him in the back of the head. She watched him rub at his head and then she smacked him again. "You were shot. Twice. You can't expect to be back to one hundred percent after only a week of actual down time."

"I know," Danny said still rubbing his head, his hand falling as he shook his head at her. "I just-" he skipped his eyes back to the trees. "They've been out there all night. I just want to help find them."

"Danny—"

"Back off!" Daryl's voice angered voice echoed down the highway cutting off whatever Callie was going to say. Both she and Danny turned confused eyes towards the RV where they could make out everyone milling about. "I said back the fuck off, Ponch. You don't know what you're talkin' 'bout."

"Uh oh," Danny said with a rueful smile. "He done pulled out the 'Ponch' ref, that's not a good sign."

"Any idea what's going on?" Callie said as they both began hurriedly working their way to where an apparent fight was about to go down. Danny shook his head and followed as quickly as he could on Callie's heels. She could see Daryl lunging towards Shane who was pushing his finger over the shoulder of Rick, who once again had placed himself between the two hot-headed men in a vain attempt to keep them off each other. "Honest to God," Callie muttered as she pulled her dirty hair back into a quick pony tail. "Like we don't have enough shit to worry about."

"Enough!" Rick said finally managing to push Shane fully away with one push of his arm. "Enough Shane, just back up and calm down." Callie winced watching as Rick recoiled just a bit when Shane's arm flew out and clipped him on the head. Daryl was already stalking around glaring at Shane, and Callie stepped up and put a hand to his arm.

"What's going on?" Callie asked, shaking her head when Daryl shook her off and continued stalking around. His eyes were stuck on the still fuming Shane, his lips raised in a bit of a snarl. He spared a look back at her and she raised a brow.

"Prick's goin' nuts over shit THAT AIN'T HIS FUCKIN' CONCERN!" Daryl yelled the last bit at Shane his body lunging again at the man who once again tried to push past Rick's upraised arms. Rick pushed Shane back and shook his head as he looked at Callie.

"He's got all the drugs," Shane yelled pushing his chest into Rick's hand and pointing an accusing finger over top of Rick's head at Daryl. Rick pushed back again and shook his head finally sending Shane a few feet back to stalk around. "He stole everything out of the RV, all the med bags, everything," Shane seethed his eyes skipping around the entire group apparently trying to rile himself up some support. "Pulled out 'his stash' when we couldn't find 'em, tryin' to act all heroic when he gave T-Dog the meds." Shane shook his head catching the pleading off-put head shake that Rick gave him. "Don't give me that look, Rick. The son of a bitch is a tweeker just like his meth-head douchebag brother. Keeping all the meds for himself and usin'—"

Ben broke free from Glenn's hands and rushed forward, his little foot shot out so fast and connected hard with Shane's shin. Shane buckled forward grabbing for his leg, his face contorted with pain as he looked down at the boy in shock. Ben cocked his leg ready to strike again but Rick was able to grab him and lift him before he made contact a second time.

"You don't talk to him like that," Ben yelled his feet kicking out as Shane watched in awe. "You don't talk 'bout either of them like that. Not Daryl or Merle." Callie stepped forward and grabbed the still seething boy from Rick, shaking her head as she met Rick's eyes. They shared a single moment of exasperation before Callie began walking away. She shot a look over her shoulder to Danny who was running his hands through his hair.

The look was loud and clear and had him grimacing. 'You made the mess. You clean it up.'

"I ain't no meth-head, you fuck." Daryl spat back, he made to move forward again but at a single shake of Rick's head he was growling and stalking back off. He turned to face Rick shaking his head, his mouth drawn in a sneer at his obvious distaste at what Shane was insinuating. "Ain't like that, Rick."

"So why don't you tell us what it is like," Dale said calmly as he worked his way up to Rick's side. Dale put a hand to Rick's shoulder and lifted a brow. "You should sit," Dale started but Rick shook his head and blinked hard a couple of times. Rick slid his gaze from Shane to Daryl and then to Callie who had propped herself against a nearby car. She held tight to the still angry little boy who was mumbling about Shane being a dickhead, and the small smile she was trying to hide at the boy's mumbled words, nearly had Rick smiling as well.

"It's not Daryl's fault," Danny said finally stepping up. He put his hand out at Daryl's shoulder but the redneck was still livid and shook him off violently before settling himself on the front bumper of the station wagon. Growling Daryl crossed his arms over his chest and snarled at Shane as Danny stepped up to Rick and Dale.

"Danny?" Lori's voice echoed out and she shook her head at him in confusion. Andrea stood near the still distraught Carol her eyes narrowing at Danny before slipping back to Callie. Callie gave her a wan smile and raised a single brow to Andrea's unasked question.

"He did it for me," Danny said simply, his eyes slipping from the now utterly confused Dale and Rick to the now stone still form of the still angry, but now also confused Shane. "I'm the addict remember, not Daryl." Danny gave a look to Rick, who nodded his head, and at that point Callie realized that Rick knew a bit more than he was letting on with regards to what was really going on here. Shane's jaw clenched tight and he shook his head sending an angry glare at Daryl. "Hey," Danny said stepping into Shane's line of sight shaking his head and wincing hard when his crutch caught weird against his side.

Danny took a deep breath and let his eyes wander about the group. His eyes locked with Callie as she sat brushing her fingers through Ben's hair, Miles standing beside her with a look of annoyance on his face. Slipping his eyes behind him he caught Daryl just sitting there shaking his head and watched Gracie settle herself beside the redneck, her little body right up against his leg.

"I was hitting the point of no return with it," Danny said quietly lifting his gaze to Rick and Dale. "The pain," he shook his head. "Knowing where I could find what I wanted," another breath out and he was chuckling as he ran his hands through his hair and scratched at his heavy beard. "I had Ben spelling names of drugs out to me while y'all were outside. Made myself sick, but it didn't matter, I still had him bring me in the bottle." He looked at Ben and shook his head. "I wanted nothing more than to just fall back into the bliss that I knew those drugs would provide. Wanted it real bad."

"Danny," Dale said taking a step forward. "There's no shame in that. You were in, and still are in, a lot of pain, we wouldn't-"

"You don't understand," Danny snapped pulling away from Dale's outstretched hand. He shot a look to Rick before moving to settle himself against the RV. Glenn helped steady him with a small smile and Danny shook his head. "And that's exactly why I needed Daryl. Because he does." Danny shot the redneck a glance, watching as Daryl shook his head and averted his eyes. "Living with an addict as long as he did," Danny shook his head. "He understands. He knows what it's like when we get to the begging and pleading stage. What it's like to handle the outbursts, the anger, the pain." Everyone's eyes fell to Daryl and Daryl visibly bristled under the stares. Without warning Daryl got up and stalked back towards the Hummer, Gracie hooked onto his pants in tow. "He did what I asked him to do. What I _needed_ _him_ to do. Because he was the only one that I _knew_ wouldn't end up breakin' and givin' in to me. He took all the painkillers, all the good shit, and he kept it away from me." Danny sniffed and caught Rick's eye, taking a deep breath in Danny hardened his features. "I can't go back to what I was before. I _need_ to stay sober to find my son."

"So he's like your sponsor?" Miles said with a chuckle, earning a laugh from Danny and strange looks from the rest of the group.

"I guess in a way," Danny furrowed his brow and looked at Daryl's back before he disappeared into the Hummer. "Except instead of a shoulder to cry on when I need it, he's offering me the penalty of a pain worse than death if I even think about usin'. Fear is a great motivator," Danny said raising his brows to the now slightly smiling face of Dale. Dale nodded his head and put a hand to Danny's shoulder.

"Especially if it's fear of Daryl," Glenn's said his brows rising and nearly disappearing under the brim of his hat and Danny nodded in agreement.

"You knew 'bout this, didn't ya?" Shane spat at Callie, his eyes sliding down to Ben who snarled and lunged at him in a manner that reminded everyone of the redneck not too far away.

"Yeah," Callie said not giving away when she found out. That really wasn't anyone's concern. She shot her gaze to Danny and then Rick. Rick nodded his head and told her in that simple movement that he too knew about Danny and Daryl's agreement. "Yeah. I did." Callie shifted her gaze to where T-Dog was propped up against the RV. His head was shaking side to side as he smoked a cigarette, his wounded arm propped on his leg. Lori knelt down to give him a bottle of water and a pill of some sort that he took with a sneering 'thanks'.

"Unbelievable," Shane said shaking his head before turning back to point a finger at her. Ben stood up and Shane stepped back raising his hand in mock surrender. "And you didn't think we should know?" Shane snapped his gaze to Rick and snarled. "What about you, you seem pretty unfazed by all this. You wanna share-"

"Look," Callie said standing up and moving Ben to the side as she stepped up to Shane cutting off his tirade. "I knew, Shane. And if I thought it was going to be an issue I would have said something. I'm sorry that for some reason this isn't sitting well with you, but that," she pointed a finger at Shane. "That is your issue, Shane."

Turning her attention to Rick and Dale and then everyone else she shook her head. Her eyes locked with Carol's watching the fear run a course over her face as she shifted her eyes between the group and the trees.

"Now," Callie said with a sigh her eyes falling back and locking with Daryl's as he made his way back towards them with his crossbow firmly in place on his back. "If we're all done makin' mountains out of fuckin' molehills, I'd like to go find the girls and get the fuck out of here."

Shane sniffed hard, his hands slipping to his hips and his gaze falling to the ground. Rick nodded his head and looked to Dale who was holding the large Ziplock bag of drugs. They shared a nod and then Rick was mirroring Shane's pose, hands on his slim hips as he nodded his head to the ground. Rick took in a deep breath and looked up to Danny.

"It's done," Rick said quietly and Danny gave a dip of his chin in response. Rick's gaze slipped to Daryl for a moment and then back to Danny. "We're all in this together now, so you need someone to kick your ass," Rick smirked. "Let's just say I'm pretty sure more than Daryl'd be willin' to step up, right 'bout now."

"Gee, that's sweet," Danny's sarcastic response had Rick smiling. But a second later Rick was looking at Shane and walking over to him and Callie was shaking her head at Danny. Daryl was squatting down in front of Gracie, trying to give her something and pointedly ignoring the looks he was getting from the rest of the group. Callie watched Daryl get frustrated when the girl shook her head and shove whatever it was back into his pocket as he stood up. She shared a humored glance with Danny who shrugged and then she smacked him upside the head.

Rick licked at his lips and looked over his shoulder at Daryl and Gracie, and Danny and Callie, and then back at his still obviously upset friend. Whatever was sitting ill in Shane's stomach, it wasn't just this little thing with the drugs. No. Shane's problem started and stopped with Daryl Dixon.

"Shane," Rick said quietly, earning a scathing glance from the man. "A word?" Rick slipped his eyes over his shoulder, watching as the rest of the group began gathering supplies and started to get ready to search for Sophia and Jenna. Shane gave a single angry sniff before rolling his eyes and following behind Rick a good bit away from the rest of the group.

Rick stood back and watched Shane continue to stalk around, waiting for the man to settle just a bit before he began. Finally Shane looked up and shook his head, a single hand running harshly through his hair. They were well out of earshot of the rest of the group, but a few were still looking back at them trying to figure out what was being said. Rick met Callie's gaze for a second before turning back to Shane.

"Look, Rick," Shane said his eyes sliding around before catching Rick's gaze. "I've known you a long time, and I know you like to give people the benefit of the doubt. But I've also known Daryl and his brother longer than you. Long enough to know they ain't no good."

"I think you need to reevaluate that opinion," Rick said simply. "I know you two didn't really get along before at the Quarry. I understand that," Rick lifted a hand as Shane began to stalk around and shake his head. "But we're all stuck with one another, and if you can't start to see that he's changin'-"

"Just cause he's fuckin' Callie and playin' nice with her kids to do it don't mean he's changed," Shane seethed and Rick immediately put a hand to Shane's shoulder.

"I'm not going to ask you again to stow that shit," Rick said forcefully and Shane chuckled and shook his head.

"You know what Rick," Shane said angrily. "It don't matter. You wanna live vicariously through that fuckin' redneck while he's fuckin' her, cause you can't…or won't. You go right ahead. I ain't gonna fault you for that." Rick flinched back in shock and stared hard at Shane as he continued on raising a hand to wag in Rick's confused and slightly angered face. "You wanna trust his opinion on things over mine. Have him at your back instead of me. Fine by me. I'm washin' my hands of it, man." Shane began to walk away hands in the air and Rick reached out and grabbed for him. As soon as Rick's hands hit Shane's arm the man turned and rammed his finger hard into Rick's chest. "You just remember that the man you're trusting so much with your back, is the same man who's brother you locked up on a roof and left for dead. If you think he's lettin' that shit slide; you think for one minute that Daryl Dixon is the fuckin' forgive and forget type," Shane shook his head and snarled. "Then you're even more of a fuckin' idiot than I thought."

Rick watched Shane walk away and rolled his eyes to the sky. The pounding headache that he'd woken with from the wound on his head had tripled now. Rick blinked hard at the pain in his head and lifted his eyes instantly meeting the worried gaze of Callie. She moved her foot to come towards him but he shook his head and watched her foot land hard back on the ground and her eyes slip to Shane as he stalked past her. Rick looked away, and ran the back of his hand over his mouth as he let his gaze slip out to the forest.

He could only hope that the early morning scouting that Daryl had done, and the fact that they had a clear trail to follow would have them finding the girls in a few hours. And get them back on the road and far away from here. Rick slipped his gaze to where Shane was stalking around and grabbing his gear. If not, Rick saw this rift between him and Shane quickly escalating to a point of no return, and this highway as a start point on the road to ruin for all of them.

_No open lies, no consequence_

_The doors been closed since he's walked in_

_The fight's been raging so many days_

_He'll greet you with a cross _

_And a sickle as he helps you in._

* * *

"Are those kids?" Carl's voice echoed around the group as they came into the clearing and Callie turned instantly to see Lori grabbing him up into her arms and pulling him away.

"Jesus," Lori seethed through clenched teeth as she locked eyes with Rick who had turned and raised a palm for all of them to stay put.

Lori buried Carl's head into her hip and Callie shifted her gaze to where Daryl and Shane were each inspecting a small sleeping bag placed outside of a ruined tent. The tension between the two men had been palpable as the ridiculously large group had entered into the woods after the girls earlier that morning. It had hung in between them all like thick fog clinging to their clothes and weighing everyone's steps to a slow fearful tread. Each and every person afraid to break the silence, knowing with each sneering look passed between the two men, that the string tethering back their anger was thinner and thinner with each passing second. But as soon as they had entered into that clearing and laid eyes upon the small sleeping bags that veil of unease had lifted. Whatever it was lost its strength as both men walked towards the bodies, neither hesitating to go and check and do what needed to be done. Watching Daryl's eyes meet Shane's over the body of the first small body that they crouched down next to, Callie saw the word 'truce' unsaid in their eyes.

Callie heard Rick mumble something to Lori as he put a hand to Carl's shoulder telling the boy to stay put while he made his way towards Daryl and Shane, and her eyes lifted from two men crouched by the body. Shaking her head, her mind instantly went to Ben back at the highway.

The boy had been insistent on coming along, especially after Rick and Lori gave Carl the okay.

"I wanna help too," Ben had whined to Danny as the boy watched Carl smile up at his father as Rick explained the rules of him coming out there. Callie was sitting nearby, Carol quietly taking a look at the slice in her palm and redressing the wound with clean bandages.

"Yeah, well," Danny slipped his gaze to Callie and shook his head. "Ya ain't going, buddy. You're still sick."

"But Carl-" Ben's whining voice again broke out again and Danny rolled his head along his shoulders.

"Both of Carl's parents are going," Danny said and as he opened his mouth to continue his thought Ben interrupted.

"Callie and Daryl are going!" Ben said excitedly jumping to his feet in front of the still sitting Danny. Danny's mouth hung open in a bit of shock, and Callie's brows rose to a comedic level when he again shifted his eyes to look at her.

"Well that's just fuckin' cute," Danny muttered as he ran his hand over his bearded chin. He looked back at Callie and she shook her head and jutted her chin in the other direction. "Tell you what Ben," she heard Danny continue with a smile growing on his face. "You go ahead and ask Poppa Daryl if you can go."

Ben had brightened at that point, and held his head high and his shoulders square as he stood in front of Danny. His little head swiveled around a bit looking for the man in question, and then his eyes lit up and he was bounding over to where Daryl was. Both Callie and Danny slipped their humored gaze to the scene playing out, and watched Daryl shift his attention to the happy, confident little boy next to him. They couldn't really hear what Ben said, or the whole of the conversation. The only words that reached their ears were Daryl's final angry outburst before he vaulted over the guardrail.

"Got 'nough fuckin' kids lost in them woods, don't need 'nother one out there to worry 'bout." Daryl's voice echoed over the entire group. It was the statement that had startled a quiet cry out of Carol as she finished bandaging Callie's hand. And the statement that had pretty much spurred all of them into action.

Standing in that small clearing now, her eyes locked on the tiny bodies snuggled into their sleeping bags outside of that destroyed tent, that statement rang louder in her ears. Callie spared a glance to Lori, who was still gripping Carl next to her, but now also holding a hand to Carol's arm as the other woman stared on in disbelief. Callie's feet began pulling her forward and before she even really knew what she was doing she was walking past where Glenn and Miles were standing and up to where Rick, Daryl and Shane were.

Rick must have heard her coming, because he instantly stood from his crouched position and turned to face her. His hands shot out and grabbed her arms and held her back, his head shaking from side to side.

"Don't," Rick said simply, his eyes catching hers. Both of their minds flew back to another campsite days ago. A pit full of bodies. A child that could have been Danny's son right on top. Callie's jaw clenched and she felt Rick's hands tighten. "Don't."

"It ain't them," Daryl's voice boomed out and broke Callie from her stupor and had her looking over Rick's shoulder. Her eyes caught Daryl's and he held her gaze, his head dipped a bit and he bit at the inside of his cheek. Rick's hands tightened on her arms and she blinked hard once, breaking the much needed eye contact with Daryl and nodded her head. She closed her eyes and felt Rick's hands fall from her arms as he moved past her and worked his way back towards Lori and Carl.

"So what happened here?" Glenn asked quietly, his face scrunching as he took a few steps forward. Daryl stepped in his path. He didn't say a word, didn't touch him, didn't make any real move to tell him not to come any closer. The redneck simply moved into his path and caught his gaze for only a single second before dipping his head and moving on. Glenn took the signal loud and clear and stopped where he stood, his hand shooting out and grabbing Miles' broken left arm before the kid could go anywhere. One simple shake of Glenn's head had Miles stopping too, and both of the younger men watched Daryl move.

Daryl stepped over the debris around the campsite and stepped inside the other tent. His forearm lifted, both hands still tight to his crossbow as he tried to block out the smell of the dead man in settled on the ground before him. Lowering his arm and breathing through his mouth he stepped closer, kicking out and connecting his foot to the outstretched foot of the dead man. He moved a little and Daryl grimaced.

Rounding the body, Daryl crouched down to where the man's hand lay. It was curled and stiff, and Daryl lifted it with a sneer feeling the weight and watching as the fingers stayed in their upraised position. Rigor had set in; fucker'd been dead for a while. Looking up Daryl caught sight of the exit wound of the bullet that had torn through his head.

Daryl stayed crouched down for a minute, his eyes scanning the tent as he continued to take deep breaths in through his mouth. Thinking about those girls stumbling upon this made his stomach curl. Knowing that they had to deal with this on their own, cause he hadn't been able to find 'em and bring 'em back last night-he shook his head angrily. He fought the feeling of the wetness stinging his eyes. The smell, fuckin' smell was gettin' to him.

"Daryl," Rick's voice at the opening to the flap had Daryl shooting to his feet. Rick's head slid inside and the former Sheriff balked only a bit turning his head to the side to as he watched Daryl wipe the back of a hand angrily at his eyes. Daryl let his eyes scan one more time around the ground of the tent and then averted his gaze as he pushed past where Rick stood at the flap.

"Just some fuck who decided to 'opt out'," Daryl said eyeing the crowd with a bit of distain as he scratched a hand over his face, shaking off the smell that seemed to still be clinging to him. "Musta taken out the kids, then himself." Again Daryl shook his head and looked over to where the fuckin' women were clingin' to one another like that was fuckin' gonna help anything. He saw Callie slip towards where Miles was standing by Glenn and shook his head as she gave the kid a small smile. Daryl flipped his attention back to Rick still staring into the tent. "Ain't no gun in there, though."

"Over here," Shane's voice called out, and Daryl shot Rick a quick look before heading over. Daryl's steps stuttered for a minute when Shane's eyes lifted. They stared at one another for a second more, both of their jaws clenched tight in mutual dislike. Shane's eyes averted first and he nodded his head to the tent. "Here, help me lift this up. There's something inside."

The audible gasp of alarm from Carol had both men cringing. Rick stepped over and crouched down, his gaze sliding behind him to where Lori was shaking her head at him and trying to console Carol.

"What is it?" Rick asked turning back to look inside. Neither man responded verbally. Shane reached in and lifted out a revolver from the nylon floor of the tent. All three men exchanged a glance before Shane checked to see if it was loaded. Slamming the empty cylinder back into place Shane shook his head and tucked the weapon into the back of his waistband.

Daryl leaned forward and grabbed for the small flashlight and lantern, his hand falling to the ground to brace himself as he reached. His palm slipped in something and he grimaced as Shane lifted the tent higher allowing a bit more sun to filter in. Blood stained his fingers. Blood that had accumulated from a large enough wound that left some of it still wet enough to stick to his hand.

"Here," Shane held out a rag from his back pocket to Daryl. When Daryl made no move to take it he waved it and shot a look to the people behind them. "Don't let them see that, man." Shane jutted his chin to where Daryl could see Callie coming up to stand by Carol, she was whispering something to the woman and Daryl bit at his lower lip before snatching the rag from Shane's hands.

"What is it?" Callie echoed Rick's question as she dropped her sore left hand from Carol's shoulder. She watched Daryl and Shane get to their feet quickly, Daryl discreetly wiping at his palm behind Rick's shoulder. "Is that blood?" Callie's question got everyone's attention and Shane shook his head at her.

"Yeah," Daryl said still working the rag at his fingers. He skipped his eyes up to her and then over to Carol who was trying hard to keep a strong front going as she pushed away from Lori's hands. "We knew one of 'em was hurt from the sweater we found. Wound that bad," Daryl said slipping his eyes to where Rick and Shane were now talking quietly. "Gonna slow 'em down."

"You don't know my daughter," Carol said quietly as she passed Daryl to look at the bodies of the boys in their sleeping bags. His eyes followed her and she sent a quick glance at him over her shoulder. "She's tougher than she looks."

"A'right," Daryl said nodding his head. He held Carol's gaze for a moment, reading the unsaid words in her eyes as easily as her daughter had read the pattern of scars along the left side of his face. The girl'd survived worse than a little cut in her short little lifetime. Nothing was gonna be slowin' her down now, 'specially not if it was between her and survivin'. "Let's get movin' then. Least with the that much blood there'll be a trail to follow."

"Oh, yeah," Miles said roughly shaking his head as he and Glenn worked past him. "Happy fuckin' day." Miles hefted his trusty bat over his shoulder and shook his head again when Glenn put a hand to his shoulder and shook him a bit. Daryl huffed out a breath and then followed behind the two younger men, his eyes skipping to where Rick and Shane were still talking.

They started walking again, Carol slipping into step beside Callie as they trudged their way through the forest. Daryl made his way to the front, followed quickly by Glenn, Miles and Andrea. Callie settled her hand at Carol's tight shoulder and patted it twice earning a very small smile from the other woman and she pushed forward. She slipped her eyes over her shoulder to catch Rick's eyes as he lowered his gaze from the tree tops that he was scanning. His jaw clenched tight and he shook his head at her before turning his attention to Carl bounding up beside him. The boy situated himself as usual between Shane and his father, and Callie wondered if the boy had picked up on the tension there.

The way that Carl shifted his gaze between the men. The way he watched his mother trek solemnly up towards where Callie and Carol were walking between the two groups. The way his young eyes met hers for a brief instance, before again slipping up to his father when Rick put a hand atop that ridiculous campaign hat that sat upon Carl's head.

Yeah, Carl was definitely an observant and smart kid. He knew far more than any child his age should have to. Callie smiled sadly, and looked forward again, listening and watching the trees for any sign of the girls, or the Walkers that seemed so plentiful yesterday. And were strangely scarce today.

"So you think they stayed there?" Glenn asked Daryl, causing the redneck to squint a glare back at him. Glenn raised his brows and nodded his head behind him as if Daryl didn't know what the fuck he was talkin' about. "You know, in that tent."

"Looks like it," Daryl said turning around to face front and scan the ground. "Fuckin' smart move, too. Using the bodies of them two boys to help drown out the smell of 'em." Daryl nodded his head and looked back towards Carol and Callie, catching both women's eyes for a brief second. "Didn't think that highly of either of 'em before. Guess I shoulda."

"So where do we go?" Shane spat the question at Daryl and Callie watched Daryl's lips contort into a snarl as he looked back at where the man was walking. That tension was slowly crawling back into the air and Callie shook her head and sped up her pace so that she could fall into step with the angry Daryl. Thinking that perhaps she could slap the shit out of the back of his head to get him back on track of what was important.

Daryl shifted his eyes and watched Callie stalk towards him, letting his eyes slip down to the ground. He sneered at it and then lifted his eyes catching everyone's eyes on him. For a second he felt the weight of it on his shoulders and shook himself as Callie stopped near a tree. Her eyes were rooted to exactly what he'd noticed. The smear of red along the bark.

"They ran," Daryl said nodding to the ground, before catching Rick's gaze as he slipped up beside where Callie was staring at the tree. Rick's hand slipped up and touched her shoulder causing her to stiffen and turn in surprise. Daryl looked to Carol, feeling her eyes boring holes into him as he shifted his eyes around her, not wanting to make contact. "Looks like a they were runnin' from somethin'. Again." He looked to Rick and held his gaze. "Kids just can't fuckin' catch a break."

"So we just follow the fuckin' blood trail then? That's great. You're talkin' 'bout lookin' for a fuckin' body." Shane said angrily, his eyes slipped from Daryl's angered glare to where Lori was shaking her head at him beside Carol. Letting out an angry sigh Shane looked down to where Carl was standing at his side. Placing his hand to the boy's head he shifted the hat along his head and shook his head. "Sorry, bud."

"We're gonna find 'em. They'll be fine. You'll see," Carl said smiling up at Shane. "Daryl and dad are gonna find 'em."

"Yeah," Shane huffed out and shot his gaze to Rick still standing by Callie. He looked to where Lori was soothing Carol, and then over to where Daryl was staring at the ground in an effort to pick the right path through the dense forest. He shifted his head down to Carl and smiled at the boy's upturned face. "Yeah, I know. I'm just worried 'bout 'em."

"Me too," Carl said quietly, and Shane shifted his hand down to the boy's shoulders. Pulling him along at his side, Shane nodded to Carol and Lori as he made his way up to where Callie and Rick were.

"So, which way we goin' Dixon?" Shane scowled as Daryl snarled at him and yet again that palpable energy flowed between them.

"Shane, that's en-" Rick's voice cut out as a foreign sound erupted around them. Everyone's head lifted to the branches overhead, ears opening as they listened intently to the loud gong of bells. The sound continued, and Rick turned in a tight circle his eyes wide searched the area, trying to pick out the way to the source.

"Are those church bells?" Andrea asked quietly, her brow marred with confusion as she shifted her gaze around to everyone. "Seriously?"

Without another word, or any warning Rick broke out into a run. He pushed past the still stunned Daryl and off into the brush. Daryl shook his head and followed behind, his head whipping around to glare at everyone else still rooted to their spots.

"C'mon people, move!"

_You fall in ways to an open fire_

_You've got no taste for his desire_

_He brings you in to warm your bones_

_He's the reason why you came_

_And the reason why you have to go_

_Fool's gonna fall and raise_

_Another fallen child_

_Fool's gonna fall and raise_

_Another fallen child_

_Fool's gonna fall and raise_

_Another fallen child_

_~Restless Sinner / BRMC (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club)_

_AN: This chapter gave me SO much trouble…I hope it's not a fuckin' waste. It feels like a fuckin' waste. Anyway. I had to break it into two…because well… it was giving me a headache to try and make it any other way. We're getting close to that turning point…. So many things just jumbling around in my head trying to get out… boy oh boy, the drama!_

_LadyLecter47: I'm glad you're enjoying the Jenna /Sophia portion of the story. I had qualms about writing it…my inner voice stating that maybe I should just leave it up to y'all to imagine what they'd been up to. But then I was like 'fuck it' I'm writing it. Which is really just the way I go with everything I put on paper. The Callie/Rick moment and of course the Callie/Daryl were some of my favorites to write with that chapter… and the budding bromance is always fun. Shane's my beast, my boy. I love writing him right now…and look forward to some of the chapters coming up. Glad you're on the edge of your seat, plan on being there for a while. Thanks for the review as always!_

_Piratejessieswaby: OMFG….I will see what I can do for you! Thanks for reviewing!_

_Emberka-2012: You are right, they are smart and brave. And again, right on the fact that not every adult could do it… As we've heard before in this story…the world now for the survivors is not about what they want to do but what they need to do. I think everyone, including the kids are beginning to understand that very sad fact of life. Thanks for your review!_

_AlabastR: Can't get nothin' past you can I? I do have a few things up my sleeve though…but as a bit of a spoiler…don't let those sads go too far. I'm really glad that I was able to capture the creepy on such a vivid level, I was trying to convey it in a way that a younger person would see and explain it. I hope that came across. The Erin Brokovich scene…dude it's been a long time since I saw that, but maybe somewhere in my subconscious it was clawing its way out…I totally see the parallel there. I didn't mean to make you cry, or try to make you cry. I think we all need us a pocket-sized Daryl…just sayin… I'd carry him fuckin' everywhere dude! _

_Honeyconcha: Really glad you liked the Sophia/Jenna portion. As I said above I was worried about writing it, but when it started flowing it REALLY started flowing and I couldn't not put it out there. I don't think I've read any other fics with a portion that showed what happened to Sophia in the woods… I'd love to find one if anyone knows of any…just to compare. And yeah, the Shane wanting to pick up and go…it's gonna be brought up so just wait for that one. As for your sidenote: Well… a thank you for a thank you seems silly, and is one of those oddly cyclical things in life that you can't ever seem to avoid… So Thank You for the kind words, I appreciate everyone's feedback and support and will always take the time to either tell you all here, or in PM's _

_BecomingScarlett2012: Thanks so much for the reviews. I'm glad that you're enjoying everything. As for your worry…NO SPOILERS FOR YOU… just gonna have to wait and see. Trust me you won't have to wait too long. Great hearing from you!_

_Ali23: Thanks for taking the time to read and review. I'm glad you're liking the story!_

_Rednecks 'n Angels: NO SPOILERS FOR YOU! (I kinda feel like the spoiler nazi) I full on love the term 'deliciously frustrating' LOVE IT. Glad you're enjoying the frustration, and the snugglefest…and I love hearing from you. Thanks for the review!_

_TrustInFaith: Thanks for taking the time to read and review. I'm workin' fast as I can here…got the ideas a flowin' so I'm hoping it'll keep on going strong. _

_Sdwafford: Damn you've been a busy little reader. Glad to see you're liking season 2, and love to see you're reviewing. Shane and Lori are characters that I think really get to develop this season so it's definitely going to be fun to write that…I can see why you would say they are suited for one another. Glad you are liking the tension I'm building and I can only hope I don't disappoint with where we're going…heh, thanks for your great reviews and support_

_AngieInWonderland: Did you have fun camping? :) Yeah, Callie kissed Shane…and yeah it was a totally platonic thing and a spur of the moment, you saved my life sort of thing…but I could totally see a scene where Daryl goes all caveman when he finds out… Not sure if it's gonna happen. Maybe I'll have to do a series of strange AU's for this fic. So many different branches I could follow with all the shit I put in here ya know? Gracie and Daryl…and the badge…and the single itty-bitty word she said. How did I know that was gonna pull your heartstrings. I love the logic you put to it for Gracie. The 'he's protected by the badge and she's protected by him' so true to how it is. Glad you've been able to pick up on the tiny things in there. That always makes me so happy to read. The badge is one of those things that's going to be coming up again and again…I like doing that… see who's paying attention to things. As for your sidebar: I understand the want..I had me a shirt that once belonged to Joe … it was a strange bowling shirt thing.. Don't know who Joe was..but I had his shirt. Jenna and Sophia's run was intense to write, and it had me on the edge of my own seat. God if you people could see the faces that I make when I write…I act this shit out…no lie, and it's FUNNY to me to think what people would think if they saw me. Callie and Daryl's moment is exactly what you said. She's an adult, and they are both dealing with the fact that she is who she is, and he is who he is and they aren't trying to change one another or expecting them to be anything different. For me Daryl coming up to Callie was him dealing with it in the way a child/or adolescent would if he saw someone he cared about (someone known for being strong-willed) having a breakdown of sorts. Just holding her, not knowing what she was really thinking about and just saying things he figured she'd need to hear. And you picked up on a great many things with Rick and Callie…. Like Danny is a mirror for Lori and Shane, Callie is the mirror for Rick (and a great many things more too) and it's going to be interesting to see that play out as we enter into the Ricktatorship zone…just sayin. As for your thoughts… I may be sad to say we might not be on the same page…but I guess we'll have to see_

_Okay, that's it for now. I'm hard at work on the next installment…so _

_See ya in Part 2!_


	17. Restless Sinner Pt 2

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_We be rollin' along here peeps. I'm not gonna linger here, just gonna welcome y'all to Part 2… _

_As always, read, review and most of all enjoy!_

_~SWW_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Chapter 12: Restless Sinner Pt. 2**

Callie let her fingers glide along the ledges of the beautiful stained glass windows that lined the left side of the church as she made her way towards the front. Her eyes were on Carol, settled into one of the pews near the front, her head bowed and her mouth moving as she prayed.

Callie breathed in and felt her face contort with the smell of decay that hung in the air. Her gaze slipped to the right where Shane was putting his boot to the head of a Walker as he pulled his knife free. His eyes skipped up to hers and they shared a silent moment before he broke contact and stood straight, wiping his knife along his pants.

Carol's voice was low, but the closer Callie got the more words she could pick out. Something about 'Ed' and 'praying for it', and 'not understanding the cost'. Callie shut out the woman's voice giving her the privacy that her words deserved and watched Daryl move along the front of the church, his angry squinted gaze taking in the large crucifix with a sneer as he walked.

They'd arrived in the clearing in almost no time at all. The sound of those bells had sparked an immediate and almost unearthly hope in all of them. Hope that had fuelled all of their legs to move at speeds that none of the exhausted people of the group would have guessed that they'd have been able to achieve. Each one of them had filtered into the almost blinding rays of the sun, their eyes adjusting slowly from the slightly dimmed light of the forest area they had been searching.

And they had all felt that hope, that wondrous feeling that had filled their hearts and made them lighter than air as they ran, get crushed in an instant. The gleaming white church in a field of lush greens sat mocking them. The bells ringing loud and clear through the air. Bells that didn't exist in the tangible sense.

"There's no steeple," Andrea had said, her confusion clear in her voice as she shook her head and stared at the building.

It hadn't taken long for Glenn and Miles to find the box and dismantle the timer that had brought the bells to life. Nor had it taken long for them to stumble upon the mass amount of bodies laying dead outside the church. Too many bodies to have been taken out by Jenna and Sophia. The question of what happened on those church grounds had hung in the air as they all walked through the bodies, making sure that they were in fact dead. Callie could still remember the feeling of her heart plummeting into the pit of her stomach as Daryl crouched down beside one Walker and lifted a blood-soaked shoe to everyone's view.

A very familiar blood-soaked slip-on Ked.

She remembered the look on Miles' face as he stared at that shoe. Remembered clearly the look that crossed his features when he brought his foot down and smashed the head of that Walker into nothing but a smear. The way that he kept smashing his foot into what remained of that Walker's head until finally Shane had put a hand to his shoulder and pulled him away. Miles had angrily shrugged him off and Callie saw the tears and the anger in his eyes before he turned away and headed towards the church.

Thankfully Glenn had followed behind the younger boy, after offering her a silent hand to her shoulder and a nod.

Callie shook her head as she slipped to the front of the church, her fingers now trailing on the front pew. She settled her backside against it and stared over at the cross. She blinked catching Daryl as crouched down and put his hands to the arrow sticking out of the Walker slumped dead at the foot of the large crucifix.

The church had been occupied when they entered it. And everyone stood in a strange sort of shock at the sight of the Walkers seated in the pews. Everyone but Callie and Miles. They'd seen it before, at a small roadside chapel so many months ago it felt like a lifetime. People dead and gone, yet still stuck in the routine motions of prayer, their dead bodies following a macabre sort of muscle memory and giving them the allusion of being alive. Of being aware.

It had struck something akin to horror in Callie for a moment the first time she saw it as well. At that point her mind was still not fully processing what was happening in the world around them. And for that single fleeting moment she'd been struck with the notion that perhaps these people weren't dead. Perhaps they were sick. That they needed help.

And that she'd killed a great many people that could possibly have been saved.

And then the Walkers were up on their feet, jaws opening and teeth bared as they shambled towards where she, Miles and Danny had stood frozen for a few moments too long. The sight of the Walkers moving in so inhuman a way, broken limbs and gore covered bodies that shouldn't and in any normal world wouldn't be moving at all, working as a sickening reminder that these were not people. These were monsters.

The same as the ones that lived in the dark recesses of a child's mind. And just like those monsters, they needed to be destroyed if any of them were to survive.

Entering this church, it had almost been like an instant replay of that day. Everyone standing frozen at the back of the church, weapons raised but mind's reeling with the odd sight of Walkers that looked like they were praying for salvation.

It had ended the same way though, the Walkers heading towards them. Their bodies slumping to the ground finally at rest as Rick, Shane and Daryl worked quickly to take them down. Thoughts about human versus inhuman being left at the door.

Callie's eyes peered up at the crucifix, as she again remembered sitting in a pew beside Danny. Both of them listening as Miles snored soundly from a few rows back where he'd fallen into a deep, but fitful sleep.

"_Salvation's a strange fuckin' thing, Cal," _Danny had said as he clutched a blood-stained Bible between his fingers. "_It doesn't show up when you want it to, just when if fuckin' feels like you need it to." _

"We need it to now," Callie said on a whisper plea in the stale air filled with decay, as she chewed at her bottom lip and played with the fraying fabric of the bandage around her left hand. "We really need it."

A slight rustling sound brought Callie's eyes to the bowed head of Carol not far from her. Carol still sat in the pew, her head bowed as she stared at her clasped hands, her mouth no longer moving with the words of her prayer. Callie turned her head the rest of the way and watched a single tear fall down Carol's cheek and Callie willed her own tears not fall. Carol sniffed against the feel of the tear as it slid over her hot skin, but she didn't lift her hands from their clasped position on her lap to wipe it away. Callie's brow furrowed as long moments later Carol's eyes lifted to stare at the pew in front of her.

"Do you believe in the wrath of God?" Carol said quietly and Callie felt her hear thump hard in her chest. She didn't answer, just stared hard at Carol watching as the woman's watery eyes lifted from the pew and pinned Callie to her spot leaning against the pew. Carol continued to stare at her, thin lips pressed into a firm line as she began to idly nod her head at whatever thoughts were playing through her mind. Finally, Carol blinked and looked back to the crucifix leaving Callie to again stare at her profile. "This is his punishment for it. This is penance."

Carol put her hands to the pew in front of her and worked her way to her feet. She let her gaze slip from the crucifix to Callie and gave another watery wan smile. Dipping her chin once Carol made her way out of the pew and down the aisle towards the open doors, leaving Callie to stare at the place that Carol had sat.

After a moment, Callie lifted her hands from where they rested along the pew she had settled against. She stared at her wrists, at the thin scars that were still visible on her tanned skin where the handcuffs had sat for months and months. Reminders forever etched into her skin.

Her penance.

Her punishment.

God is that really what this was?

Dirt encrusted fingers entered her field of vision, and before she could look up to see for sure who it was, that familiar feel of his warm calloused hand wrapped around the wrist she was staring at. Daryl's hand covered her wrist completely, blocking her scars from view. Her eyes slid up and met his piercing blue orbs and she felt her chin tremble as she tried even harder to hold back her tears. She clenched her jaw tight as he tightened his own grip on her wrist.

"We're gonna find 'em," Daryl said quietly, his eyes slipping over her shoulder. His face contorted as they came into contact with something and he looked away for a minute, his body tensing as he made to move away.

There may have been something growing between them, a something that was as yet unnamed. But Daryl was still very much Daryl, and comforting crying women, let alone comforting anyone really wasn't something he was accustomed to. Or even remotely trained, to do. Thoughts of Merle being comforting or anything remotely like it entered Callie's mind and she found herself smirking just a bit at Daryl's averted gaze. It wasn't something she really expected him to do either. Especially not in what could be clearly defined as public view of the rest of the group. Callie shook her head and smiled a bit at his attempt to help, knowing if they'd been alone things would have probably been different. She nodded her head as she readied for him to pull away.

But he didn't. He stepped closer, pushing his knee between hers so that he could work himself as close to her as possible. A bit of shock ebbed its way on to her features as she felt his thumb begin to rub idly at the scars on her wrist. His other hand lifted and cupped the side of her face and brought her forehead to his.

"Gonna find 'em, Callie. This ain't no work of God. Just a bunch a kids that ain't caught a break, and apparently have a fucked up sense of direction."

Callie chuckled, she couldn't help it. The sound slipped through her lips and she worked to firm them into a line to stop herself from smiling. Daryl pushed his forehead harder into hers and let a tiny smirk play the edges of his lips.

"Miles always did worry," Callie said quietly causing Daryl to back up a bit and give her a look of pure confusion. "When we got to the Quarry. He was so worried she was gonna get lost in the woods. It was running joke we had. Jenna was always getting mixed up on the maps when she was giving directions to Mike. Miles always said that Jenna couldn't find her way out of a paper bag."

"Guess we're gonna have to find her quick then, 'fore she ends up workin' herself and Sophia clear outta Georgia," Daryl said quietly and Callie nodded her head and again let a small chuckle slip through her lips.

"Yeah," Callie said quietly, her gaze holding his. They stared at each other for what seemed like forever, foreheads pressed together. Daryl's thumb still working at the small scars on her wrists as if he could rub them away. Clearing her throat she leaned forward just a bit. "Thank you."

He nodded once, the action almost dismissive in regards to her thanks. His eyes squinted and his head shook in a manner that clearly said he was wondering what the fuck she was thanking him for. His hand remained at her jaw, thumb working over her skin and slipping to her bottom lip pulling it out from where she'd sucked it between her teeth. He wet his lips and leaned in feathering a soft kiss along her lips. All those feelings that had been welling up in Callie before broke free at the gentle touch and pressed her lips into his. Heat ran through their blood and yet again Callie felt herself being carried away by the rush of it through her body. Daryl's hand tightened and slipped around her head, fingers tangling into her hair and pressing at the nape of her neck. Pulling her closer as his tongue slid into her mouth.

A throat cleared behind them at the entrance to the church, and had their lips breaking apart on a sigh. Callie chuckled and put her forehead to his, while Daryl's hand slid slowly away from her neck. Callie spared a glance over her shoulder and saw Rick standing with his chin dipped down to his chest but his eyes on them. Not far off she could see the rest of the group milling about outside the door, a widely smiling Glenn looking straight at her. Obviously the younger man was ecstatic that he had finally passed the buck so to speak when it came to interrupting them. Rick lifted a brow and nodded once at her and Callie turned her attention back to Daryl.

"Didn't peg you for the public display type, Dixon." Callie said putting her hands to his chest and pushing him away just a bit.

"Rick ain't public," Daryl said in a matter-of-fact tone that had her raising a brow. Daryl shifted a bit back from her and squinted at her raised brow. She wanted to ask what exactly Rick was then, but refrained for the moment.

"Let's go find the girls," Callie said smiling as Daryl stepped the rest of the way away and gave her room to move past him. She worked her way to the aisle and began walking towards the doors, fingers still trailing along the pews as she moved.

Daryl watched her go, and then cupped his hand to his mouth. His finger digging harshly into his cheek as his eyes skipped over his shoulder to the crucifix on hanging there. Turning slightly to face the cross, and the man on it, he slid his gaze to where Callie was meeting up with Rick. He slid his hand down his face and settled it into the strap that held his crossbow and returned his attention to the front of the church and that symbol that he'd never felt the need to pray to before.

"Yo, J.C," Daryl said shifting his mouth from side to side at the odd way the words felt coming from his mouth. He snarled a bit at himself, at the situation they were in, at fuckin' life in general now. His gaze slipped behind him for a second watching Rick put a hand to Callie's shoulder, without any hesitation at who might see him do it. Turning back to the man on the cross he huffed out a breath. "You takin' requests?"

Daryl made his way slowly out into the sun beyond the rank confines of the little church. His shoulders hunched a bit as he stepped up next to Rick right outside the door. Rick's gaze lingered on Callie as she made her way over to where Miles was kicking at another Walker body. They watched her put a hand to the boy's shoulder and turn to smile and say something to the smiling Glenn.

Daryl couldn't help but stare at the woman as she comforted Miles with something so simple as a hand on the shoulder. No hesitation in givin' it, and no qualms about who the fuck was watchin' as she let the boy go so that she could put a hand to Glenn's now slightly hunched shoulders. Daryl averted his gaze from her to the grounds as he felt Rick's stare settle on him.

Daryl's eyes stayed on the people slowly walking around the field, weaving their way through the bodies that littered the ground. His eyes landed on Shane not far off, speakin' to Lori who's eyes looked like they was 'bout to bug out of her head. She was shaking her head and staring hard at the man, and Shane just kept shaking his head right back. They were arguin' over something, not a strange sight to see these days, but usually they were a bit more discreet. Usually they didn't do that shit right in front of Rick and fuckin' Carl. Daryl's eyes caught the boy watching interestedly, pretending to be listening to something Glenn was sayin' and not to what his mother and his father's best friend were arguin' about. Fuckin' morons the botha them. Daryl shifted his eyes away from Shane and Lori as they broke apart and watched Andrea trail Shane with her eyes. He felt Rick shift, a sudden bit of sympathy or somethin' welled in Daryl as he listened to Rick move. Rick wasn't a moron. He was just as fuckin' observant as that boy of his, probably more so. Daryl heard the huff of breath leave Rick indicating he was 'bout to open his mouth, and Daryl prepared himself for it.

"She okay?" Rick asked quietly and Daryl skipped his eyes over to him, seeing that Rick was now shifting his attention away from his wife and towards Callie. Well, shit, that hadn't been what he was expectin'. But he shoulda. Rick wasn't the type to let his personal life interfere with the what he had to do. Daryl knew that from the moment the man defied his wife and his fuckin' best friend to go back out after Merle.

"Are you?" Daryl asked almost angrily. Feelin' how fuckin' loaded question that was as it left his mouth. Rick looked at him in shock for a moment before shaking his head and taking in another deep breath. "Then why the fuck would she be?"

Silence fell between the two men, and Daryl watched Rick shift again his hands settling on his hips as he stared out at the people. He felt it when Rick's eyes hit onto Shane's, felt that palpable tension in the air and wanted to walk the fuck away from it. He didn't need this bullshit. Didn't need to be put into the middle of something like that. Daryl snarled as Shane sauntered over to them, and he turned away and began stalking around in front of the doors to the church leaving Rick to deal with Shane head on.

"We can't just stand 'round here," Shane said in a huff as he squinted over at Daryl before turning his gaze to Rick. Rick nodded his head and put a hand to his friend's shoulder. Daryl smirked when Shane stiffened at the act of kindness on Rick's part. Dumb fucker.

"The girl's were obviously here," Rick said motioning his head towards where Daryl had found Jenna's bloody shoe. He slipped his hand off of Shane's tense shoulders and turned to watch Daryl stalk by. "You think you can pick up the trail?"

"Like I said," Daryl growled as he kicked at the body of the Walker that Jenna's shoe had been hiding under. "Blood leaves a good trail. I'll find it," Daryl lifted his eyes and looked at the bodies littering the ground. "S'weird though. The girls didn't do this," Daryl waved a hand out at the bodies. "These fuckers were shot," Daryl kicked out again at the Walker at his feet. "Well, all of 'em 'cept this one. I'm gonna bet Jenna got this sum'bitch. But all the others," he looked over at Rick. "You see it," Rick nodded and even Shane had to nod at what Daryl was saying. "S'like someone was practicin', all the fuckin' holes littered about the bodies. Wasn't a clean killin'." Daryl got to his feet and let his eyes roam around. "More like target practice."

"Fuckin' waste of bullets," Shane muttered and Daryl raised a brow but nodded his agreement.

"We don't have time to worry 'bout it," Rick said quietly. "It's not our concern what happened here."

"Think it should be," Daryl said quietly biting at his the cuticle on his thumbnail. "Whoever shot these fuckers is probably out in these woods."

"For all we know it could have been the man back at that campsite," Rick said shaking his head and Daryl shook his head at the man's fuckin' idiocy. "I'm not saying we don't keep our eyes open, Daryl. I'm just sayin' we've got more important things to focus on." Daryl let out a gruff sigh and shook his head, once again letting his eyes roam over the more than fifteen or so dead Walkers near the church.

Daryl skipped his eyes up catching Callie's as she came up to stand beside Rick and Shane. He bit at the inside of his cheek as Callie slipped down and crouched by Jenna's blood-stained shoe. Putting her fingers to the fabric she grimaced and shook her head tipping her eyes back up to them.

"Blood's still pretty wet," Callie said wiping her fingers on her already disgusting pants. "Means whatever happened," she looked up to Daryl and then Rick. "At least whatever happened to Jenna and Sophia up here, didn't happen too long ago."

"Right," Rick said quietly eyeing Callie as she worked her way to her feet and continued to look down at the shoe. "Which means that they may be close by."

"We should split up," Callie said quietly, earning the attention of everyone. She watched Rick and Daryl shake their heads and she threw her hands up. "Look, we'll cover more ground if we do. We're not utilizing our resources and y'all know it," she pointed an accusing finger at Rick and then Daryl and then for good measure she added Shane in as well.

Daryl scoffed and shifted his attention away from her, letting his squinted gaze fall back to the woods. They seemed so much darker now that they'd been standing in the full rays of the sun for so long. Strangely that dim filtered light seemed to call to him, and made him miss the Quarry. The way life had seemed so perfect there.

Fuck, they'd been fools back then hadn't they.

"Alright," Rick said nodding his head, and Daryl's attention snapped to the man. Once again Rick settled his hands on his hips and nodded his bowed head. "Alright. Callie's right." Rick let his eyes roam the field and then looked at Daryl. "Highway's that way," Rick said and Daryl nodded a bit confused. "You take Glenn and the girl's back, keep eyes open for a trail, anything. Who knows maybe they got their bearings and are already back there waitin' for us." Daryl grimaced at Rick's optimism and Rick gave a half-hearted smile to the redneck in return. "Me and Shane," he looked at Callie who crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him her head giving a single shake. He let out a breath and nodded in return. "And Callie, will head off that way a bit," Rick pointed over his shoulder in the opposite direction. "We'll search around and see if we come across anything."

"I'm stayin' with Callie," Miles piped up settling beside the woman. She turned to face the kid with a hardened gaze that was soon melting into a shaking acceptance.

"Fuck," Daryl said glaring at the ground and then back up at Rick. "Best keep an eye on those two," Daryl said earning a confused look from Rick and Callie. "Last time they set out in the woods both of 'em almost got their asses killed."

Callie and Miles both shot Daryl a stiff middle finger that he chuckled at as he watched them shake their heads and walk off a bit. Rick smiled a bit and put a hand to Daryl's shoulder, not shocked at all to find it hard as a rock with the tension coiling there.

"Wasn't plannin' on letting anyone outta my sight," Rick said quietly earning a huffed response from Daryl before the redneck shrugged off his hand. Rick lifted his gaze to Shane, watching the man shake his head and stalk off a bit before shifting his attention to where Lori was shaking her own head. Her gaze however didn't meet Rick's, but continued to follow Shane as he walked up to where Carl was standing near one of the Walker bodies laying on the ground.

"Hey Dad," Carl said, just as Shane put his hand to his head. "Shane said that I could come with you, can I? Please?"

At that point Lori's gaze slipped to Rick, her eyes seemed to widen even more when she saw him already looking at her. Her mouth snapped shut and her lips firmed into a line as she watched Rick slowly turn to face Shane and Carl. Carl was smiling so widely at him, while Shane held a hand to his shoulders and stared hard at Rick. Finally Rick nodded his head and smiled tightly at Carl.

"Alright," Rick said angling his eyes up to Rick. "But you stay close," Rick said and Carl's face lit up, slipping his eyes up to Shane first and then over to where Callie was standing with Miles. Miles waved Carl over to him, and Rick was left staring at Shane. "We good?" Rick asked letting his eyes shift from Shane to where Daryl was eyeing him.

Daryl sucked in a bit of air through his teeth and then spat off to the side, his eyes shifting between Rick and Shane in a quick once over before he nodded his head. Slipping his gaze to where Callie stood with a hand to Carl's shoulder he let out a breath. Miles was standing beside her with his bat settled on his shoulder and his hand behind his back checking the gun that probably still felt wrong sitting in his waistband. Callie lifted her eyes to meet Daryl's and held that piercing gaze of his for as long as she could.

He broke contact first, that feeling in the pit of his stomach that hadn't settled flaring to life and feelin' like a fuckin' rock weighing him down to the spot. It was almost like if he stared at her long enough, that feelin' would become too heavy and he wouldn't ever be able to lift his feet again. Shaking his head a bit he snarled at himself and then scratched at his cheek.

"A'right then. We're good," Daryl said shifting his eyes around while Rick nodded. Daryl began to saunter off leavin' Rick to work out his own mess. He shifted his eyes and caught Glenn's slightly worried frown. "Chinaman, c'mere," Daryl said watching Glenn's brows lift in his usual 'who me?' way as he slowly made his way towards the redneck. Daryl damn near growled when he pulled the kid towards him. They walked a few steps before Daryl squatted down and picked up Jenna's blood-stained shoe. Standing, he flipped Glenn around so that he could open his backpack.

"Oh come on," Glenn whined as Daryl manhandled him and shoved the shoe into his backpack. "Really?"

"She's gonna fuckin' need it when we find her," Daryl shot a glance at where Rick, Shane, Callie, Miles and Carl were gathering. He caught Rick's gaze first and then Callie's slightly smiling eyes. "We'll take it back to the RV and get it cleaned up for her."

No words were spoken as the group's split up, just lingering looks between them. Silent pleas said in the presence of the beautiful white church, in a field that should have been beautiful too, that they would all meet up again soon. All of them. Jenna and Sophia included.

Daryl's legs felt heavy as he trudged away from Callie and the rest. Something was brewin' in the air around them. Something that was makin' Daryl wish he woulda told Callie that he didn't want her goin' off without him. Something that was tellin' him that he may not see her again. He could hear the voices of Andrea, Carol and Lori as they spoke idly behind him, while Glenn trudged along almost next to him. Daryl's eyes skipped to Glenn, and he couldn't help but look back at the church.

"Stuck traipsin' through the woods with the Chinaman and fuckin' Charlie's Angels at my back," Daryl snarled at the church and lifted a chiding finger at it shaking his head as he walked. "Got you a sick sense of humor, man." Daryl heard Glenn give a disgruntled 'Hey!' but he wasn't paying attention. His eyes had slid back to watch the other group head into the woods, that feelin' of dread sliding over his shoulders and hunching him down. Sliding his eyes past the church again he grumbled, "Ya best not burn me, man. Fuckin' wrath of God ain't nothing compared to the wrath of a Dixon."

"Are you feeling okay?" Glenn asked raising a brow at Daryl's grumbled statements. Daryl snarled at him and sped up a bit putting some distance between himself and the group of people at his back. Glenn shook his head and shot a look over his shoulder to Lori, Andrea and Carol. "I think he's finally snapped."

* * *

"So, you wanna tell me what that was," Rick asked Shane as they walked slowly behind Carl, Callie and Miles through the woods. Shane shifted his eyes over to Rick finding that his friend wasn't even looking at him. Rick's eyes were settled on Carl as he walked next to Callie a few feet ahead.

"You wanna be a bit more specific?" Shane shot back watching from the corner of his eyes as Rick shook his head and dipped his chin to his chest. Suddenly Rick's feet stopped, and he turned to face Shane. Shane found himself floundering a bit, his mind stuck in overdrive as he tried to come to terms with what he'd decided only moments ago.

Leaving.

It really was the only thing that made sense. He couldn't stay, there wasn't a place for him here anymore. Shane felt his lip twitching as he slipped his eyes forward to where Callie stood with Miles and Carl a good distance away. Her eyes were fixed on him and Rick, watching in that straightforward way of hers. She looked away when Carl apparently asked her a question, and much to Shane's surprise she smiled at the boy and led him a bit away.

The one thing Shane would always admit, without any hesitation at all, was that Callie was damned good at reading situations. The woman was an asset because of that. It was something that kept her alive, and kept a lot of others alive too.

Strangely though, Shane had always considered himself an asset to the group. At the Quarry, when they'd first arrived, he'd been the one everyone looked to. The one that kept his head during those first tumultuous days after the bombing of Atlanta; helped bring them all together. He'd been the voice of reason and authority to people who had lost everything and needed to have that person to depend. That person that could make the hard decisions for them.

That was the man he'd been. The man he'd wanted to be. The man he needed to be.

And then, the world tilted, and Rick came back from the dead. And everything changed. He'd changed. And more importantly Rick had changed.

No longer was Rick Grimes content with being that man in the background. The man that didn't make waves. The man that let life lead him, rather than put his foot down and say no. The man that would rather let his wife rail and scream at him than tell her how he was really feeling.

No. The Rick that showed up at the Quarry; the Rick that returned from the dead, was a changed man. A man who survived insurmountable odds and unthinkable situations and made it back to his wife and child. This Rick was a determined man. A man that had began to form alliances with people that in the world before he'd never have even looked twice at befriending. A man that no longer trusted what in the world before he'd never questioned.

A man that Shane _wanted _to respect. That he _had_ to respect.

Yet, strangely he was a man that Shane couldn't keep eye contact with for longer than a few minutes without feeling the pangs of-he wouldn't call it guilt. He couldn't. He wasn't guilty of anything.

He loved her. And she loved-

"I'm talkin' about you inviting my son to come with us," Rick said, the tenor of his voice shaking Shane from his thoughts. Shane shook his head and watched as Callie again shifted her gaze to them, a fleeting glance before she was ushering both boys towards the small running creek nearby.

"C'mon, Rick," Shane said on a sigh running his hand through his dark sweaty hair. "I didn't invite him. He wanted to come. The girl's his friend, been alongside us since this all began really, and in case you haven't noticed he's got a soft spot for her."

"That's not the point," Rick said shaking his head, anger rolling across his slightly hunched shoulders. Shane watched in what he could only call slight amusement as Rick yet again strived to control his temper. "It's dangerous-"

"Whole world's dangerous now," Shane said back. "We gonna coddle the kid or we gonna teach him to fuckin' survive."

"_We_," Rick said finally lifting his heated glare from the ground and pinning Shane with it. That anger flared to life behind Rick's blue eyes and Shane almost wished that he'd just fuckin' snap and take a swing. Give him a reason to- Rick's hand lifted and Shane's fists clenched at his sides as he prepared for a blow. But it didn't come, Rick merely lifted two fingers and moved them back and forth in the small space between their bodies. "We ain't gonna do nothing," Rick said indicating the two of them. "Me and Lori; _we _will take care of raising _our_ boy."

Silence fell between them and the longer it went, the more tightly Shane's muscles began to coil. Where the fuck did he get off, cuttin' him outta Carl's life? He fuckin' owed him that boy's life. He was the one that dragged his wife and his boy outta danger. Kept them alive, safe, loved.

Him. He did that.

Shane felt the muscle in his jaw tick out of control, and watched Rick's calm eyes narrow just a bit. And then Rick did what Rick did best, he diffused his fuckin' ticking time bomb of a reaction with a simple sigh and a shake of his head. Shane watched Rick lift a hand to his head and run it raggedly through his hair.

"I know that you feel responsible for him," Rick said quietly, the calmness in his voice working to settle Shane's nerves no matter how much Shane worked against it. "I know you do. For months you were fillin' a void in Carl's life, helpin' him through what had to be the hardest time of his life. And for that, brother, I am forever in your debt." Rick looked up at Shane and watched his face contort with something. Shaking his head again he stepped up and put a hand to his shoulder, feeling his friend flinch and try not to pull away. "But you don't need to worry 'bout it anymore. I got this now. Carl ain't your concern, he's mine," Rick took a breath and held Shane's gaze. "Mine and Lori's."

Shane's eyes widened just a bit and his mouth moved with an almost instant negative response. Just as Rick was expecting him to say something the sound of crunching leaves caught their attention. Rick's eyes snapped to the left to see Carl heading towards them, a slight frown on his face. Carl came to a stop next to Rick and looked up.

"Hey," Carl said quietly his eyes skipping behind him. Rick followed his gaze and it was then that his stomach dropped down to his shoes, and his eyes frantically searched the woods.

"Carl, where's Callie and Miles?" Rick asked putting a hand to his son's shoulders to keep him close.

"They went that way," Carl said in a slightly dejected tone pointing a finger to the wooded area just across the tiny little creek bed. Shane smiled a bit at him when he shifted his gaze up to him. "Wanted to check out a noise." Rick let out a gruff sigh and began shaking his head, his eyes searching over to where Carl was pointing. "She said to come over and stand with you," Carl's lips twitched as he shifted his eyes between Shane and Rick. "Said if I so much as walked one step in any other direction, she'd beat my ass black and blue." Shane huffed out a chuckle and Rick continued to shake his head, slipping a humored bit of a smile to Shane.

"I'd refrain from repeating that in front of your mom, bud." Shane put his hand to the kid's head working Rick's campaign hat from side to side, earning a bit of a chuckle from Carl. Rick let his hand slide from his son's shoulder, and Shane lifted his from the boy's head watching with a smile as Carl worked to fix his hat.

Both men then turned their attention to the woods where Callie and Miles had apparently gone to check out a noise. Rick let out a sigh and shook his head again.

"Woman is unbelievable," Rick muttered earning a gruff chuckle from Shane and a nod of the other man's head. Rick lifted his hand and settled it on Carl's shoulder and then looked to Shane. "Let's go find-"

Another crunching of the leaves caught their attention, and they all froze as their eyes shifted from the wooded area where Callie and Miles had disappeared to. Rick held tight to Carl, lightly moving him around his body so that he was blocking the boy from whatever was coming from the woods ahead of them. His breath held, and from the corner of his eye he saw Shane pulling his gun and slowly moving forward. Rick's hand shot out, and Shane turned wide angry eyes towards him. Rick's head shook once, and he mouthed the word, 'Quietly', before jutting his chin in a motion towards the knife at Shane's boot.

Shane nodded his head once, and moved to switch weapons, while Rick held Carl back behind him. Shane held tight to the hilt of his knife and shot a glance over his shoulder to where Rick was standing, brandishing his own knife and keeping himself between Carl and danger. The rustling sound grew louder, whatever it was moving fast through the brush. Suddenly a deer burst through the trees and slowed to a trot before finally stopping near the little creek.

Shane's breath shuddered out of him and he turned to see Rick shaking his head with a small smile on his face. Their eyes met and for that moment whatever disagreement they had seemed to disappear with the wash of relief that flooded their bodies.

"Oh, wow Dad," Carl's excited voice filled the air and Rick turned to face his son. "Look at that," Carl was inching out from behind Rick now his eyes alight with wonder. Rick nodded his head and put a hand to Carl's shoulder allowing the boy to slowly move out and get a better look at the deer.

* * *

"Fuckin' ridiculous," Miles' harshly stated words filtered up from his position at Callie's back and had her cracking a bit of a grim grin at him. "I mean seriously, we got more important shit to do that argue right now."

"I don't think they were arguing," Callie said quietly fixing her eyes to the ground below her booted feet. She stepped over a larger branch, swinging out an arm towards Miles to help him over it. She turned and saw Miles fixing her with a glare and he waved out a hand at her gesture.

"Whatever," Miles breathed out. "All I know is they sure didn't look like they were gonna be breakin' out in a fuckin' chorus of 'Kumbaya', Cal." Miles said lifting a brow at her when she looked over her shoulder at him. She shook her head and chuckled before returning her eyes to the ground.

"You're sounding too much like Danny, ya know that." Callie said still chuckling as she scoured the ground. She heard Miles let out a chuckle and then sigh and finally Callie stopped moving forward and turned to face the boy. "What's on your mind?"

"It's just," Miles shifted his eyes around and then back over his shoulder where they had left Rick, Shane and Carl. "Something's wrong with Shane. Ever since the CDC," Miles made a face and Callie tilted her head to the side as and gave him a sad smile, she found her head nodding in slight agreement as his eyes slipped back up to her. "You see it, I know you do. Nothing gets past you. Got that fuckin' mom radar."

"I'm not-"

"Right, whatever," Miles waved a hand at her and then began stalking around in a small circle. "Look, you and Danny didn't agree on everything when we were on the road. I remember those early days of the knock-down drag-out fights you two had." Callie smirked at the memories but kept her eyes on the bothered boy. "But the tension building there," he pointed his cast covered left hand over his shoulder. "That's different. That's like, a hundred times worse. Because I don't think it has anything to do with surviving and making the right decision for the group. That," Miles pointed again and raised a brow at her. "That's something different."

Callie stood in her spot, her arms crossed over her chest as she regarded the young man staring her down with a worried frown on his face. She took in a few breaths watching as Miles lowered his still raised and pointing broken hand, and then ran his fingers through his hair.

"When did you get so observant?" Callie asked quietly taking a step forward and putting her hand to his shoulder. He shifted his head around on his shoulders in a sort of embarrassed manner and mumbled something about 'having to be now'. She squeezed the hand on his shoulder and lowered her eyes to catch his gaze. "You're right." Callie said simply and she let her hand fall. "You're absolutely right, and honestly I think that Rick had wanted to come out here with Shane alone to discuss it."

"But you weren't going to let that happen, were you?" Miles said quietly a small smirk gliding onto his face. Callie shook her head and smiled back. "And neither was Shane." Miles said thinking back to the way Shane had gone over to Carl, and told the kid he could come along. "Should we have left Carl back there," Miles slipped his gaze over his shoulder and Callie smiled again at the worry etching his brow.

"If there is one thing that Rick and Shane will forever work together to protect, it's Carl. You don't have to worry about that," Callie smiled and Miles nodded his head. "Carl will be fine." Callie took a breath. "And so will Rick and Shane."

"I don't think so, Cal." Miles said quietly. "I really don't. Shane's got himself a short fuse, we've all seen it. Look at the way he blew up at Daryl earlier. He's got something building and it's gonna blow. And he's gonna take out someone in that explosion. Be it Rick, or Daryl," he took a breath and looked up. "Or you."

"You're being overly dramatic now," Callie admonished and turned back to the woods. "Let it go, Miles. Honestly, it'll work itself out. Let's focus on what's really important right now. Which is finding Sophia and Jenna."

"That why you stormed off over here," Miles said with a smile as he followed behind Callie's slow moving form. He watched her steps stutter as she shot a look over her shoulder at him and he raised an amused brow. "I know you didn't hear a fuckin' sound like you told Carl. You never woulda brought me along to check out something dangerous."

"Fuckin' observant son of a bitch," Callie muttered shaking her head and causing Miles to crack a wide grin. "You're right," she breathed returning her eyes to the ground. "I didn't hear a sound."

Callie felt Miles move up to where she was standing. He was right, she hadn't heard anything. Honestly, she'd just wanted to get away from that growing palpable tension between Rick and Shane. And she'd felt Miles growing more and more uneasy with it as well. So she'd decided to get a bit of breathing room. And part of her felt bad for sending Carl over in hopes that the boy would be able to remind both men what was really at stake out here in the woods. Remind them what really mattered.

She'd sent Carl over, watching him walk to make sure he didn't veer of course, and then she'd led Miles over the tiny creek and to the other side of the woods. And then she'd saw it, and her entire body had stiffened as her steps slowed. Miles was at her side now looking down at the ground, his eyes skipping over what she was looking at a few times, before she felt him freeze beside her.

"Oh man," Miles said quietly, his breath rushing out as he skipped his wide eyes to the side of her face. Callie let out a long sigh and ran her fingers through the loose strands that had escaped her pony tail. "That's blood right?"

"Yeah," Callie nodded her head and then slipped her eyes to the trees around them. "That's blood."

"Jenna!" Miles instantly began yelling and Callie put a hand out to his shoulder to try and stop him. He violently wrenched away and began moving forward. "Jenna! Sophia!"

"Miles," Callie put her hand out to the boy again only to find him moving away and continuing to yell. "Miles, quiet. We don't know for sure that's Jenna's blood. That could belong to-"

"The hell we don't," Miles yelled back at her. "You saw the fuckin' shoe."

"Alright," Callie said closing the distance between them and putting both hands to his shoulders. He tensed again and when he moved to pull away she held tight and forced him to stay put. "Alright." She stared at him and then let her eyes wander the woods and the trees. "We are going to look for her, but I need you to stay quiet, there _are_ Walkers out here," the way she said it, the conviction in her voice, had Miles stiffening in her grasp and his eyes sliding around. "There's no question in my mind about it, Miles. There are Walkers in these woods, so we are going to be fuckin' smart about the way we walk. I will not lose another person to a dumbass move on my part," Miles blinked back to looking at Callie and took in a deep breath before he nodded his head.

"Should we get Rick and Shane?" Miles asked quietly.

Just as Callie's mouth opened to respond, her head in mid-nod a sound caught her attention. Both of their heads snapped off into the distance and Callie forcibly pushed Miles behind her, drawing her knife from her thigh sheath. The sound of shuffled footsteps sounded again, and Miles worked to bring himself up beside Callie but she held her arm out straight and blocked him from moving any further.

Callie's breathing was too loud. She was sure of it. No matter how she tried to control it, her breathing just sounded too loud to her own ears. Thoughts rushed into her head as she listened to the movement of whatever was coming towards them quicken its pace. Thoughts about Whitmore rushing her and Miles in the woods. The scream of pain that had left Miles' lips as the man bit down. The Walker tied to a tree pawing at her. The pain of her own knife slowly working its way into her shoulder and sliding a searing path along her collarbone.

The smell of decay.

The smell of blood.

The figure slid around a tree, one hand sliding over the bark to keep it steady. The first thing Callie's eyes took in were the feet. One dirty Ked, followed by a blood-soaked sock. Callie's eyes snapped up, her hand tight on her knife and her heart thumping wildly in her chest as she felt Miles' trying to push past her arm.

"Oh God," Miles' voice left in a hushed whisper and Callie swallowed hard.

Lifting her eyes up she grimaced at the poor girl's face, the large gash marring the side sending a trail of blood down her neck soaking a bit of her shirt collar. Pale ashen skin, glistening with sweat in the dim filtered sunlight above. Red hair plastered down and hanging limp around her face. Bloodshot eyes with dark circles beneath them.

One night.

One night of hell.

"Jenna," Callie ventured the name as she took a single step forward. Jenna's head snapped up from where she'd been watching her footing and her mouth opened on a shuddering breath. Callie watched the girl's chest begin to move in a rapid motion as her breaths started to get more agitated, her fee frozen to the spot beside that tree. "Jenna, honey. It's okay."

"Callie," Jenna's voice was a trembling barely controlled whisper of shock. Her chin began to tremble, and Callie saw the tears begin to streak a path of clean down her dirty cheeks. "Callie."

Miles was rushing forward now, and Callie was right on his heels. Jenna's hand left the tree just as Miles enveloped the girl into his arms, crushing her head against his chest as they sunk down to the forest floor. Callie slid on her knees beside them her arms wrapping around the bodies of both teenagers. Her head titled up and she blinked back the tears and the lump in her throat. Taking in a shaking breath she let her head fall and planted her lips to the top of Jenna's head.

"I'm sorry," Jenna's tiny muffled voice was saying, and with a bit of hesitation Miles moved back to give the girl room to breathe. To talk. To move away a bit so that he could look at her and take in the sight of her. "I'm sorry." Callie shook her head and moved Miles to the side, putting both of her hands to Jenna's shaking shoulders.

"It's okay, Jen. You don't have anything to be sorry for," Callie said a tight smile forming on her lips. Jenna's head began to move back and forth in an uncontrolled shaking. "Miles," Callie slipped her eyes to where the boy was sitting on the ground beside her. "Go get Rick and Shane,"

"But—"

"Miles," Callie said his name in that tone that always reminded him of his mom and he couldn't help the smile.

He nodded slowly and got to his feet, but his eyes shifted around them before saying exactly what was on Callie's mind, "Sophia?"

"Jenna," Callie said nodding her head at the girl still shaking her head and crying before her. "Jenna, where's Sophia."

"I'm so sorry," Jenna said quietly, her lip trembling as she looked up at Callie kneeling before her. Jenna took another shaking breath and looked up at Miles as he stood staring confusedly down at her. "I left her at the church."

Before another word could be spoken, a shot rang out from somewhere behind them. Callie's hands gripped tight to Jenna's shoulders for a single second before she was pushing to her feet. Eyes wide she stared back at where they had left Rick, Shane and Carl. That single gunshot hitting her with a bullet of panic. There was no way that Shane or Rick would risk taking out a Walker with a gun in here. And why just one shot.

Panic. Utter and complete panic started to churn Callie's stomach to an unbearable level. Miles moved just a bit breaking whatever hold that panic had gained on her. Without thinking she grabbed for him, pulling him to her and yelling in his ear.

"Go!" Callie yelled, and pushed him forward. He stumbled a bit staring at her in confusion before his feet began to move. Turning to reach down Callie practically dragged Jenna to her feet. The girl wavered a bit, unsteady, but not about to fall. Her wide eyes told Callie that much when she met them. Turning back to face the still slow moving boy she screamed again "GO! Miles!"

They began moving, Callie dragging the injured and tired form of Jenna behind her as Miles pulled his gun from the back of his waistband. They were pushing through the brush, a sense of dread filling all of them at the sound of that single gunshot that still seemed to be echoing in the air.

And then that echo died, and all Callie heard were Rick's anguished cries splitting the air around them.

_It can't be known what lies in wait_

_For those of us in crippled states_

_A broken mind is no escape_

_When there's no one left to reason with_

_There's no one left to call your name_

_Fool's gonna fall and raise_

_Another fallen child_

_Fool's gonna fall and raise_

_Another fallen child_

_Fool's gonna fall and raise_

_Another fallen child_

_~Restless Sinner /BRMC (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club)_

_AN: Well… there you go…. These last couple of chapters have been such a struggle. I actually wrote seven pages(!) of this chapter, and pitched it all. Rewriting two more times before getting this to flow in a way that I felt was OK (not even great -just OK to me) The church scene was hard for me, I try not to completely recreate word for word what we've all seen. I try very hard to give you a different view of it…and honestly that's getting harder to do as we work our way into Season 2. There's just so much great stuff packed into this Season. _

_And there is SO MUCH to try and fit in to each chapter I write here, and I'm working to try and keep them fast-paced and interesting, while also trying to make sure that they aren't TOO long. I worry that the length is really off-putting… but there is a method to the madness of the shit that is crammed into each chapter. As always, than you all for reading and stickin' with me. _

_And So:_

_LadyLecter47: I'm so glad that you like what I'm putting out there. Shane's getting more and more… fun to write. And Danny's slowly getting back to his wonderful wise crackin' self…the Papa Daryl comment had me chuckling when I wrote it. I try to fit in at least one moment of levity into each chapter… to help break things up. Ya know? Happy reading!_

_Piratejessieswaby: OMFG I think you've asked me to kill off almost everyone now. I'm tempted to write a companion fic in which I detail the untimely death of all of the characters. It'd be just for you. Thanks so much for taking the time to review. I'm glad you're loving it. _

_TrustInFaith: Welcome to the reviews! Glad you're loving it, and *salutes* I will post as quickly as I possibly can!_

_Emberka-2012: Yes, yes Shane did create a problem out of nothing, and for me it's like the first stone falling in a rockslide, if you catch my meaning. Thanks so much for the reviews. I appreciate your devoted readership._

_Sdwafford: All caught up and ready to GO! I love that you've managed to catch up not only on this story but the companion fic as well. My Goodness, gonna give me a big head with all that lovin' and reviewin' and readin'. I'm really glad that you're enjoying all the different relationships I'm building here. I can't say enough how much I really enjoy reading your reviews and really appreciate the support of the story. Thank you again so much!_

_Cotton Strings: Without thinking it's a spoiler… I'm gonna say yes I am following the show, so you are right on the ultimate standoff between Shane and Rick… but I'm going to continue building towards it, because I think it needs to be done. Tension and suspense are just too damn integral to the plot of this story, the flow of the world of The Walking Dead that it doesn't seem like a good enough story if it's not there (in abundance) I'm glad you're enjoying it and truly appreciate your reviews. Thanks! _

_AngieInWonderland: Camping sounds awesome, the hubby and I are actually planning a trip with the little one to the lake in a few weeks. We'll be 'roughin' it in a nice little cabin with our own little dock and everything, not in tents, but to each their own right? Yeah, as for Merle, you're gonna have to be patient, though I will give you a teaser that I'm working on the prequel for this story and planning to detail Merle and Daryl's first few days through WalkerLand in there… so you may be getting a bit of a fix there…at least once I get it posted (probably when we're all busy watching Season 3) Bringing back Danny was honestly my pleasure. I've missed the dumbass. But honestly, he's not going to be the same old Danny from before…things are changing for everyone now, Danny included. He's not the father figure for the kids anymore, Daryl's taking that role -and honestly Danny's not fighting it. Danny's mind is set on finding Jake now, and once his body is healed…who knows (NO SPOILERS-Just a teaser). His depending on Daryl for support I thought was a pretty interesting route to go. I hope everyone caught on with that little scene, as you did, that Danny hadn't been taking anything-but that he was working to keep himself clean by enlisting a man who knew too well the effects of it. I think the part that Daryl didn't like was the fact that he was doing it for Danny, and not Merle. But Daryl did it, because as everyone knows, Callie and her misfits are a package deal. Shane's descent into madness seems to be something fun for everyone to read. I'm so glad that everyone is picking up on the undercurrent, and that it doesn't seem like it's just getting pressed into people's heads. I'm trying very hard to steer clear of making Shane a complete Assclown. I've read WAY too many fics where Shane is a rapist, or a physically violent and intimidating person, or honestly just a dick. That wasn't my take on him. My take is a man suffering from a guilty conscious, a man who is honestly in love, and a man that wants nothing more than to survive and protect. But he's also suffering, like they all are from the stress of the new world. He's a very interesting and layered character to write, and his sanity is on such a precipice that its WAY TOO fun to write. And yeah, Ben pretty much outing Daryl and Callie as Momma and Daddy to him was supposed to be cute. And Daryl's response…yeah, he's making headway with the whole kids depending on him thing, but he's still way out of his element with it. So I thought it was fitting to have him just go off on the kid. Hope I didn't disappoint with the church scene. _


	18. A Bridge Over Troubled Waters

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_Ladies and Gents, please return your tray tables and seat backs to their upright positions…as we will be coming in for a landing soon!_

_That's right, Greene Farm, here we come... _

_As always, read, review and most of all enjoy!_

_~Michelle (SWW -switched it up on y'all !)_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Chapter 13: A Bridge Over Troubled Waters **

_Do you believe in the wrath of God?_

The woods blurred by in Callie's peripheral vision as she ran, her eyes glued to the back of Shane's form in front of her. A form that was barely a spec in her vision now as he forged further and further ahead. Breath left her lungs in deep painful gasps, and her legs burned as she worked to keep up with the men running a head of her.

_This is his punishment for it. This is penance. _

Carol's words from earlier echoed in Callie's head as she ran. She was falling behind, and she knew it, but it really couldn't be helped. When she, Miles and Jenna had rushed into that little clearing where they'd left Rick, Shane and Carl the sight they'd been met with had buckled Callie's knees. She'd fallen to her knees right then and there at the sight of Rick's blood covered hands hovering over the still form of Carl as he lay on the ground. Miles too had been frozen by shock, but at seeing Shane brandishing his gun against a large man with a rifle the boy had sprung into action.

She didn't move to stop the boy, her eyes had been glued to Rick as he worked to both hold his son and apply pressure to his wound. Jenna had fallen beside her, the girl's wounds and utter exhaustion mixing with the horrific sight. The poor thing was hyperventilating and rocking on the ground near the little creek, and still Callie couldn't move. Callie didn't remember getting to her feet and moving, but she did at some point.

She'd stumbled over that creek and settled her hands atop Rick's on Carl's little body, and met the man's shocked eyes. Shocked. It seemed like too small a word to describe the emotions that had fluttered over Rick's face in just those few seconds that their eyes had met. Despair. Grief. Fear. Guilt. Helplessness. They were all there, and Rick's mouth moved with an effort to tell Callie what happened. But like her no actual words seemed to be able to make it out through the jumbled mess in his head.

The sounds of a struggle reached Callie's ears at that point, and her eyes left Rick's to look up at where Shane was manhandling the man who had apparently shot Carl. The larger man's eyes were stricken with the same sort of look that Rick's held. Shock. Grief. Fear. Guilt. It was all there. The man wasn't even paying attention to the gun that Shane had shoved against his head, or the one that Miles was brandishing in an effort to back up Shane.

Callie watched as Miles shifted his confused and scared eyes from the newcomer, to Carl's body, to Shane, and then to her and Rick. His feet fidgeted beneath him as he danced in agitation on the leaves and sticks below his feet. It was clear in that moment that the boy didn't know what to do, didn't know what he should be doing. His finger was itching on the trigger of his gun and his eyes were wide with indecision as his gaze yet again rocketed from person to person.

It was at that point that Callie's ears yet again began to pick up the sounds around her. That point that she took in everything that was going on around her and woke the fuck up. That point that she realized that if someone didn't grab hold of this situation fast, another mistake was going to be made.

Suddenly her mind crashed back into reality and she was able to breathe again.

Gasping at the almost sudden feel of Carl's warm blood on her reawakened senses and Rick's fingers pressing into his son's body below hers Callie blinked twice. The sounds of Rick's gut-wrenching repetitive 'oh God' and his stilted gasping breaths forced her attention to the man. His body was rocking as he sat on his knees, his mouth moving in semi-silent pleas, eyes wide as shock threatened to take over his entire body. Carl's body lay between them, unmoving and Callie ventured a glance down at their bloody entwined hands over the boys bleeding torso.

"I didn't even," a new voice filtered in through the rush of blood between Callie's ears and she was shifting her attention over her shoulder and up to the large man with a rifle held limply in his hands. "I didn't see him," the man's eyes slipped and met Callie's for a brief second, before they flew to Shane and then Miles both brandishing guns at him. That was the point where he apparently woke from his own daze, because he backed up a step. Which caused Shane and Miles to lift their guns and shout.

"Don't you fuckin' move," Shane yelled his eyes wide with fury. His hate-filled gaze was directed solely on the man who had shot Carl. And Callie could see, without a shadow of doubt, that Shane was going to pull that trigger. Accident or not. He was ready to pull that trigger. "Don't you fuckin' move you son of a -"

"Shane," Callie's voice rang out, raspy with the force of tears that she hadn't even realized she was crying. She shook her head and cleared her throat, her fingers still pressing hard into Rick's below hers, trying to offer him some kind of comfort. The slick warm feel of Carl's blood on her hands was rolling through her stomach and she felt the nausea threatening to spill. She swallowed the thick lump of bile that had risen in her throat and closed her eyes for one moment to collect herself.

"I didn't mean to," the man was saying. And Callie could tell that his words and his shock at the entire situation were completely sincere; the man's voice only seemed to further enrage Shane. Shane pushed forward his gun yet again raised at the man's head, but Callie finally gathered her wits enough to stop him.

"Shane!" Callie's voice was strong; stronger than she would have ever expected it to be in this situation, and it made the former deputy turn to her with wide unblinking eyes. Shock, it was taking over Shane as well, causing the muscles of his forearms to ripple with the effort of holding his gun on the man who'd shot Carl. "Shane," Callie said in a much calmer tone, her eyes skipping to Miles who was staring at the newcomer, his gun shaking in an almost uncontrolled manner. A dangerously shaking finger on that trigger. "Shane, cool down." She watched Shane's eyes widen in anger. Anger directed at her for apparently taking the newcomers side over his. She shook her head. "Shooting him is not going to help Carl."

Shane's wide eyes slipped back to the hunter who was now focusing between Shane and Callie, his eyes sliding over each of them before landing on Carl.

"Shane," Callie said quietly getting the man to again look at her. "Shane. Miles," the boy's name sparked a look of confusion to slide over Shane's face, but as he turned to look at the boy that was the point where he finally woke the fuck up.

Shane shakily lowered his gun, and held his gaze on Miles' form. The boy was still sliding his eyes between the different players, wide unblinking eyes that held a terror that Callie had honestly never seen before. Miles' entire body was lifting and falling with the force of each breath he took. Shane speared the hunter with a glare before walking away from him and slowly making his way to Miles. Shane held one hand out in soothing supplication, while the other held his gun out from his body, showing that they were no longer needed. Miles' eyes skipped to Shane's and Callie saw the boy swallow as Shane lowered his hand over Miles's on his gun.

As Callie watched Shane's mouth move, his words nothing but a whisper only meant for the boy he was trying to calm. She watched Shane nod slowly, as he pressed down on Miles' gun, the boy's broken left hand falling to his side. Shane kept his hand on the gun that Miles still held, his mouth still moving in those whispered words, and Callie turned her attention back to Rick and Carl. She heard the rustle of steps behind her but didn't pay it any mind as she worked to get Rick's attention off of Carl's body.

"Oh God," Rick was saying, his breathing coming out in harsh pants as if he'd run six marathons. "Oh God. No."

"Rick, look at me," Callie said quietly dipping her head a bit to try and catch his eyes.

"I didn't," the other man's voice settled over Callie's shoulder and she realized at that point that he had made that rustling sound. She lifted her gaze and surprisingly so did Rick, catching the sheer look of grief and panic on the man's pale stubble covered face. "I'm so sorry- I didn't."

"Where did you come from?" Callie asked a bit more harshly than she'd been planning. His eyes skipped to her, confusion giving way to a strange all encompassing moment of clarity that had the man's eyes going wide.

"A farm," the man said, his head nodding now as he spoke, his eyes still on Carl's body. "A farm. A couple of miles back," he looked over his shoulder and then back at Callie, hope clear in his eyes. "There are people there who can help. Hershel, he's a doctor."

Callie swallowed and let her eyes slip over to Shane who was holding Miles by both shoulders, and still talking to the boy who was now staring at Carl. Her eyes slipped to the tired and wounded Jenna sitting on the ground still on the other side of that little creek. Her exhausted, glassy hazel eyes staring at Carl but also shooting around them. No doubt worried about the Walkers that were hiding in the forest around them. The smell of fresh blood stung Callie's nose as Jenna met her eyes.

Sliding her gaze from the girl she looked again to Rick, who was staring at the hunter who had accidentally shot his son. He was still trying to process what the man said, his body no longer rocking, but his fingers below hers were twitching with a nervous sort of frantic energy. Callie grasped his hands with hers, Carl's blood squishing between their fingers in a warm rush as she tightened her grip to what should have been a painful level. The pressure worked and Rick's wide scared eyes fell back down to hers.

"Rick," Callie said in as calm a voice as she could. She shook her head when her voice cracked under the pressure. Deep breath in. "Rick, we need to get Carl to that farm." Rick's mouth closed and she saw him swallow hard as he tried to bring himself back under control. "Rick," Callie clenched his hands tight under hers. "There's no time. You need to get your son to that farm. Now."

Rick's head was nodding, and in a movement faster than any man really should have been able to make, he was on his feet with Carl's seemingly lifeless body awkwardly held in his arms. His gaze settled on Callie still on the ground before sliding to the hunter now pointing behind him.

"How far?" Rick asked in a strangely steady voice as he tightened his hold on Carl in his arms.

"Two miles or so that way," the hunter said in a shaking voice as he continued to point. And without any further question or comment Rick took off in the direction the man pointed. "Greene, the man's name is Hershel Greene!"

The entire scene had played out in only minutes but as Callie ran and her mind replayed each and every aspect over and over it seemed too long. Too long that Carl had laid there on that ground with her and Rick putting pressure to a wound that seemed too horrific a thing to have happened to a boy. Even in this new fucked up world that they lived in.

Shane had looked to Callie, as Rick took off towards the farm. His eyes finally slipping over the creek bed to where the bloody Jenna struggled to get to her feet. The look of shock that had covered his features was instant and his eyes had snapped back to Callie as she got to her feet.

"Go!" Callie waved a hand after the form of Rick disappearing into the woods. "Go! Take Miles and him," she pointed to the man still standing frozen at the head of the dead dear laying on the ground. "I've got her," Callie said working her way towards Jenna. "Go!"

Shane's mouth firmed into a line, as he regarded her with a amount of respect that he hadn't really shown her in a long time. He nodded his head quickly and pushed at the still shocked Miles, and then roughly grabbed for the other man dragging him along. One fleeting look over his shoulder and Shane was pushing Miles and the other man through the woods hot on the heels of the surprisingly fast moving Rick.

Callie had worked her way towards Jenna, and as she kneeled down she saw the pain etched along the features of the girl. Jenna held Callie's gaze for a long time before holding out a hand and nodding for Callie to help her up.

"I can make it," Jenna said with a passion and a force to her voice that had Callie smiling despite everything. "I can make it."

And then they were running, bringing up the rear but still moving faster than either of them had run before. Thoughts rolled through Callie's head at dizzying speeds as she finally lost track of Shane and the larger man, Miles obviously running faster than both older men and further out of her line of sight. The woods blurred by, snagging at her arms and face and she felt Jenna stumble behind her just as they neared the edge of the woods that seemed to open on a large field.

In the distance she could make out what looked to be a white farm house, sitting in the sun like a beacon of hope. Just like that fucking church had earlier that morning. Stopping and helping Jenna to her feet, she let the girl have a moment to catch her breath. Jenna slowly got to her balance on her feet, the one bare foot obviously pained, and as they worked to move forward Callie could tell that Jenna just couldn't run anymore. Sliding her gaze to the house she began to pull Jenna along at a fast-paced walk breaking through the tree line and into the field.

"I'm sorry," Jenna was saying through the panting breaths that she was dragging into her lungs. Callie looked back at the girl and shook her head, pulling the girl to her and hefting her arm over her shoulder to try and take some of the weight off of her injured leg. "I'm sorry."

Just as Callie was opening her mouth to soothe the girl the rapid staccato rhythm of a horse galloping caught both of their attention. Sliding her eyes over her shoulder Callie watched in awe as a figure on a horse disappeared into the forest.

* * *

Maggie Greene was not what she considered to be a God-fearing type. While she believe in God's divine nature, and a firm believer that prayer did help in times of need. She was not the type to believe that what was happening in the world now was God's will. No matter how much her father tried to drill the necessity to pray for forgiveness for their apparent wrongs in life, and a cure to the plague set upon them, Maggie still found herself applying logic to a situation where religion seemed to fall short.

Reason stated that this was not a biblical curse. That this was not some vengeance from on-high. That in fact this was simply the end of the world as they knew it, and the beginning of something new. This was their Ice Age, their giant dinosaur-killing meteor, their extinction level event that would usher in a new existence.

An existence in which people ate people in some sick rendition of a horror movie gone wrong.

Standing on the porch of her family's home, her eyes locked on the barn at the far end of the property. Though the distance made it impossible for her to actually hear the sounds held in those wooden walls, her memories of them were potent enough to fill in the blank. Maggie scrunched her face in distaste and heard the door behind her creek just a bit. Turning she saw her younger sister staring at her through the screen.

"It was a gunshot right," Beth asked quietly, her blue eyes wide with fear. Maggie looked at her sister and firmed her lips to a line before nodding her head. "Do you think-"

"I'm sure Otis just caught that deer he'd been goin' on about or something," Maggie said quickly cutting off her sister's worried question. Beth stared at Maggie for a few moments before sliding her eyes out towards the fields. Maggie watched Beth work her bottom lip between her teeth, and shook her head at the girl. "It's fine, Beth," Maggie said quietly, causing her sister's gaze to slip back to her. "Get back inside," Maggie slipped a smile onto her face.

"I wish he would have just taken Jimmy," Beth said quietly lowering her gaze to the wooden bar that crossed in front of the screen door that her fingers were picking at.

"You only wish that, because then you wouldn't be stuck havin' _the talk_ with dad and him in the den," Maggie said with a wide grin. Beth's shocked eyes lifted from their inspection of the screen door. Almost as soon as they met Maggie's the shock gave way to annoyance mixed with a potent anger, an expression she and her sister were all too good at manifesting towards one another. "Now get."

Beth let out an angry sigh and turned on her heel to head back to the awkward atmosphere of her father's den. Good lord, Maggie thought with a shake of her head and a smile cracking her lips. Thoughts of the look on her father's face when he caught Beth and Jimmy in a bit of an awkward situation on the porch last night damn near had her laughing out loud.

Again.

Her laughter at the time she and her father had stumbled upon the two teenagers had helped to diffuse an otherwise volatile situation. And the shared amusement of Patricia as she shook her head and led off the embarrassed Beth, while her husband Otis took charge of the boy before her dad could get a proper hold of himself and his anger, had let the subject drop until this morning.

But, oh that humor and laughter had come back full force when Jimmy was denied the chance to get away and go hunting with Otis in lieu of a nice little chit chat with dad and Patricia in the study. The expression on both teenager's faces had damn near floored Maggie as she worked to help Otis get ready for his trip into the woods. Her father had shot her a fleeting glare over his shoulder, pointing with that authoritative finger of his for her to get, which had ripped another peel of laughter out of her.

Otis had chuckled as he pulled her along into the kitchen, mumbling something about this being a long time coming really. Maggie had nodded her head and continued to chuckle. Honestly, what had her father been expecting to happen when he allowed Jimmy to come and stay with them. The actual level of her father's naiveté sometimes had Maggie's head spinning in all different directions. For a smart man, he was utterly and ridiculously stupid when it came to handling his daughters.

Then again, Maggie's eyes slipped from the now empty corridor behind her screen door and back towards the barn in the distance. She supposed her father didn't really have much of a choice when it came to Jimmy, and him being the good man he was. After all, it wasn't as if Jimmy had anyone to take care of him now.

Maggie worried her bottom lip between her teeth, feeling the sting of tears settle in her eyes.

"Not like Dad has anyone to help him with his stupidity anymore either," Maggie said to herself. A deep breath in and she was crossing her arms over her chest and shaking her head against the tears that yet again threatened to fall.

No matter how her dad liked to impress upon them that this sickness, this plague, this whatever it was, wasn't the end of the world. No matter how many times he said it was for their own good. Maggie couldn't help but hate the world around her.

And hate that barn.

"Maggie," Patricia's voice slid over Maggie's skin and had her again turning towards the screen door, this time her brow raised.

"Y'all done already?" Maggie's brow furrowed a bit, the humored tilt to her lips growing into a full grin as Patricia rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Dear Lord no," Patricia's eyes popped open in a signal of wonder. "I do believe your father hasn't even really begun to get himself goin'." Patricia raked a hand through her slightly frizzed blonde hair pushing its length off of her shoulders. The older woman's eyes slipped to the field for a moment, taking a deep breath in, and then meeting Maggie's eyes with a slight smile. "Do you mind bringin' us in some coffee?"

"Oh no," Maggie said turning halfway to watch the woman's face etch with a bit of confusion. "I well remember the day my daddy set me down for that talk. Dad's first trip into the land of the birds and bees was cringe-worthy to say the least," Maggie said shaking her head and lifting wide amazed eyes to the woman on the other side of the door. "Lord, it was like he thought I didn't know _anything_," Maggie said and she watched Patricia try and firm her lips into a straight line to hide her snickering smile. The woman nodded her head a bit in return.

"Yeah, well," Patricia slipped her eyes over her shoulder. "He hasn't not gotten any better. I do believe Jimmy's face has reached an entirely as yet unseen shade of purple. And God, poor Beth." Maggie chuckled and Patricia couldn't help the little laugh that escaped.

"Uh huh," Maggie nodded and let her hands fall from her chest as she turned to go inside. "Exactly, poor Beth. I'm gonna be hearin' all 'bout it from both her and Daddy," She pointed a finger as her other hand reached to open the door. "So I will gladly make you coffee, but there is no way in hell I'm steppin' into that room." Patricia chuckled as Maggie gave a wide eyed grin. "Ya can get your own cup, Patricia. Think of it as just rewards for volunteerin' to help him out."

"I have seen the err of my ways," Patricia said putting her hands up and moving back a step. "I bow to the greater knowledge of the elder Greene daughter."

"Damn straight," Maggie said her chuckle dying her lips as Patricia's eyes again settled out at the field. Maggie shook her head and put her hand to Patricia's shoulder. "It was one shot, Patricia. I'm sure Otis is fine. He probably-"

"Maggie, look," Patricia said pointed over Maggie's shoulder taking Maggie's eyes to the field. "Oh God, is that-" A figure was running through it. No more than a spec in her vision, but the size of it…that wasn't Otis. Maggie flew back onto the porch and grabbed for the pair of binoculars that was settled on the large wooden railing.

Lifting the black plastic to her eyes she squinted through the harsh rays of the sun reflecting along the lush green of the grass. The figure was running, its steps faltering and stumbling as it pushed forward. The sight of the body held tight in its arms had Maggie dropping the binoculars and turning to face Patricia at the door.

"DAD!" Maggie was yelling through the still open door, the sound of her raised voice startling Patricia out of staring at the field. Patricia met Maggie's wide eyes. "Go get Dad."

"Don't you go out there," Patricia said raising a finger. "I mean it young lady. Don't you move," Patricia said with wide eyes. Maggie shook her head but then nodded flinging her hand back at Patricia to move as she yet again raised the binoculars to her eyes.

The figure was getting closer, running full tilt towards them, almost galloping along the grass. She saw the figure, she suspected just from build that it was a man, heft the seemingly lifeless body in his arms. The figure stopped to adjust and Maggie squinted through the binoculars. The body in his arms moved like a rag doll, the limbs shooting out and hanging dead, flopping as the man once again continued to run. It hit her like a ton of bricks as she watched the figure get closer and heard the sound of the screen door opening behind her.

"It's a kid," Maggie muttered, startling as a large rough hand settled upon her shoulders. "Dad," Maggie swallowed at the sight of him holding his rifle and let him guide her behind him. "Dad, it's a man. He's carrying a kid."

"Stay back," Hershel said settling his mouth into a firm line as he nodded at his eldest daughter. "Keep Beth back," Hershel nodded to the door and Maggie nodded once before settling the binoculars on the table near the door and moving to stand just inside the door.

Beth looked at her with wide eyes, Jimmy not far behind her. Maggie spared him a glance and noted with an odd bit of ill-placed humor that his face was indeed a wondrous shade of redish-purple. Embarrassment flooded his face as his eyes met hers, but soon was replaced with fear and worry as they all turned to watch her father and Patricia slip down the steps to meet the man now pushing through the fence and working his way towards them.

"Is he bit?" Hershel asked in a loud clear voice, the question tasting ill on his lips as he slipped his eyes over the form of the seemingly dead boy being cradled in the arms of the man. The man, who Hershel was surprised to see, was wearing a sheriff's uniform. Hershel's eyes narrowed at the man, his clean shaven face distorted in pain and fear as his wide blue eyes hit his.

"Shot," the man's voice came out in a pained gasp as he continued forward. "By your man."

"Otis?" Patricia's voice slipped up to Maggie and she found herself pushing out the door and heading down to them, earning a scathing glare from her father. "Otis did this?"

"It was an accident," the man in uniform said his head shaking from left to right, his eyes shooting over his shoulder. They all looked, and in the distance they saw three more specs of figures approaching, rushing through the fields towards the house. One large figure, stumbling and falling behind, was the familiar form of Otis. "He said to find Hershel. Is that you?"

"Yes," Hershel said, handing off his rifle to Maggie as she settled beside him. He waved his hand towards the house. "Come. Get him inside. Are you injured?"

"No," the man said shaking his head but wincing with the motion. "I'm fine, just please help my boy."

The man's pleading voice tore at Maggie's heart and her brow knit into a pained mask of confusion as she met Patricia's horrified gaze. In an instant they were following her father and this man into the house. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as Maggie listened to her father bark orders. She went to work immediately grabbing his bag, while Patricia helped to settle the boy into the closest downstairs bedroom.

Maggie watched in horror as the man, in what she know saw to be a blood-soaked Sheriff's uniform, paced around pulling at his hair as he handed the life of his son over to a bunch of strangers. Her heart went out to him as she worked to gather her father's supplies and ready an IV.

"Is he alive? Oh God," the man's voice cracked and his legs nearly collapsed under him as Maggie watched her father lean his ear to the boy's chest. Her breath held and she said a prayer and before letting out a ragged breath of relief when her father began to nod his head.

"Son," Hershel was speaking to the man pacing around behind him. The man who kept trying to reach past him to touch his boy. "Son, stay back." Hershel lifted his hands and took the man by both of his forearms holding him away. "What's your name?"

"Rick," the man said taking two deep shuddering breaths. The man, Rick, was obviously entering into shock, his mind beginning to process things at that slowed unreal detached pace. Hershel watched Rick with a wary eye as he pointed a blood covered hand at the boy in the bed. "That's my son. Carl." Two more shuddering breaths and Hershel nodded and let go of Rick's arms.

"Rick, I need you to stay calm and let us work," Hershel said, and Maggie stood in transfixed awe at the way her father so easily slipped into gear. His naiveté and stupidity when it concerned his daughters fell well to the background as his competence as a doctor, even a vet, pushed through in the moment of terror that had filled their peaceful home.

Her heart broke more and more as her father began to dig around in the body of the boy. She wanted to go and help Rick out of the room so he wouldn't have to watch, but she couldn't seem to make her legs work. Suddenly the boy stopped screaming, yet the sound of it seemed to echo through her ears still, as Maggie watched Rick stumble forward his eyes riveted to his now still and silent boy.

"He's passed out," Hershel said lifting his eyes to Rick and then catching his daughter's worried gaze.

"I didn't see him," Otis' strangled voice, harsh and panting from the run, sounded and had Maggie's eyes sliding from the screaming boy. "I didn't even see him." Patricia's hands were on her husband's face as two more ragged looking individuals pushed past them and into the room. "It went clean through the deer." Otis slipped his eyes from Maggie to his wife and shook his head. "I swear, I didn't see him."

"I know," Patricia said with a wave of empathy for her husband and for this man left to worry for the life of his son. "I know."

"It didn't go through clean," Hershel said finally pulling the bullet fragment out. Rick let out a harsh sob of a breath and fell into the arm of his companion. "One down," Hershel took a deep tired breath. "Five more to go."

The dark-haired man who had entered the room had his eyes fixed to the bed, as he worked to hold up Rick as his legs no doubt buckled under the strain of what had happened to his boy. His hand fished for something in his pocket and Maggie watched the dark-haired man gently wipe away the smear of blood that marred Rick's face. His mouth was moving in some sort of whisper of words that she couldn't hear. Rick let him wipe away the blood, his eyes catching on the redness as it seeped in and stained the fabric that the other man held. It was almost as if the sight of that red stained rag reminded Rick that the boy had been bleeding, and that he'd been carrying him. Suddenly Rick's eyes shifted down to his stained shirt and he frantically began to wipe his hands at it.

"S'okay, brother," the dark-haired man was saying quietly as he worked to still Rick's hands. "S'okay, here take this," the dark-haired man gave him the rag and then began to unbutton Rick's stained uniform shirt. Maggie watched in awe as Rick settled down, the soothing tone of the dark-haired man's voice carrying in the room. "You survived it, so will Carl. Ain't no different. He's gonna be fine," the dark-haired man had succeeded in unbuttoning Rick's shirt, and left it loosely hanging around him instead of removing it.

Rick wiped at his blood stained hands, his eyes settling on his son. The dark-haired man let his eyes roam the room, his distrust clear in his eyes when the met Maggie's for a brief second. Then the man was putting his hands to Rick's chest and speaking in hushed tones to him again, his own eyes settling on the boy in the bed.

"This is fuckin' unbelievable," came the voice of the third man, the harsh explicative raising Maggie's brow. She slipped her eyes from Rick and his companion and was somewhat shocked to find that the other man that entered the room wasn't a man at all, but a boy probably close to Beth and Jimmy's age if she had to guess.

The entire group looked distraught, exhausted and for lack of a better term, worse for wear. She stepped closer to the boy and put a hand to his shaking shoulders, unable to stop the urge to comfort him. He turned to face her with confusion and anger marring his blonde brow. He stared for a good couple of seconds before he violently pulled from her grip. Maggie's hand stayed in the air as she watched the boy begin to pace behind the two men, his hands raggedly raking and pulling at his longish waving blonde hair.

"Oh God," Rick was saying again as he looked wild-eyed around the room, his eyes landing on nothing and everything. "Lori doesn't know." He put his hands to his head and pulled at his hair. "My wife doesn't know."

"Where are they?" Maggie said instantly, causing everyone's eyes to fly to her.

"Maggie," her father's voice was a warning tone, one she'd heard many times before. One she'd gotten very good in her twenty-two years of living at ignoring.

"I can take a horse and get her," Maggie continued, effectively ignoring her father and taking a few steps towards the distraught trio. She needed to do something. She couldn't stay here in this room smelling of blood with a dying boy laying on the same bed her step-brother had died on.

"Margaret Anne," Hershel practically seethed out her name between his clenched teeth, and she turned to him wide-eyed.

"No, Daddy. That boy needs his momma," Maggie said pointing a finger and staring down her father. Hershel's jaw tightened, and he held her gaze for a moment before finally letting out a long breath through his nose. She sighed and returned her attention to the men staring at her and the boy glaring at them all. "I know how to take care of myself out there. Now, tell me where I can find your wife."

The dark-haired man stared hard at her, his dark eyes boring into her as if he were trying to gauge her level of trust with that single look. His jaw clenched tight, before he snarled and finally nodded his head. Shifting his eyes around the room he nodded again and began talking.

* * *

Callie's legs felt like jelly as she stumbled up the stairs of the beautiful farm house. It was surreal to think that places could still look so beautiful and untouched by evil in this world. Jenna stumbled up beside her, the girl's entire body feeling like a dead weight over her shoulders as Callie struggled to keep the girl upright.

"We're here," Callie said to Jenna, watching the top of Jenna's red head bounce in answer to the statement. "We made it," Callie said letting her eyes search the area of the porch. She stared though the gray screen door into the house and let her eyes again roam around her. It felt odd to just walk in, even if it were the end of the world. But when she heard Rick's muffled voice inside all thoughts of impropriety fled and a sheer sense of panic and need overwhelmed her. "Rick!"

Callie pulled open the screen door and worked herself and Jenna into the house and turned at the sound of voices to look into the living room. She stopped short when her eyes found Rick wasn't talking to Shane or Miles. The eyes of an older gentleman, his white hair long and a bit disheveled met hers. His expression was weary and a bit perturbed if she had to guess, no doubt at Callie's uninvited entrance into his home. The sight of the obviously injured girl that Callie was working to keep from the falling to the ground though sparked an immediate reaction.

"Patricia!" the older man's strong Southern voice bellowed and Callie cringed a bit. Rick was on his feet now, his eyes wide as he turned from where he'd been sitting to face her. His uniform shirt had been removed, leaving him in just his sweat and blood drenched white undershirt.

It took a few seconds for Rick to process what he was seeing, but as soon as he did he was moving forward and putting his arms to Callie and Jenna just as Jenna's legs gave out.

"Jenna!" Rick cried out, his hands helping to lift the girl to her feet. If the man hadn't run full tilt carrying the lifeless body of his son for over two miles, he no doubt would have lifted the younger girl into his arms. But as it was, Rick was utterly and completely exhausted, as they all were, and all three of them simply crumbled to the floor of farm house living room in a rough heap.

"Dear Lord," a woman's voice, Callie ventured a guess this was the bellowed for Patricia, entered the fray and suddenly Callie felt other hands sliding over her sweat drenched arms. The older man and the blonde woman were working to get Jenna and Callie and Rick to their feet.

"Help Jenna," Callie said waving off the assisting hand that had settled under her arm. Her eyes went to Rick, who was staring at Jenna in utter shock and awe, his hands hovering over the younger girl as she was slowly and carefully lifted to her feet by the man and woman.

Rick's eyes then shifted from Jenna to Callie and in a second they were reaching for each other. Rick buried his head into the space where her neck met her shoulder. His arms wrapped around her tight and he held her as he openly began to shudder and cry. Callie's hands lifted, and with no thought to the blood that caked her fingers she held tight to him. She tangled one hand into the back of his head, mindful of the wound there, while the other wrapped around his shoulder and gripped him tight. They remained that way on the floor for a while, and Callie only opened her eyes when she felt the heat of the older man's stare on her.

"Patricia, get Beth and put the girl up in the room down the hall," the older man said on a sigh before settling his squinting gaze fully on where she and Rick were still clutching each other on the floor.

Callie watched the blonde woman and a young blonde girl slowly work a scared looking Jenna towards a hallway. Rick must have sensed Callie's tension in having the girl taken away because he pulled away and put his hands to her face angling her eyes to him.

"It's alright," Rick said nodding. "Hershel," he nodded up at the older man who nodded once when Callie's eyes slid to him. "Hershel's a doctor. He'll check her out." Rick gave her a wavering smile. "You found her-"

"How's Carl," Callie asked, cutting off any other additions he would have made to that statement. Such as 'where's Sophia?' He didn't need to be worrying about that now. She wished her voice sounded stronger, and she licked her lips and waited for an answer. Callie shook her head and watched Rick's face contort into a mask of pain. He lifted his hands from her face and ran both through his hair, pulling hard. She lifted her hands and removed his from his hair and shifted her eyes to Hershel. The doctor.

"Mrs. Grimes," Hershel said on another sigh, his hand idly running over his head as his eyes slipped outside. His brow narrowed as he looked for something outside.

"I'm not—"

"She's not my wife," Rick cut in over top of her as he got slowly to his feet. He held out his hand and helped Callie up, her steps stumbling a bit as her legs threatened to give out. Hershel's brow rose a bit and Rick smiled tightly at her and then sent his gaze to Hershel. "She's part of our group. We were searching for two of our girls who had gotten lost in the woods."

"Rick," Callie said quietly putting her hand to his shoulders as they fell under the weight of everything and squeezing. She shifted her attention to Hershel watching them. "There'll be plenty of time for that later. How's Carl?"

Callie followed behind Hershel, her hand held tightly in Rick's as they walked side-by-side to the room where Carl lay. Callie's hand lifted to her mouth and she squeezed Rick's hand hard at the sight of Carl, shirtless and laying in sheets covered with blood. She took three deep breaths in, and steadied herself as Rick slid his hand out from hers and moved to stand by where Hershel was readying what looked like a transfusion setup.

"He's lost a lot of blood," Hershel said. "The bullet split and tore through his body in multiple locations. I've managed to take out some of the pieces, but he's going to need surgery." Hershel's eyes tilted to a chair and Rick sat, causing Callie's brow to narrow in confusion. "He also needs blood. Luckily Rick is the same type," Hershel said applying the tourniquet to Rick's left arm.

"I'm O negative," Callie said idly, her eyes glued to Carl.

"That's good to know," Hershel said idly tying off the tourniquet and then pushing the needle into Rick's arm.

"You said he needs surgery," Callie said watching Rick's head tilt back on the back of the seat he was in. His eyes were closed as he rubbed at his temple with his right hand, his left held out straight as the blood was slowly drained from it. "How-" Callie's eyes suddenly shot around the room as the quiet of the house hit her hard. "Where's Miles?"

"Your boy I assume? The one with the colorful vocabulary?" Hershel said with one raised brow at her. Callie nodded, yeah, that was definitely her boy. "He went with Otis and your man to retrieve some supplies that we will need to perform the surgery from a triage center not far from here. It was set up by FEMA at one of the local schools."

"He went where?" Callie said incredulously, her eyes skipping to where Rick was now looking at her. "Where is it? I'll go-"

"They'll be okay," Rick said moving to sit up and then pushing back as a wave of dizziness over took him. He shook his head and licked his lips before continuing. "He wasn't takin' no for an answer, Callie. He'll be okay. Shane'll keep him safe." Rick closed his eyes and rubbed at his temple again. "Shane'll come through. He always does."

Callie took a deep breath, the severity of the situation running over her body in a rush of chills. She ran her hands through her hair and when she lowered them she was left staring at her still blood stained fingers, that wave of nausea flowed through her again. Memories of pressing into Carl's abdomen and that rush of warm wet blood coating her fingers. And this time she didn't think she was going to be able to control it. Hershel must have seen her skin go pale, because in an instant his strong hand was at her arm and leading her out of the room. He led her into the kitchen and faced her towards the sink, pushing his hand against the back of her head he tilted her down and turned on the faucet.

"Deep breath in," Hershel's quiet yet forceful voice echoed in her head and Callie followed it's command. "And out. There you go. Again." Callie listened to his voice and the sound of the running water as it hit the sink basin and just when she thought the nausea had passed her eyes settled again on her hands gripping the sink edge in front of her.

Her body heaved and convulsed as she dry heaved the tiny bit of food she had in her stomach. The acrid taste of bile filled her mouth and she spit, and spit, and spit until nothing was left. Another two heaves, with nothing coming up and finally she was done.

"Hands in the water, miss," Hershel's voice boomed over her head and idly she felt herself lifting far enough to stick her bloody hands into the water. The sight of them again had her gagging. "Don't look at them," Hershel ordered and she instantly followed the suggestion. She was amazed, literally amazed when she felt him put a rag to her hands and begin to wipe the blood from them. Callie took in three deep breaths, and then three more before she was able to open her eyes. She slipped her hands over the rag and took it from him, feeling the older man slide back just a bit.

"Thank you," Callie said quietly, her eyes riveted to the counter rather than her hands as she worked to get Carl's blood off of her.

"Callie was it?" Hershel asked in a calm and quiet tone. She nodded her head and listened as he grabbed something from a cabinet. She finished wiping her hands, using the back of the now clean limb to wipe her mouth, just in time to see the man force a glass under the water before he shut it off. "Rinse your mouth, Callie."

Callie did as he said, feeling the cool water cleanse the back of her raw throat and take the taste of the bile away. She spit the water into the sink and then repeated the motion three more times. Her hands were shaking as she settled the cup to the counter beside the sink. She clenched them tight and then slipped her eyes up to where Hershel stood patiently waiting for her to collect herself.

"Sorry," Callie said quietly, wiping her wet hands through her hair. "It's been a rough day," Callie said quietly letting her eyes skip to his and hold. He nodded his head once in response to her extraordinary understatement and let out a shaking chuckle at herself. She took a breath and then clenched her jaw tight as she crossed her arms over her chest, staring at the man who was obviously trying to get a read on her. His eyes slipped to the gun in her waistband and the knife at her thigh, lingering long enough to make Callie feel just a bit uncomfortable. They stood there for a good long while, before a slight clearing of a throat brought both of their attention to the hallway.

"I'm sorry, miss?" the woman's voice, Patricia, called out and Callie and Hershel both turned to face her. She smiled just a bit and then slid her eyes to Hershel. "Your girl," Patricia began and Callie's body stiffened, her hands dropping from their position at her chest to dangle almost lifelessly at her sides.

"Jenna," Callie supplied in a worried tone as she met the other woman's gaze.

"Jenna." Patricia said with a curt nod. "She's refusin' to let us check her out. Says she wants her momma." Callie's brow narrowed and she shifted her eyes to Hershel who was watching her closely. Nodding her head she started towards where Patricia was smiling slightly at the hallway entrance to the dining room. "She's in the room just down the hall there. I'll show you the way." Patricia said. Callie moved to follow the woman but stopped after a few steps.

"Dr. Greene?" Callie said, venturing the guess from what she remembered hearing the man who shot Carl say in the woods. The older man's head titled as his eyes slid to hers. "Please don't let Rick give too much blood. He's got a mild concussion from a fall he took yesterday. On top of that we're all exhausted, and malnourished. If he gives too much," Hershel lifted a hand nodding his head and effectively cutting her off what he already obviously understood. "I'm more than willing to give blood. I'm probably the only other person in our crew who can. Please come and get me if you need me. Don't let that man kill himself for his boy. Because he will."

With that Callie walked beside Patricia, who looked back over her shoulder to share a silent something with the older man. Patricia stopped outside of a closed door and put her hand to the knob, her eyes settled on the ground before her.

"I'm sorry," Patricia said quietly, not taking her hands off of that knob. Callie watched her hand clench on the knob and finally watched the woman lift her eyes up to Callie's face. "I'm so sorry 'bout that boy."

"It was an accident," Callie said quietly, her head shaking even as she said the words. "It was an accident. No one is blaming anyone."

"That man," Patricia continued looking away and then quickly back. "The dark-haired one who left with you r boy," she swallowed and speared Callie with a long lingering look. "He blames Otis. I could see it in his eyes. He blames him."

"He's allowed," Callie said shortly stepping a bit closer to the woman. "He's hurting. He's worried about a boy that is part of the only bit of family he has left in this world. He's allowed to blame him." Patricia let out a long sigh and Callie stepped closer to her, putting a hand to her shoulder. "But whether he blames him or not, Shane is a good man. He'll keep your man safe."

A moment of silence flowed between the two women and finally Patricia let out a long shaking sigh before running her hands through her hair.

"Your girl is curled up in the corner," Patricia said shaking her head. "It looks like she's had quite an ordeal, and her leg seems to be bleedin' pretty bad. We can stitch it up for ya, if you can just get her to calm down long 'nough for us to have Hershel do it." Callie nodded her head as Patricia opened the door to the guest room. "Beth's 'bout her size, I had her go and fetch some clean clothes for her."

"Thank you," Callie said quietly. "Y'all have done so much, in so short a time," she shook her head and let her gaze slip back to where she knew Rick was draining himself dry for Carl. "Thank you so much."

"I'll leave ya for a minute, and be back with the sutures and Hershel," Patricia said quietly, moving so that Callie could enter the room. "Beth'll be back with the clothes. We'll bring some water and rags that you can use to help clean her up."

Callie nodded one final time and stepped into the sun soaked room. She blinked a few times, willing the migraine growing behind her eyes to go away and looked to where Jenna had curled herself in a corner off to the side of the large window opposite the bed.

"Ya know Jen," Callie said quietly as she walked forward. "I know it's been a while, but we usually sit on the furniture in a room."

Jenna didn't move from her spot, didn't even lift her head from where she'd placed it atop her upraised knees. Didn't make a noise to Callie's horrible attempt at humor. God where was Danny when she needed him. Jenna's arms were tightly wrapped around her legs effectively curling herself into a small ball in the corner of the room. Callie continued forward and gave the girl a very small smile as she settled into a crouch before her.

"Jen, honey," Callie reached out and touched Jenna's arm where it wrapped around her leg. Immediate concern marred Callie's brow as she felt the heat of the girl's skin. She hadn't noticed it before, when they were running; her own body so slicked with heat and sweat from the excursion. But now, settled inside and rested Callie could feel the difference like a cold cloth put to a hot pot. She half expected steam to rise from where her fingers touched Jenna's skin. "Jesus, Jenna. You're burning up."

Callie lifted her other hand and worked to peel Jenna's arms from the tight wrap around her legs. Jenna finally let go, allowing Callie to pull her to her feet, and set her on the bed. Callie knelt down in front of Jenna, her hands settled on top of Jenna's as the girl clasped them together tight on her lap.

"I'm so sorry, Callie." Jenna said her teary eyes lifting from her feet to Callie's eyes. "I'm so sorry."

"Jenna we're gonna find Sophia," Callie said smiling just a bit and squeezing the girl's hands. She lifted one hand to brush back Jenna's hands, her fingertips grazing Jenna's feverish forehead. "You don't have anything to be sorry about. We're gonna find her."

Jenna shook her head and Callie trailed her fingers lightly over the large scratch that covered the length of the girl's face. The heat of her fever even reaching through that barest of touches. Dear God the horror that this girl must have gone through in the day she'd been missing. Callie let her gaze slip over the entire form of Jenna, finally reaching her bare right foot. She watched in a sad sort of horror as blood, thick blood, dripped from her foot creating a puddle on the ground between them.

"Let's take a look and see what we're dealing with here, huh?" Callie said, trying to stay nonchalant about the wound. The way it was bleeding, the way it had been bleeding. God, it was a miracle the girl was still on her feet at all, let alone running through the woods. Callie felt her fingers tingle as she began to slowly peel away the fabric of Jenna's jeans were it was stuck to the wound on the back of her leg.

"Callie," Jenna's voice was so quiet that Callie barely heard it as she continued to lift the fabric away. The smell of blood filled her nostrils, and something else. Something she didn't want to place. Something that didn't have a place here in this room. "I'm sorry."

Callie finished lifting the fabric away from the wound and turned Jenna's calf in her hands as carefully as she could. The sight of the wound, and the memory of a very similar wound on another of their group's leg, knocked the wind out of Callie. She fell to the ground, her hands lifting away from the wound and covering her mouth as her eyes began to water and her head began to shake.

Too many times now she'd seen what happened to a person's body when they were scratched by a Walker. Seen the flesh around the wound warp into some sickening thing that couldn't compare to anything she'd ever seen before. Seen the bone peek through as the flesh seemed to melt and pull away from it. The infection spreading so fast, yet so slowly at the same time. Smelt the decay lingering on the wound as this disease ate away the body of the person. Too often had she watched the red flow of blood turn thick and black and pussy.

"No," Callie said through her finger tips. Tears stung her eyes but didn't fall, her breaths hitched a few times despite her effort to control it. Callie felt her head begin to shake slowly at first, but it picked up speed. As if the motion of would shake the world around her and make what she was seeing disappear.

"Callie, I'm so sorry," Jenna said her head shaking, and tears streaking a path down her dirty face. Callie was still staring at the wound on Jenna's leg, her heart thumping a hard erratic beat in her suddenly hollow body. "I'm so sorry. I screwed up. I let it get me."

Neither Callie nor Jenna heard the door open, but the stifled gasp at the sight of the wound on Jenna's leg had both of them turning to the doorway. The young girl, Beth, stood with wide eyes and a hand covering her mouth. The girl's eyes slipped down to Callie's wide ones, her other arm dropping the pile of clothing to the floor.

It was in that fleeting moment of eye contact that Callie realized. No matter how strangely untouched by whatever was plaguing the world this little farm seemed to be, these people had seen this disease first hand before. That girl knew exactly what she was seeing when she looked at the festering wound on Jenna's leg. And Callie knew exactly what was running through that girl's mind when she met her eyes. Their eyes held for one moment longer before the girl made a mad dash away from the door.

"Daddy," Beth's voice rang out through the house. Jenna sobbed into her hands, and Callie's eyes slipped back to her for a moment before she pushed to her feet and followed Beth out the door. She ran as fast as she could, the dizzying effect of what she'd just discovered slowing her movements.

She ran because she needed to. She needed to explain.

Needed to save Jenna from what she'd seen people, seen her own group, try to do to those that were infected. Zero tolerance, as Daryl was so fucking fond of saying.

Callie exited the room and ran down the hall right into the assembled group. Hershel's eyes were hard as he stared at her, holding his daughter's shoulders as the girl cried into his chest. Patricia's eyes scanned over Callie fear and heartfelt sadness in those depths, and a boy Callie hadn't seen before stepped out from the kitchen. The boy's eyes were indifferent, but harshly so as he glared over at her. Callie's eyes skipped back to Hershel's hard stare and held it.

At that point Callie's legs gave out, she recoiled backwards as if she had been hit. Her back collided hard with the wall behind her and she slid to the ground, her hands over her face. Hershel watched the woman crumble to the ground, her body wracked with uncontrolled sobs. Slowly he let go of Beth and handed her over to Patricia as made his way towards the woman on the floor.

Callie started when Hershel's hands settled on her shoulders. Her hands fell from her tear-stained face as she looked up at him through the watery waves of her clouded vision.

"She's infected," Hershel said in so matter-of-fact a tone that it tore another sob from Callie as she worked her head in a jerky manner to nod. Hershel let out a low breath and lowered his head as Callie yet again placed her hands over her face desperate to regain control of herself.

"Dad," another voice echoed into the house, one that Callie hadn't heard before. Hershel's eyes went wide for a moment before he looked down to see Callie dropping her hands from her face. "Dad!"

"My daughter, Maggie. Back with Rick's wife I would suspect," Hershel said quietly to Callie. Callie's mind raced in that moment, and she grabbed for Hershel's shirt pulling the older man close just as he was pulling away. His eyes went wide, his larger hands settling one her still shaking ones; but she didn't give a fuck what he thought about her rough treatment.

Only one thought echoed in her head.

"You can't tell him," Callie said in a harsh whisper, watching Hershel's eyes narrow to slits in confusion. Or anger. She didn't know the man enough to be able to truly tell. "You can't tell him," she slipped her eyes behind him watching as a young woman with short brown hair filtered past her field of vision ushering Lori in front of her, heading towards where Rick was sitting with Carl. "He's got too much on his shoulders. You can't tell him. It'll kill him-"Callie shook her head and pulled again on the man's shirt, bringing Hershel closer to her. "You can't tell him. Please."

Hershel looked at her for a moment before looking away and nodding his head solemnly. He patted one large hand on top of Callie's before lifting it to her shoulder. He squeezed once and she let out a shuddering breath, once again covering her face with her hands.

"Alright," Hershel said quietly. "Alright," he shook her just a bit and Callie's hands dropped from her face. "Gather yourself up now, Callie. Take a moment here and gather yourself up. Now is the time to be strong," Hershel stared into Callie's eyes, holding her steady as she took in deep breath after deep breath. They stayed that way for a moment, Hershel simply staring at her as she breathed. Once he was satisfied that she had herself under control he let his hands fall from her shoulders. Staying in his crouched position he let his hands dangle between his knees, his eyes still locked with her. "Now, can you take care of your girl while I go see to Rick and his wife?"

Callie's mouth opened and he shook his head raising a hand.

"I won't mention a word of your girl's condition," Hershel said quietly his eyes skipping down the hall to the room where Jenna still sat sobbing. "No one will. You have my word on that." Callie took a breath and nodded her head.

"I can take care of her," Callie said quietly, moving to stand up. Hershel moved back and reached a hand down to her. Once on her feet again, Callie felt as though she were being weighted down and her legs threatened to buckle again. Hershel put a hand to her elbow and looked over his shoulder.

"Patricia," Hershel said quietly. "Help Callie with," he looked to Callie. "Jenna was it?" Callie nodded absently as her hand cupped her suddenly dry mouth. "Help her clean her up, and take a look at the wound. I'll be in once I have a chance to explain things to Rick and his wife. We won't be able to do much of anything until Otis and the rest get back."

Patricia slowly stepped up and took Hershel's place at Callie's elbow. The woman's hand gently squeezed Callie's arm and she gave a very fleeting, yet surprisingly warm smile as they began to walk.

"Be gentle with the girl," Hershel said as they walked. "By all accounts she knows what's to come. Soothe her as best you can," Callie turned and stared at the older man as he shook his head and looked back to where both of his daughters and the boy stood now stood. The newly returned daughter, Maggie, stared hard at her father, her mouth opening to say something but closing again as Hershel spoke again. "Remember, she's sick. She needs our help."

His words echoed strangely in Callie's ears as she walked with Patricia back to the room where Jenna was. As her brain slowly began to work, Callie found she could again hear the sounds going on in the house around her. Lori was sobbing in that small room with Rick, over the body of their fallen son. Her gut-wrenching cries filtered into the room where Jenna had slid down to the floor beside the bed.

The girl was sitting in the small pool of her own thickened disease ridden blood her head held in her hands as she sobbed quietly.

Callie firmed her lips, pressing them together so hard that it actually hurt in order to stifle the sobs that she wanted to let fly in this room. The pain grew almost unbearable as her teeth bit down hard on the inside of her lips, and the sounds she held in threatened to fly free. The only thing keeping them in check was the knowledge that Rick and Lori would be able to hear her.

"It'll be okay," Patricia was saying now, causing Callie to watch the woman as she hesitantly worked to help Jenna up to her feet and back onto the bed. "It'll be okay."

The words were hollow and Callie felt them reverberate into her hollow body, before her legs again gave out and she set her knees and stiffened her spine. Her hands lifted to her mouth, shaking fingers working over her dry trembling lips as she watched Patricia pick up the clothes Beth had dropped.

Three deep breaths, Callie-girl.

Callie let that last deep breath out and moved towards Jenna now sitting rocking herself on the bed. It wasn't until Jenna's eyes lifted to Callie's that she forced the smile onto her face. Callie settled herself on the bed and wrapped her arms around Jenna, and the girl instantly settled her face into Callie's chest, working to quiet her own sobs. The words 'I'm sorry' falling from her lips over and over, and stabbing into Callie's heart like a knife.

Patricia looked up at Callie, and put a hand to her knee again giving her that wan smile. Callie nodded her head and let her fingers slide through Jenna's hair.

"It's gonna be okay, Jenna." Callie said quietly into the girl's ear. "You're not alone. I'm here." Callie felt the tears slide down her cheeks as Patricia nodded her head slightly as Callie continued to try and soothe the girl in her arms.

Patricia cut away at the jeans Jenna wore and gave a startled gasp at the sight of more scratches further up her leg. Jenna cried harder, her fingers digging into Callie's arms, and Callie lifted her head placing her chin atop the girl's head. Eyes to the ceiling Callie took a deep breath.

"It's gonna be okay, Jenna." Callie said again. "You're not alone." She said the words that she knew the girl wanted to hear. It was the one thing all of the kids she'd picked up had mentioned fearing the most. Dying alone. "I'm here. I'll take care of you."

_When you're weary_

_Feeling small_

_When tears are in your eyes_

_I will dry them all_

_I'm on your side_

_When times get rough_

_And friends just can't be found_

_Like a bridge over troubled water_

_I will lay me down_

_Like a bridge over troubled water_

_I will lay me down_

_~A Bridge Over Troubled Water / Simon & Garfunkel _

_AN: This song for me was apropos, and fit what I feel Carl's being shot has done for the relationships of those close to him… (Rick, Shane and Lori) I feel that may come across more in the next few chapters… but stick by the song choice for this chapter as a fitting end. _

_We're going to be doing a bit of jumping around in the next few chapters, so I hope I don't lose y'all with how I have this laid out. I know we had Maggie leave and show up back with Lori in this installment, and didn't have her meet up with the rest of the crew…but we're gonna back track a bit in the next chapter to see how that all went down. I'll be sure to try and keep ya on track as much as I can in the beginning notes section so be sure to read…and if you get lost let me know. I'll try and clear it up _

_Also, for those of you who caught it, YEP-Miles went with Shane and Otis. And yeah, don't worry, there'll be a chapter for that one. EVIL _

_For those of you who frequent my profile page…for whatever reason…I updated my Twitter handle to my regs one ('cause having two and being all incognito is so for the birds) I've also put up the info for the Soundtrack if you'd like to dig into that. It's got most of the songs used, except for a few that weren't in the spotify library, and some that I didn't use but almost did… _

_And now for the friendly chatter:_

_LadyLecter47: yeah..so Jenna's back YAY!-uh, not so yay anymore though huh? I'm super glad you liked Glenn's passing of the buck to Rick, and of course the Daryl talking to the church part (which was seriously one of my favorite parts to write, had me giggling the whole time) Hope I didn't disappoint with this installment. Thanks as always for your review!_

_Piratejessieswaby: NO OMFG? Wow. Hey, I will do what I can for you in the happy endings portion…however I have to warn you… NO SPOILERS!_

_TrustInFaith: Short and to the point. LOVE IT. Thanks, and Done *salutes*_

_DruidArcher: *ducks behind chair* I'm not really gonna give any spoilers…but I think this chapter may have answered your question. _

_Babeelove: Welcome to the reviews section! I appreciate you taking the time to review and let me know what you're thinking. I am flattered that you think of this little story as one of the best Walking Dead fics out there. I can only hope that my story does not disappoint as we move forward. Thanks again!_

_AlabastR: Little Miss Writers Block-YOU *points at computer screen* just posted two fuckin' chapters of awesome (reviews are forthcoming don't you worry). So, yeah, if you thought those last couple of chapters were bouncy and had you boinging (yeah I said fuckin' boinging) around from happy to sad to happy to what the fuck to …you get my point. Then shit, girl, buckle up 'cause it's bout to get really bouncy. The Shane situation is going to be hitting a head, the comic stuff will still be there, but it will definitely have a bit of a darker tone, and the sappy moments…their 'bout to become a bit less sappy and a bit more teary. Just sayin' . I'm so happy that I was able to bring back a little bit of the Shane that people seemed to forget about, that was really EXACTLY what I was trying to do. He's such a full character to write, and I'm glad that people seem to be appreciating what I'm doing with him. And finally, if you thought I was evil last chapter, I'm a bit afraid of what you think of me now. Thank you so much for your reviews. You keep me writing (and honestly sane...) THANK YOU!_

_Cotton Strings: I'm glad that I was able to give you a new view on Rick. He's my honey-bun (Love him lots) and I think that his evolution into RICKTATORSHIP-Rick is very interesting, and I really wanted to explore what could take a man that didn't fight with his wife before the apocalypse and turn him into a man that would kill his best friend because of her (kinda/sorta). Glad you liked it what I did there. The Daryl thinking there is more than Walkers in the woods is kind of my HOLLA! To the awesome deleted scene from Season 2 where they go back to visit the Vatos and find them all dead and executed. But…I do have a plot for this, and as always NO SPOILERS. As for the missing piece in the Jenna/Sophia arc… as far as the church portion…. Its gonna be a few chaps, so hold tight. Thanks as always for your feedback._

_Emberka-2012: Yeah, Yay Jenna… and now, we kind of understand her shock a bit more. Thanks as always for your devoted reviews. _

_PiratesLife: Ummmm…. So this chapter kind of probably answered your question…and I've probably pissed you off thoroughly too. *ducks and hides* Jenna and Miles are my babies and these next couple of chapters are HARD that's all I'm going to say to that. As for the Callie /Daryl and the kids cuteness…I've worked really hard to make it cute, and realistic to MY Daryl. I am flattered that you think I've done a good job with that. I think we're going to see a new side to Daryl as these chapters progress, especially with the JENNA-Bomb I just threw down. As always thank you so much for your feedback!_

_Sdwafford: Yeah, I have a feeling I'm gonna be getting some shit for Jenna (but I put teasers in so it really shouldn't be that surprising….RIGHT?) I think I would agree with you totally on the fact that the kids have it harder than the adults in this world right now. And as for feelin' bad for Shane, good, that's what I was hoping. Give the man a bit of humanity. And yeah, Callie's a smart cookie. Thank you so much for taking the time to send me your feedback. _

_Alright, y'all that's all she wrote for now. _

_See ya next chapter!_


	19. Timshel

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_Alright, so last chapter we had Rick and his crew make it to the Greene's farm. Carl was laying in bed, waiting for surgery. Shane, Miles and Otis left for the FEMA triage center. Lori had shown up at the farm with Maggie, and Callie made the horrible discovery that Jenna had been scratched and infected. _

_This chapter, we're gonna back track a bit here and catch up with what went down with Daryl and the crew when Maggie caught up. And catch up with Dale, Danny and T-Dog back at the highway. Before making it back to the farm. _

_As a sidebar…I realized that somewhere down the line in all my crazy ass writing I started losing track of chapter numbers…so in an effort to keep myself sane I just cut out the numbers completely. Starting with this chapter the only thing you'll see is the chapter title in bold before each section of story. Not that you care…but I wanted to let you know._

_As always, read, review and most of all enjoy!_

_~Michelle_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Timshel**

Daryl's head snapped up from his close inspection of the ground, his eyes yet again slipping to the rest of the group milling about slowly behind him. He tightened his grip on his crossbow, both of his hands working in what he'd never admit to being a nervous way along the familiar weapon. He squinted at the sun filtering down on them through the trees, his eyes doing a quick sweep of the branches above.

Daryl slipped his eyes back down, his head bowed the ground now pretending to check for the trail, but really watching the worried group at his back. Lori had yet again paused, her hands gripping the straps of one of the red emergency backpacks from the CDC.

Daryl still remembered the way she and Rick had smiled at Carl when the boy had insisted on bringing it after they said he could come along. Daryl had stood there watching as the two supposedly responsible fuckin' parents shook their heads at the boy who was so damned excited to be able to finally put on his fuckin' big boy pants and come with the adults. Then Ben had figured he'd be allowed to come, and had waltzed up to Daryl and asked him.

And why the fuck was he askin' him? Because Callie and Danny thought they were funny motherfuckers, that's why. He'd snapped at the boy without any remorse. He wasn't gonna let that boy come along and get hurt. Rick could do whatever the fuck he wanted with his kid, didn't mean Daryl was gonna join the party. This wasn't some fuckin' father/son campin' trip where he wanted to be worryin' about his boy gettin'-

Fuck. _His boy_. The fuck was wrong with him?

Daryl shook his head and snarled at himself. Then of course, not long after they'd started out, he found himself practically sick with the worry about who he'd left that little boy and his baby sister with. An old man, and two wounded sum'bitches.

Daryl ran his hand over his head now and scratched at his hair, his eyes catching Glenn's as the younger man worked a hand around to the back of his neck. Daryl shook his head at the worried expression marring Glenn's face as he sat down on a log beside Carol. Andrea stood not far off, her eyes slipping around the wooded area, then to Carol and then back to the woods.

Daryl snarled, which was becoming too familiar a reaction to these idiotic people now, and slipped his gaze back to Lori who continued to stare behind them. Her hands gripped tight into the backpack so tight he could see her knuckles turning white. The fuckin' backpack Carl had insisted on bringin' along, and then grown too tired to fuckin' carry on his own. Daryl sniffed harshly and spat at the ground.

"C'mon!" Daryl yelled out, catching the startled attention of the thin brunette, along with the rest of the group. Lori turned with wide eyes to face him, and he glared at her. "Rest time's over."

"You can't tell me your not worried about that," Lori said slipping her eyes behind them again as she slowly began to back towards where the rest of the group was. She turned to face him and raised a brow as he glowered. "You said it yourself," Lori continued her eyes slipping to the rest of the group slowly getting to their feet. "Back at the church. Someone out here was shooting Walkers, and they could be still out there." She turned away again and looked behind them. "You can't tell me you're not worried."

"It was _a_ gunshot," Glenn provided removing his hat and wiping a hand over his sweaty brow before shifting his attention from Lori back to Daryl. He hefted his backpack on his shoulder and gave a sheepish look to Daryl's shaking head.

"Supposed to be diffusin' the women's hen-peckin' worries Chinaman," Daryl grumbled as he made his way past the younger man, his shoulder bumping Glenn's roughly. "Not addin' fuel to the fuckin' fire."

"I was just sayin', " Glenn started letting out a bit of a sigh as Daryl glared at him over his shoulder. "It was only one. I'd be more worried if we heard more."

Daryl's feet stopped and he half-turned to face Glenn, Lori turned as well. Daryl couldn't help but smirk at the younger man, nodding his head idly before turning to face Lori. Lori seemed surprised to see Daryl standing beside her and absently backed up a step when his gaze fell hard onto her face.

"He's right," Daryl said quietly, his eyes scanning the area behind them. His eyes skipped back to her, watchin' that fuckin' look of awe that he was actually speaking real live fuckin' words to her fly onto her face. Shaking his head Daryl again scanned the area. "One shot ain't nothin' to be worryin' 'bout. We got shit to do here."

"You're worried," Lori said quietly, watching the man beside her fidget. He shifted his gaze and glared down at her, the sun igniting his blue eyes and causing Lori stare. "You are."

"Ain't nothing new. I always end up worryin' when that woman takes off," Daryl said rolling his eyes away from Lori. "Girl's like a magnet for trouble when she's left to her own devices." He snarled a bit and rubbed his hand down his face before continuing. "But she ain't alone. She's with Rick, and Shane, and fuckin' Miles." Daryl caught Lori's eye quickly and then averted his gaze back to the forest behind them. "Carl's fine. Callie's fine. They're all fuckin' fine. It was one shot."

"I think the question is why was it only one?" Andrea spat out, causing Daryl and Lori to both turn and face the rest of their little group. Daryl growled and hunched his shoulders realizing now that everyone had been listening to him as he talked to Lori. Daryl skipped his eyes back to Andrea's watching in annoyance as she raised one of her perfect little brows at him and smirked.

"I got ten-to-one that it was Miles," Glenn said with a wide grin earning the attention of the rest of the group. "Shane promised him a bit of target practice," Glenn shrugged as Daryl's gaze slipped to him. "I'd bet it was him. Rick, Shane, Callie none of them would risk shooting a Walker. But Miles shooting a tree," Glenn lifted a finger and pointed at Daryl. "That I'd believe in a heartbeat. Kid's a dumbass."

Daryl looked back to see Lori staring at Glenn in a bit of shock, her lips forming a little 'o'. Daryl shook his head and then turned and stalked away from Lori back to the front of the group and began picking his way towards the highway. He again bumped his shoulder harshly into Glenn's and this time held the kid's gaze as he went.

"What?" Glenn said raising his hands to the sky as Daryl stalked by him.

"Honest to God, Chinaman, you're worse 'an me at makin' women feel better," Daryl grumbled tightly trying not to garner the attention of the women slowly gathering at his back.

"Hey, I'm tryin' here," Glenn said lifting his hands to the sky before lowering his voice and quickening his steps to catch up to Daryl. "Maybe you could go up and give them all sweet little kisses to make them feel better." Daryl spun in shock, anger playing his features as he advanced on the still smiling Glenn. He lifted his clenched fist to the kid, watching as he stepped back but kept laughin'. Daryl clenched his fist tighter and then turned away and shook his head as he walked away. "Aw, what, it seemed to work for Callie."

"Shut up," Daryl shot over his shoulder before he turned now walking backwards so he could gage how far he and Glenn had walked away from the women. "Just fuckin' shut up," Daryl said as Glenn continued to grin and chuckle. Daryl stopped walking and let Glenn catch up to him. The both of them stood there watching as Andrea and Carol talked and Lori yet again turned to face the opposite direction.

And again Daryl let out a gruff sigh as he too scanned the area behind them.

For the past twenty or so minutes since that gunshot had first gone off, Daryl had been tryin' hard as he could not to worry 'bout it. He'd focused himself to his task and kept the ragtag group of hens-yeah he considered Glenn one of the fuckin' women for the amount of complainin' he'd been doin'-from lingerin' long. He'd kept them movin' at what Merle always called 'a good ol' mind clearin' pace'. One that kept your feet movin' so you didn't have time to let your mind wander nowhere but to the next step.

But it hadn't worked. Not for Lori. Not for Carol who was still so worried 'bout her little girl being out in these woods that her steps had faltered more than once as she followed his almost too fast pace. Not for Andrea, who was hiding her worry well but kept sneakin' glances behind them and around them when she thought he wasn't lookin'. Not for fuckin' Glenn who fidgeted more than a preacher in whore house when he was anxious.

And it hadn't worked for him.

Again he slipped his eyes over Lori, her back stiff and neck craning to try and see what lay behind them. Lifting his thumb to his mouth he began to chew around the nail bed, his eyes slipping to where Glenn stood working the frayed edge of his backpack strap.

"It isn't sitting well with any of us," Glenn said quietly, making Daryl shift his gaze from the ground to him. "None of it. Sophia and Jenna. Splitting up," Glenn sighed and again shifted his hat on his head and squinted at where Carol and Andrea were talking, Lori walking up and putting her hand to Carol's shoulder. "That gun shot. No one's expecting you to be okay with it. If you wanna talk-"

"The fuck you think this is Oprah?" Daryl snapped, his thumb falling from his mouth. "I don't fuckin' need to talk 'bout nothing." He poked Glenn in the chest and pushed the kid back a few steps. "What I need is to get all your asses back to that fuckin' highway so I can search these woods proper for them girls. Without constantly being stopped by ever'body needed to fuckin' talk 'bout their feelin's, and random fuckin' gunshots," he shot his gaze behind him before continuing. "And people goin' on 'bout how worried they are we _ain't_ gonna find 'em."

Daryl shot his gaze to where the women were now looking at him wide eyed and he pointed an angry finger at them.

"We're _gonna_ find 'em," Daryl snapped turning back to Glenn before he started stalking off again. "Fuck people, am I the only one Zen 'round here." Daryl stalked off, and Glenn stood back watching wide eyed as he made his way through the trees.

Daryl's bare arms shot out wildly pushing at branches that were in his way as he continued to grumble for a few more steps. Glenn heard Andrea and the others walk up to where he was still watching the angry redneck take out his aggression on the defenseless forest around them.

"So that's Zen?" Andrea asked with a raised brow.

"Dear God," Glenn said in a hushed tone and wide eyes as he looked at the blonde standing next to him. "Don't poke the bear, Andrea." Glenn shook his head and Andrea let out a bit of a chuckle.

"C'mon! Move your fuckin' feet people," Daryl's voice yelled back from his position a good ways away.

"I think you were right before, Glenn. That man has lost his mind," Andrea muttered pointing a finger ahead at Daryl as she started to pick her way around a few downed branches. Her eyes tipped to where Carol and Lori were walking slightly ahead and she caught the brunette's eyes.

"I think we all have," Glenn said quietly shifting his eyes towards Andrea before continuing on. "I mean who can honestly say that they are really and truly sane anymore?" Glenn continued, and Andrea stopped for a minute to watch the kid walk. "He's worried. And he's not really used to being bothered by such human _feelin's_." Glenn said the last word in his best impression of Daryl's accent.

"You're sayin' he's not human?" Lori asked with a bit of a smile as Glenn caught up to where she and Carol were walking.

"According to Ben, he's Superman," Glenn shrugged and looked ahead. "I said he was more of the Hawkeye sort. Of course, Hawkeye used a bow not a _crossbow_," Glenn lifted his eyes to where Lori was now chuckling and shaking her head. "What? Hawkeye? Come on. He's an Avenger." Glenn shook his head and followed behind her. "You can't tell me Carl never read The Avengers." Lori kept walking. "Seriously what boy doesn't read comic books?"

"I'll bet Daryl didn't," Carol shot in quietly, earning a chuckle from Lori and Andrea.

"Daryl doesn't count," Glenn shot back grumpily as they worked to catch up.

"Right, cause he's not human. He's a _superhero_," Lori said still laughing a bit as she exchanged a laughing glance with Andrea and Carol. Glenn bit his lip as he tried to hide his smile as he followed behind them. His eyes skipped up to where Daryl now stood looking back at them.

Glenn smirked back when Daryl just shook his head. Let that redneck say he wasn't good at cheering people up now. Of course, Glenn now felt like shit. But that's what happened when you threw yourself under the bus in order to make people feel better. Glenn half-listened as the women began to discuss how men seemed to be stuck in a constant state of adolescence and he rolled his eyes. Honestly, when would women learn that-

A low moaning sound to Glenn's left had his thought process stopping instantly and his head turning just in time to catch the Walker reaching out to him. He backpedaled letting out a small huff of breath that he would never admit to being a scream, and ended up tripping over a large tree root. He hit the ground hard, his backpack smashing into his back painfully as he watched the Walker scramble towards him.

"Oh God!" Andrea's voice rang out and he turned his head away to look at her. She was making her way towards him now. Over her shoulder Glenn could see Daryl rocketing through the space between them his crossbow up and ready.

Glenn scrambled backwards in crab crawl as the Walker came forward after him, his hands worked to free his knife from where he had it strapped to his belt. And then a completely foreign sound entered into the equation, something loud and thumping that filtered into Glenn's body through his hands from the vibrations in the ground below him. He turned his head and his eyes widened as a figure on a horse came bursting through the trees.

"Jesus!" Glenn hissed as he ducked, his hands going to his hat as he pulled himself down. The figure on the horse rode at breakneck speed, and hefted a bat high before angling it down in an arc and smashing it into the head of the Walker.

The Walker flew backwards from the force of the hit, and Glenn let his hands fall from his head. Andrea had reached his side now, and was kneeling down beside him asking him something but his attention was riveted to the figure on the horse.

The _girl_ on the horse.

"Lori Grimes!" the girl asked, her eyes wildly searching the people she'd just come across. She slipped her eyes over Andrea and then to the other two women looking at her as Daryl jogged up and pointed his crossbow at her. "Lori Grimes? Are any of you Lori Grimes?"

"I'm Lori Grimes," Lori said stepping forward her eyes sliding to where Daryl had placed himself instantly between her and the newcomer. Andrea helped Glenn to his feet, and Daryl watched them from the corner of his eye, letting out a small sigh of relief at the sight of Glenn nodding that he was alright.

"Who the fuck are you?" Daryl spat at the short-haired woman working to catch her breath as she slid her eyes around the group. She eyed him with a bit of what Daryl could only figure to be annoyance before shaking her head and looking to Lori.

"You need to come with me," the girl said and Daryl's face contorted in annoyance as he watched Lori try move forward. His hand shot out, his arm stopping the stupid woman from moving while he squinted up at the girl on the horse. "Look, I don't have time for you right now." The girl said yet again sending him an annoyed glare before turning back to Lori. "Rick sent me. Carl's been shot."

"The fuck?" Daryl's angered outburst overtook Lori's startled 'Oh God', and he turned to face the slender brunette. He turned and immediately caught her as her steps faltered as she worked to get closer to the newcomer on the horse. Lori held tight to his arm for a moment, her eyes hitting his with such force that he actually felt the pain that had been ignited in her heart at the simple idea that her baby boy had been injured. He felt her push him away a bit and get her feet under her. He held on to her arm as she walked towards the girl on the horse who was lowering her hand down to Lori.

"You can't just go with her," Daryl spat his hand reaching out and grabbing at Lori's arm. She looked back at him in shock. As if he was the fuckin' crazy person goin' off with some strange bitch on a horse just 'cause she knew a few names. Morons all of 'em.

"Back off, Robin Hood," the girl on the horse shot back, her eyes glaring at Daryl as she caught sight of Glenn and Andrea coming closer.

"The fuck you call me?" Daryl snarled up at the girl pulling on Lori's arm and dragging her away from the girl on the horse, as he yet again angled his crossbow up at her.

"You need to come with me now," the girl said rolling her eyes past Daryl's angry glare and over to the shocked form of Lori. Daryl yet again put a hand to her arm but this time Lori's hand landed on top of his and worked to slowly peel his fingers off.

"There were others," Glenn's voice broke through and had Daryl and Lori both looking to him. The girl on the horse shifted her slightly annoyed gaze to him and he took a step back. "Um," Glenn shifted his eyes around his group and then caught the girl's annoyed yet expectant gaze. "There were other people with Rick and Carl-"

"The dark-haired guy and the kid with the foul-mouth," the girl said in an understanding tone her head nodding. Glenn let out a bit of a sigh and nodded back, his hand settling on his hat as he looked to Andrea and Carol. "They were there. They went with Otis to get supplies." Turning towards Lori she again reached out her hand. "Your boy needs surgery, and you need to come with me. I can explain on the way."

"Surgery," Lori said quietly again reaching out a shaking hand. The word hit them all like a punch to the gut and Daryl let out a gruff breath, knowing that Lori needed to go. Stanger or not, the story was too convoluted to not be true.

"Wait," Daryl didn't really grab Lori this time but just put a hand to her shoulder as he stared up at the now completely aggravated girl on the horse. "There was a woman," Daryl said his eyes sliding off of the girl's face and over to Glenn and then Carol and Andrea. He felt Lori stiffen just a bit and look at him. Sniffing hard he glared at the girl as she looked at him in utter confusion. "There was a woman with them too."

"There wasn't anyone else. I'm sorry. No one else showed up," the girl said quietly, her fine dark brows narrowing in confusion as she slipped her gaze to the faces of the now worried group. "I'm sorry," she shook her head and then her eyes opened wide and she was nodding. "Wait, the kid," she pointed her finger at Glenn and smiled a bit. "The kid kept goin' on and on as I was leavin', I heard it in the background as I was gettin' Nelly ready. Boy's got a voice that carries," she said angling her attention to the chuckling Glenn who was nodding. Looking back to Daryl she continued "He said that there was someone else comin'. Said to tell y'all they found your girl."

"Oh God," Carol's voice slipped out and luckily Andrea was nearby to catch her as the other woman's legs buckled.

"Which one?" Glenn asked quietly a bit of excitement riding his voice.

"Ya lost more than one girl out here?" the girl said with a raising of her brow at Glenn, who much to Daryl's annoyance blushed. She took in a breath and let her eyes ride the group. "I'm sorry, I don't know," she shook her head her eyes lingering on the form of Carol clinging to Andrea. "I'm sorry. I didn't see them. They hadn't made it back by the time I was leaving to come find ya." She said the words to Carol instinctively knowing that was who she needed to speak to. "I'm sorry."

Daryl let out a gruff breath and raked his hand through his hair, his other hand finally falling from Lori's arm. His eyes slid around the forest as he clenched his hand in his dirty hair and pulled just a bit. 'Course that woman wasn't with them. 'Course she would be the one to not make it back with the others.

"Y'all'er on the highway right?" the girl said, her eyes sliding back to Daryl, her expression softer than it had been as she read his unease at her news. He glared at her for a moment and then nodded. She nodded as well as she reached down a hand to the now waiting Lori. Daryl moved forward and lowered his cupped hands for Lori to step into, boosting her up he stood and waited for her to settle in behind the girl.

Daryl rested his hand on the flank of the horse and looked up at utterly distraught Lori for a moment before shifting his attention to the girl as she took in a deep breath.

"Head back down the road 'bout two miles or so," the girl continued holding his gaze, before shifting her eyes around the rest of the group. "There's a turn off. Down the road a ways you'll find us. Name on the box is Greene." She expertly turned the horse around, and then turned to look at Daryl over her shoulder. "I'm sure your girl will have made it back by now. Come find us."

With that the girl took off back the way she came, leaving the rest of them to watch as they disappeared into the dense forest. Daryl scrunched his face and bit at the inside of his cheek as he listened to Andrea, Glenn and Carol all begin to mutter about what just happened. His brain wasn't processing what they were saying though, it just kept circling one phrase 'round and 'round.

She wasn't there.

Someone's hand touched his shoulder and he spun around to see Glenn backing up a bit with that hand that had touched him raised to the sky. Daryl growled at the kid and then stomped off, his ears once again picking up the noise around him.

"I'm sure she's okay," Glenn said quietly watching Daryl move off towards where the Walker had flown when the girl hit it with the bat. Glenn watched in horror as the undead thing worked to sit up, it's head sitting at an odd angle upon it's shoulders.

The twang of Daryl's crossbow was the response Glenn got. Not that he was really expecting anything different. Glenn watched as the redneck stalked up to the now dead Walker and pulled his arrow free of the its head, wiping it on his pant leg before reloading his weapon. Glenn then saw Daryl rubbing his hand at his hip, an almost pained expression on his face as his eyes slid back to where Lori and the girl had disappeared. Glenn's mouth opened to ask the man if he was alright, but it snapped shut as the redneck's glare settled on him. The two of them just stared at each other for a moment, Daryl's hand lifting from the place it had been rubbing and settling on his crossbow. He jutted his chin at Glenn and then turned around.

"C'mon!" Daryl spat over his shoulder as he started walking again. "Show's over. Move your fuckin' feet people."

* * *

Danny pressed his right foot down onto the RV's brake pedal wincing as even that movement sent a stinging pain up his wounded left leg. He clenched his hands around the thin almost ridiculously large wheel in front of him and closed his eyes for a moment as he struggled to push the pain to the back of his brain. Opening his eyes he slid his gaze out the open window to forest where the rest of the group had disappeared hours upon hours ago.

Danny wasn't a man to let worry get the best of him. He was more the glass half-full until someone told him otherwise, ore broke the fuckin' glass to pieces type. That was the attitude that had gotten him through this fuckin' shit storm of an existence. The attitude that kept him going, even after takin' out Leslie.

Kept him believing that he would find Jake. And that he would find him alive.

So, instead of sitting outside talkin' out his feelings and listening to Dale and T-Dog discuss what might be going on in those woods, Danny decided to test himself a theory. Sliding his gaze back to the wheel in front of him he let a small smile slide onto his lips. See, Danny, figured he knew Dale well enough, and he was damn sure he knew Miles well enough, to be able to tell when they were lying through their fuckin' teeth.

Settling his hand to the key sitting in the ignition Danny smirked as he turned it. The RV roared to life and Danny grinned like the fuckin' idiot he was.

"Danny," Dale's voice filtered in through the open door at the back. Danny swiveled in his seat and craned his neck so that he could grin at Dale as the older man stuck his head in the door.

"It's an apocalypse miracle!" Danny shouted back his hands lifting from the wheel in an over dramatic gesture to on-high. "Praise Jesus!"

"Shut it off," Dale practically growled through his teeth as he lowered his heavy gray brows in a frown. "Now."

Danny chuckled and slipped his hands back to the keys, turning them and swiftly cutting the engine. He swiveled the seat around and grabbed for his crutch watching as Dale slipped back outside shaking his head. Danny worked his way painfully to the little open door and then smiled widely down at T-Dog who was staring confusedly up at him as he worked his way down the few steps to the ground. Dale begrudgingly moved to help Danny, and again shook his head at him before removing his helping hand heading back to crouch down in front of T-Dog.

"Ya fixed it?" T-Dog asked confusedly, his brow raising as he took a long drag off of the cigarette in his mouth. He winced and looked back to where Dale was lifting his blood-soaked bandage and Danny shook his head.

"No, like I said," Danny said watching Dale's head tilt down a bit as he worked to not make eye contact with either man. "Fuckin' miracle."

"Danny," Dale said letting T-Dog's bandage go and tilting his eyes up to where Danny stood. "Stop."

"Oh, come on, Dale." Danny said chuckling a bit as he slowly maneuvered himself to rest against one of the abandoned cars beside the RV. "It's not like I believed a damn word you and Miles were sayin' before. You gotta remember, I _know_ that boy." Danny raised his brows as Dale settled his hands over his thighs. "And I know you."

"What's he goin' on 'bout?" T-Dog said through a pained breath, letting a puff of smoke fly over Dale's head as he tossed his cigarette butt to the side. He turned to Danny, "You high?"

"No," Danny bit out angling an angry brow at the now chuckling T-Dog. "Just waiting for a bit of an explanation." Dale took a long breath in through his nose and firmed his lips as he stared up at Danny. His shifted his attention back to T-Dog as he let that breath out and ran his hand over his bald, strangely hatless head.

"I figured that Rick needed a bit of time to," Dale waved a hand around as he shifted his gaze from Danny to T-Dog. "Figure things out. So I lied," Dale said, a wide eyed sheepish grimace marring his face as he looked at the now completely confused T-Dog.

"'Bout what?" T-Dog said shifting his eyes to Danny slipping himself slowly onto the hood of the car he'd been leaning on. "The fuckin' RV? You lied 'bout it breakin' down?"

"And got Miles to lie 'bout it too. For shame," Danny said shaking his head. Dale let out a breath and Danny lifted a brow at his friend, pointing a chiding finger at the slightly annoyed older man. "You know Dale, for a fuckin' moral compass, you're kinda shifty."

"It's not like we were going anywhere, anyway." Dale said waving his hand around. "I just thought that, in case Daryl did find a way around, we could use the excuse to stay put for a few hours. To figure things out." Dale rested his knuckles to his bottom lip and looked at both men. "This push forward to Fort Benning for the past couple of days hasn't been sitting well with anyone."

"Except Shane," Danny added in earning a look from Dale.

"Right," Dale said quietly. "Rick wasn't going to stop moving, not after what happened at the gas station," Dale let out a breath. "Not unless he had a reason." Dale looked at Danny. "The man needed time to process and settle his thoughts, we all did. This group's morale is running thin, and the further we extend that tendril the quicker it's going to snap."

"This ain't the first time you pulled this shit is it?" T-Dog said a bit angrily as he pushed to his feet. Dale helped him up despite the larger man's obvious discomfort. T-Dog shook his head, obviously recalling their four hour stop a few days ago right after they left the gas station.

"No," Dale said shaking his head and watching the weakened man move slowly out into the sun to stand by Danny. "I'm not apologizing either."

"You don't have to," Danny said smiling and shifting his gaze to T-Dog, watching as he crumpled his now empty pack of smokes and threw it angrily to the highway. "Like you said. It's not like it makes a difference now. I was just wondering why."

Dale nodded his head and squinted his eyes at T-Dog stalking around with his back to Dale. Danny shook his head and slid off of the hood of the car he was on, coming painfully back to his feet. Grabbing for his crutch he worked his way towards T-Dog and slapped the man on the back, his hand stayed there for a moment as he felt the heat rolling off of the man's skin through his shirt. Angling his eyes back to Dale, Danny shared a worried look with the older man.

"C'mon, _Theodore_," Danny's said clapping his hand against T-Dog's shoulder, earning a scathing glare. "Let's go see if we can scrounge us up some more smokes." Danny pushed T-Dog forward a bit in the direction of the Hummer, his eyes staying held to Dale's as the older man watched them walk. Danny gave him a lopsided grin before angling his attention to the top of the RV.

"Hey Ben," Danny's voice rang out and he watched the little boy stick his head over and stare down at him, binoculars held tightly in his hands while Dale's floppy bucket hat sat slightly askew over his dirty blonde hair. "How's it look buddy?"

"Looks like trees," Ben said confusedly down to him. "Is it supposed to look different?"

"Nah," Danny said chuckling as he watched T-Dog shake his head and try not to smile. "Just let us know if you see something strange, a'right?" Ben nodded and rolled his eyes in a 'd'uh Danny' motion that had Danny cracking a wider grin as he and T-Dog worked their way towards the hulking orange monstrosity of a Hummer.

"So you knew he was lyin' this whole time," T-Dog said quietly, wincing as he ran his hand over his sweaty brow. Danny nodded and T-Dog let out a gruff sigh. "Man this is fucked up. How the hell we supposed to survive this shit if we can't even trust one another?"

"That's not what that was," Danny said as they continued on, watching as T-Dog slipped his eyes back over his shoulder.

"Dale don't trust Shane," T-Dog said in a matter-of-fact tone that had Danny's brow raising. "Don't take a genius to see that, Danny. That," T-Dog continued with a thumb thrust over his shoulder. "Was Dale's attempt at stagin' himself a coup."

"Yeah, I know," Danny said shaking his head as T-Dog settled his ass along the abandoned car next to the Hummer. T-Dog was shaking his head now, and rubbing his left hand at the space right above where the large blood-soaked bandage sat. Danny opened the Hummer's passenger door and began rummaging in the glove box.

"Man I don't have a shot in hell of actually survivin' this shit," T-Dog mumbled as Danny leaned back out holding a fresh box of cigarettes in his hand. Danny raised a brow and whistled to get T-Dog's attention before tossing him the pack.

"The fuck you talkin' 'bout? You got a fuckin' scratch compared to this shit," Danny let his hand rove over his frame as he leaned on the now closed door of the Hummer. T-Dog slipped smoke out of the box and glared up at Danny like he was an idiot.

"That ain't what I'm talkin' 'bout," T-Dog said shaking his head as he squinted down the road at the RV. Placing the smoke in his mouth he slipped a lighter, Callie's old lighter Danny noted, out of his pocket and lit it up. Danny continued to stare, his brows lifted as he waited.

"Well c'mon now, don't leave me hanging there, _Theodore_," Danny said earning yet another scathing glare from the man. Danny smiled widely as T-Dog removed his cigarette and puffed smoke at him.

"You see, _Dan_," T-Dog continued, making Danny's smile grow wider at the use of the name that Danny hated. Give and take, that's what made relationships last, Danny thought smiling as T-Dog shook his cigarette at him. "I'm talkin' 'bout all these fuckin' white assholes that can't just survive. Gotta make more problems for us all," he grimaced at Danny and Danny lifted a brow.

"White assholes, huh?" Danny said chuckling.

"Yeah, dumbfuck," T-Dog said causing Danny to full on laugh. "White assholes. Livin' this shit like it's a soap opera. How long you think it's gon' be 'till that distrust their stirrin' up starts rearin' it's ugly head in my direction. Fuckin' good 'ol boys," T-Dog continued, and he muttered something else that Danny just didn't pick up because he was laughing too hard.

"You sure you didn't hit your head when you scratched your fuckin' arm?" Danny shot back shaking his head. "I mean seriously," Danny tilted his head down and tried to control his laughter. "What do you think's gonna happen, one day us white people are gonna just wake up and go 'Shit, T-Dog's black what do we do?'."

"Laugh it up, man. But in case you hadn't noticed I'm kinda in the minority here. It ain't fuckin' farfetched, 'specially with Daryl getting buddy-buddy with Rick."

"Look," Danny said pressing his thumb and forefinger to the bridge of his nose as he worked to stop laughing. "I don't think you have to worry 'bout Daryl." T-Dog scoffed and Danny looked up and crossed his arms over his chest. "Before, at the Quarry, with Merle at his ear constantly. Yeah, then I'd agree with you, kind of," Danny pointed a finger before T-Dog could continue. "But now," he shook his head. "Didn't that fuckin' redneck just save your ass?"

"Not 'cause he wanted to," T-Dog said quietly.

"I think you got him pegged wrong," Danny said shaking his head and watching T-Dog roll his eyes. "And as for Rick. I don't think that man even knows the meaning of the word racist. Shane," Danny shifted his hand side to side causing T-Dog to laugh in spite of trying really hard not to. "Sum'bitch's is a chauvinistic bastard, with what I would say is a bit of a healthy God-complex, but I don't think you have to worry 'bout that. It's not directed at you," he shook his head again and let out a breath as he shifted his eyes to where Dale was now standing atop the RV with Ben and Gracie. Dale was looking out at the trees, and Ben was handing up the binoculars.

"Look," Danny said quietly as he turned back to T-Dog smoking away at his cigarette. "You do make a valid point about something," T-Dog's brow narrowed as Danny's grin widened. "You're kind of like a fuckin' endangered species now. So, being the wonderful humanitarian that I am, I'm gonna put your black ass on the list," Danny pushed off the Hummer and grinned wickedly as he slowly began to work his way back towards the RV. Lifting a hand over his shoulder he continued with a chuckle. "I swear, man, first Black Person Preserve we run into I'll drop your ass off."

"Fuck you, Danny." T-Dog said chuckling a bit, his eyes now catching the excited movements of Ben and Dale atop the RV. "What's up?"

"Not sure," Danny said as he continued walking towards the RV. He watched as Ben bounded towards the ladder and scrambled down. His eyes shifted a bit towards the hillside and he saw figures breaking through the tree line. "They're back," Danny said over his shoulder as T-Dog worked his way up beside him.

"Bout damn time," T-Dog said back, smashing his hand into the back of Danny's shoulder. Danny groaned but smiled at the man as they walked to where Ben was now jumping up and down at the guardrail at the front of the RV. Dale met them at the bottom of the ladder.

"It's just a few of them," Dale said quietly and Danny brushed on past to where Daryl was angrily working his way over the guardrail.

"Where's everyone else?" Danny asked watching as Daryl put a hand to Ben's head and then angrily stalked past everyone.

"Carl's been shot," Glenn said, eliciting a moment of sheer panic and shock out of the rest of them. Glenn grimaced as he worked over the guardrail and looked into the faces of the three men who were staring at him.

"Where's Lori?" Danny asked his eyes shifting over everyone. "Shane? Rick? Callie?" He put his hands to his head. "Fuck Miles?"

"They're at a farm house," Daryl seethed settling himself against a nearby abandoned car. Ben settled himself next to Daryl and stared up at him, worry etched across his features. Dale worked to help Gracie down the ladder and shot his gaze around the newly returned group.

"A farm house?" Dale asked, as he put Gracie down on the ground. The little girl immediately worked over towards Daryl and grabbed his pants as she looked around. Daryl was glaring but he uncrossed his arms from his chest and offered his pinky to the girl to hold on to.

Glenn then proceeded to tell them everything that had happened, and Danny's head felt like it was fuckin' spinnin'. The tents. The bodies of the kids. The church. Danny slipped his eyes to where Andrea was rubbing a hand along Carol's arm as the other woman just shook her head. Glenn got to the point that they split up and Danny heard Daryl let out a huff and watched the man kick the tire of the car he was settled on. Gracie's hand broke free from his and she stared after him as he paced around. Then there was the gunshot, and the arrival of the mystery girl on horseback with the horrifying news.

"And you just believed her? Just let Lori go with her?" T-Dog said incredulously as he shifted his eyes around at everyone. He slumped against the RV again and slid to the ground shaking his head. Danny wanted to echo the concern, his mind instantly going to Lori's delicate fuckin' condition that he was the only fucker privy to. He rubbed a hand along his bearded jaw and let his eyes roam over everyone.

"She knew everyone's name," Glenn provided as Daryl seethed not far off. "Why would someone make that up?" Glenn looked to Dale who put a hand to his shoulder and nodded his head.

"We should go," Dale said quietly, his eyes scanning the area.

"One of the girls is still out there," Danny said his eyes shifting around as his head began to shake. "We can't just leave, what if they make it back."

"If we leave and Sophia or Jenna would come back and see us gone," Andrea shook her head and looked at Carol. "That would be horrible."

"Alright," Dale said nodding and looking between everyone and at the little kids. "But some of us should go. Rick and Lori need our support right now," he looked at Carol and then Glenn. "Glenn, you should take Carol," he reached out as the woman began to shake her head. "We don't know who they found. It could be Sophia. She'd want to see you." Carol's jaw clenched but she nodded as Glenn stepped forward and smiled at her.

"And T-Dog," Danny piped up, earning a bit of a shocked expression from the man. "His arm's infected, the fever's just getting' worse, they may have some better stuff there to help with it." Danny looked to T-Dog who was glaring at him. "Gotta protect ya, don't I?"

"Fuck you," T-Dog said working to get to his feet. Surprisingly Daryl, who had begun to stalk around the group like a caged tiger, reached down and helped him up without a word.

"Take the Hummer," Danny said tossing the keys to Glenn. "There's more stuff in there that Carl might need. All the drugs," Danny nodded putting his hand to Glenn's shoulder. "Take it all."

"You should go too," Andrea said quietly stepping forward. Danny turned to her and smiled as he shook his head.

"No way," Danny said. "If you're stayin' I am. Like Dale said, could be Jenna still out there," he shook his head and looked at Daryl who just nodded to him. "I'm staying."

"Alright," Dale said quietly looking around. "Glenn will take T-Dog, Carol and the kids-"

"Nuh uh," Ben said surprising everyone as he stepped forward and crossed his arms over his chest. "If Daryl and Danny are staying so are we."

Dale opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by Daryl's shaking head. Danny and Daryl then shared a look and Danny nodded.

"S'alright, they can stay with us," Danny said taking a step closer to Dale and Daryl. "If what you said is true, and for some reason that I don't even want to think about right now, Callie isn't there," he took a breath. "I don't want those kids there to find out without one of us being there. Rick's got enough on his plate I'd think."

"Okay," Dale said sighing as Daryl gruffly nodded his agreement with Danny. Dale looked back to the wide eyed Glenn still clutching the keys to his chest. "You, T-Dog and Carol find this farm. See what you can do to help. We'll stay here," Dale looked around at the cars. "If we don't come up with anything after the rest of the day today, we can leave a note and supplies for whoever is still out there. Then we'll head in and meet up with you all. We can man the search from the farm."

Glenn shifted on his feet and looked between everyone before nodding his head. "Okay," Glenn said quietly shifting his eyes to Carol who looked utterly beside herself with the possibility of seeing her daughter. "Okay, let's get everything ready and get moving then."

Danny felt his body go slack as he rested himself against the front end of the RV. He held his head in his hands and let his wide eyes just stare out in front of him for a few moments as he listened to the group ready to split up. Again. Danny cupped his hand over his mouth as he let every pin prick of pain from his own gunshot wounds travel his body. Thoughts of Carl laying in some stranger's home, his own body wracked with that pain, nearly made him vomit.

Carl. The boy who looked so much like his own son that it was sometimes painful to be around him. Carl, pale and in pain and possibly dying. No matter how much he wanted to be there for Lori. For Rick. He knew that right now, he couldn't possibly handle seeing that.

He sat there for he didn't know how long, just thinking about the horrors of this new fuckin' world. The sun was lowering in the sky, a sign of either how long the group had been gone, or how long he'd just been staring off into space.

"They're almost ready," Andrea's voice sounded from behind him and Danny blinked and turned to look at her. Her blonde hair was pulled back away from her face. A face tight with control of her emotions. Fuck, how he envied her that ability. He nodded and let his hand slide from his mouth and fall to his good knee, while he shifted his weight off of his bad leg.

"Okay, I'm coming," Danny said as he pushed to his feet. Andrea was there, at his side, helping him and he looked at her. His hand lifted automatically and cupped the side of her face holding her forehead to his. He closed his eyes, relishing the moment, slightly amazed that she'd let him do it.

"It'll be okay," Andrea said, and he opened his eyes to watch the way the words seemed to distort her face. She didn't like saying it. He could read the ill-taste of the words on her face no matter how she tried to mask it. She didn't believe a single word of that small phrase, and yet she'd said it. For him. He pushed away from her and let his thumb glide along her jaw before placing a kiss to her forehead.

"Yeah," Danny said smiling widely and hooking his arm through hers. "Of course it will."

* * *

Callie's feet stumbled a bit and her knees buckled as she stood and Lori grabbed her arm a worried frown marring her features.

"Are you alright?" Lori asked quietly, holding Callie up and steadying her. Callie turned to face her and placed a clammy hand atop the other woman's on her arm, nodding her head.

"Just a bit," Callie blinked and looked to the doorway where Hershel stood. After sitting there and giving blood for she didn't know how long, and then sitting and trying to wait for the world to right itself before she got up there was really only one word that fit. "Drained."

"That happens," Hershel said quietly nodding his head and reaching a hand out with a cup of water in it. "You and Rick are going to be off your feet for a while at the rate you're giving blood. Come on," Hershel said placing his hand at Callie's arm and helping her to walk towards him and out the door. He looked back to Lori who was shifting her eyes back to her helpless little boy. "Try and rest," Hershel said causing Lori's eyes to snap back to him.

"I'll try," Lori said as she fell back into the chair beside Carl's bed, her shaking hand reaching out to touch Carl's. Her eyes slipped up to where Callie stood at the doorway. "Thank you, Callie."

"Of course," Callie said smiling slightly, her eyes then lifted to Hershel as his serious face blocked her view of the other woman. She licked her lips and took a sip of her water as he guided her out into the hall.

"You need to rest," Hershel said quietly as he and Callie worked their way down the hall. She nodded idly and then slipped her eyes up to him. "Patricia's in with your girl now," Hershel said as if reading the question in her eyes. "She and Maggie got her a bath, and dressed in some fresh clothes. She'll stay there until you feel up to going back in."

"I just," Callie took a deep breath and closed her eyes as a wave of dizziness threatened to buckle her knees again. Hershel's grip at her elbow tightened as they continued on towards the screen door. "I just need a few moments to gather myself," Callie said using his words from earlier.

Hershel looked down at her and she wondered if the man had any other expression aside from a frown in his repertoire. Then again, there really wasn't much to be smiling about right now. He let out a breath and nodded, as they stopped at the screen door. Callie stared a bit confusedly at him before she looked out and saw Rick leaning a hip against the railing his arms crossed over his chest as he stared out into the growing night.

"How long have they been gone now?" Callie asked idly as she handed Hershel the now empty cup.

"Seven hours give or take," Hershel said back, his jaw clenching just a bit. "Longer than I'd like, but it's not out of the question that they would take this long."

"But how long can Carl—"

"I've already discussed this with Lori and Rick," Hershel said shaking his head, his fingers tightening a bit on her arm. "You have enough on your plate. Let them deal with that when and if it comes," he removed his hand, put it to her shoulder and looked hard into her eyes. His eyes skipped down her body and his brows furrowed a bit. "Where's your gun?"

"I left it in the room with Jenna," Callie said quietly holding his eyes. "Just in case." Hershel's jaw clenched, the muscle there ticking and Callie could tell he wanted to say something. His hand tightened on her shoulder and she winced as he pushed into her still sore wound there. He let go quickly, apparently noting the pain on her face and let out a breath.

"It looks as though you all have had a bit of a hard time," Hershel said letting his eyes roam out to Rick still staring out into the night. "I want to speak with you after you've had time to rest. About your girl, and your plans."

"I don't really think that's your concern," Callie said quietly.

"If she's in my house, and on my land then it is," Hershel said succinctly, and Callie simply tilted her head in acknowledgement. "But now," Hershel said quietly his eyes again falling to Rick. "Perhaps you should talk with Rick. The burden your carrying alone here is just as heavy, if not more so, as the one on him. Shared grief can be a comfort in times of need."

"Or an added burden to a man who already has too much on his shoulders," Callie said quietly letting her eyes fall to Rick. She looked back to Hershel as he slipped his hand over his face tiredly. "Thank you," she said.

Hershel nodded and let out a small sigh before turning and leaving Callie to exit on to the porch at her leisure. Slipping her eyes to her arm where bandage lay around the place where the needle had pierced her skin not long ago she lifted her right hand and rubbed idly at the soreness. She then pressed her hands into her eyes as she felt the pull of tears and took three deep breaths in before turning towards the screen door. She pushed it open and the sound immediately had Rick turning to face her.

"Hey," Rick said his voice tired, and the smile on his face small but sincere. Callie smiled back and took a step out the door, immediately her knees began to buckle and she was tilting towards the ground. "Easy," Rick moved fast and caught her, his own exhaustion nearly flooring them both. Again. Callie couldn't help the exhausted giggle that fell from her lips as her right hand rose and curled into his shirt as she worked to keep herself up. Rick chuckled too, and she felt his lips move on her hair as spoke, "We're quite the pair you and me."

"Yeah," Callie said wincing slightly as she got her footing. "That's a way of putting it." Rick wrapped his arm around her and they worked towards a large handmade wooden rocking chair.

"Here, sit," Rick said as he settled her down. He then sat himself down on an apparently well-made table that matched the chair she was in and put his hands to his knees as he stared at her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm just," Callie felt her lip tremble and wished she'd have taken a few more moments to gather her wits before coming out to him. She looked up into his tired, worried eyes and felt the tears again begin to sting at her eyes. She took a breath and pushed a wavering smile to her lips as she waved a hand at the matching bandage on his arm. "You know," Callie took a shaking breath in tried not to look at him as he worked to get her eyes on his. "It's been a day," she said firming her lips as she looked at him.

"What is it?" Rick said reaching forward and putting a gentle hand to her arm. "Is it Carl," he was working to his feet now and Callie grabbed his hand her head shaking.

"No, he's okay," Callie said smiling. "Lori's with him. He's okay."

"Is it Jenna?" Rick said immediately his hand on her arm tightening a bit as he searched her face. He shook his head and ran his other hand through his hair as he looked away. "I haven't even gone in to see," he stopped and looked at her.

"You've got quite enough to worry about," Callie said quietly trying to wave off his concern.

"She was hurt. Is she okay?" Rick said as if he hadn't even heard her, his eyes staring hard into hers. Like he could pull the truth out of her with the strength and determination in those exhausted orbs.

Callie worked hard to put an impassive face up and just shook her head slightly. She felt herself wavering under the intensity of his stare, felt her chin trembling and her jaw working convulsively as she desperately tried to control it. Her breath hitched twice and she let out a deep one as she tried to control it, blinking her eyes wildly against the sting of the tears.

She wanted to scream the word 'no', to scream that she'd lost another person she loved. Wanted to yell it and have the weight of it lift from her body. Wanted so bad to bury her head into his chest and cry and relieve an ache that just seemed to grow and grow.

Despite the comfort Rick provided, she wanted his hands to be someone else's. Warm and calloused and gentle despite all appearances, and she wanted _those_ hands to cradle her and soothe her.

He must have seen something in her eyes because in an instant he was pulling her to him, his own body lifting form its perch to pull her up as he wrapped his arms around her. His lips again found her head and he breathed in deeply as she wept into his chest and pulled at his shirt. They crumbled to the chair, him awkwardly trying to fit beside her on the not quiet wide enough seat. She was half sitting in his lap when his hand settled at the nape of her neck and he pressed her hard into his chest.

"What is it?" Rick said quietly into her hair. Callie worked to lift her head and Rick let the pressure on her neck go so that she could look up at him. "Callie, what-"

The sound of a car pulling along the gravel, and the screen door opening drew his attention from her and they were both looking at the large pair of headlights blinding them as they sliced through the now dark night that surrounded the house.

"It's the Hummer," Callie said her voice raspy from crying. She pushed at Rick and he helped her to her feet, reluctant to let her go. He held tight and stared at her while she pressed her hands to her face and righted herself. Shaking her head she looked up at him and smiled. "C'mon."

"Callie," Rick held tight to her arm as she pulled away and she looked back to him.

The screen door opened again and Rick looked over Callie's head as she turned towards it. Maggie stood beside Hershel both watching interestedly as people disembarked from the hulking vehicle. Hershel's jaw clenched as he stared, obviously a bit upset by more strangers invading his home. His eyes shifted over to Rick for a moment before he worked his way back into the house, a hand to his daughter's elbow telling her to follow. She nodded, but waved him off as she watched Glenn help T-Dog up the stairs.

"Hey," Glenn said to Maggie, a tiny smile of discomfort on his face. "Found it," he said brightly and she nodded raising a brow at the sight of T-Dog gripping his arm.

"Y'all've been through the ringer, ain't ya," Maggie slipped her gaze to Rick and Callie and then held out a hand to T-Dog. "C'mon. Let's take a look. What happened?"

T-Dog left with Maggie, his head nodding at Callie and Rick before he slipped into the house. Glenn watched them go and then turned to see Rick and Callie. He slipped his hat from his head and stepped towards them, his eyes skipping to the Hummer.

"How's Carl?" Glenn asked quietly his eyes skipping over both of them as he bit at the inside of his cheek.

"He's hangin' in there," Rick said, his hand still tight around Callie's arm. They all looked towards the Hummer watching as Carol got out slowly and began to make her way up to them. The woman's eyes darted about before landing on Callie. Rick's brow creased in confusion before his hand tightened on Callie's arm and he let out a breath and looked at Glenn.

"The girl," Glenn pointed his hat towards the door where Maggie had disappeared. "She said you guys found one of the girls." He skipped his eyes to Carol standing at the bottom of the steps. "We didn't know-"

"It was Jenna," Callie said quietly, finally working her arm free of Rick's grip. She took a step and then steadied herself on the porch rail, both Glenn and Rick reaching out for her. She waved them off and stared down at Carol's distraught face. "Carol I'm so sorry. It was Jenna. She's-" Callie took a breath and shook her head. "We missed Maggie when she left. I'm sorry to have-"

"Sophia's still out there then," Carol said quietly. She turned towards the dark world around them and wrapped her arms around herself.

Rick was moving now, his finger's brushing Callie's arm as he worked past her and down the stairs to Carol. His eyes held Callie's for a moment before slipping to Carol, a look that clearly said they weren't finished. Reaching out Rick put a tentative hand to Carol's arm and turned her around, slowly leading her up the stairs to the porch. Glenn settled in next to Callie and they exchanged a glance as Rick led Carol to the door.

"We're gonna find her Carol," Rick said as he worked himself inside the house. "C'mon and sit down." Rick shifted his gaze over his shoulder and pierced Callie with it. She felt the heat in that stare like a knife to her heart and knew that Rick would be coming back for a reason to her breakdown.

Callie let out a shuddering breath and turned away to look out to the night. Glenn settled a hand to her shoulder and she jumped at the contact.

"Hey," Glenn said quietly, slipping himself up beside her at the porch railing. Callie shook her head and he slipped his hand around to turn her. "Hey. What's wrong?" Glenn's brows narrowed as he looked at her and she blinked hard. "Is Jenna okay?"

One deep shuddering breath and Callie felt her head shaking without her permission. The truth just pouring out as she stared at Glenn's now horrified gaze. The need to not be alone in her suffering to powerful.

"No," Callie uttered in a whispered shaking voice as her head began to slowly shake. Even as she said the words she felt bad for burdening the younger man with the horror of the truth she'd yet to share with Rick. "No, Glenn, she isn't." Glenn's hand fell limply from her shoulder and Callie let the tears fall down her cheek as he stared at her in stunned silence.

_Cold is the water_

_It freezes your already cold mind_

_Already cold, cold mind_

_And death is at your doorstep _

_And it will steal your innocence_

_But it will not steal your substance_

_But you are not alone in this _

_And you are not alone in this_

_As brothers we will stand _

_And we'll hold your hand_

_Hold your hand_

_And you are the mother_

_The mother of your baby child_

_The one whom you gave life_

_And you have your choices _

_And these are what make man great_

_His ladder to the stars_

_But you are not alone in this_

_And you are not alone in this_

_As brothers we will stand _

_And we'll hold your hand_

_Hold your hand_

_And I will tell the night_

_And whisper "Lose your sight"_

_But I can't move the mountains for you _

_~Timshel / Mumford & Sons_

_AN: So, I know y'all are probably going "What about Shane and Miles and Otis?" well, don't worry next chapter we're going to be catching up with that little trio. I really hope that the format of this isn't too confusing to follow. I'm trying really hard to keep it from becoming a clusterfuck…but I'm pretty sure that's exactly what it is. _

_As always I want to give a shout out to all of the awesome readers-the many silent readers-that have favorited or put this story on their follow list. I can't express how much I appreciate your support of my little endeavor. You are what keeps me going and I am forever in your debt for making me feel as though I have purpose again… strange as that may seem to hear. This entire writing binge has been quite therapeutic for me on many levels, and I thank you for reading!_

_Now for the chatter:_

_Babeelove: I'm sorry that I had to make you wait. There is A LOT to cover in these chapters. Honestly. I'm working hard to get chapters out as quickly as I can to keep the pace up for ya!_

_Druid Archer: Sorry 'bout the sad face, but glad that I've caught your attention. I think what I have planned will probably just kind of implant that sad face on you permanently though… _

_Emberka-2012: Yeah, Jenna's fate was written in the stars my friend, as for Sophia…NO SPOILERS FOR YOU. Next chapter should give you that needed fix for Shane and Miles so stayed tuned. As always thanks for the review!_

_Vaughn Zomby: OH MY. I didn't mean to traumatize you! The something's in my eye excuse is a good one, my fall back is "must be my allergies" *shrug* I'm actually really happy that I was able to evoke that kind of response in the death of an OC. As for Hershel's feelings on the matter, and what Jenna's going to do.. stay tuned. _

_Piratejessieswaby: Honestly, even in the show they FOUND Sophia…. *Evil smirk* NO SPOILERS FOR YOU!_

_TrustInFaith: Yes, very sad… gonna be that way for a while here at the farm. Again, done and done *salutes*_

_LadyLecter47: I try not to disappoint, so it's very nice to hear that I don't! Yeah, Hershel and the Jenna situation is going to be a bit interesting isn't it. And as for Miles/Shane…. Guess you'll have to wait for the next chapter to see if you need to get your pimp-hand strong and smack up a Shane. _

_Sdwafford: You hit the nail on the head with that one. It would be very unrealistic if I had left it with all of my OC's being safe when the rest of the group's gonna be torn asunder pretty soon. And YES, absolutely YES. There's nothing worse than when tragedy befalls a child. Glad you agree with that. Hope you keep on enjoying what I'm putting out there. _

_The Current—Guest reviewer: You've got some great questions, and I will see what I can do to answer them without giving too much away. Yes I will be staying with the Season 3 plan-Woodbury, the prison…and because it's me a bit of original content is planned as well-but mainly the Season 3 plan. As for Fort Benning… I think that you'll find that touched on in this installment so I'm not going to say much more than that. Thank you so much for taking the time to read and review. I'm so glad that you're enjoying what I'm doing enough to be thinking so far into the future already. _

_AlabastR: *resuscitates from death by sadness-only to probably have you die again from sadness* Life she is a cruel bitch, ain't she. I'm sorry for the sads… and I think you're right when Miles and Daryl find out it's gonna be extra sad, not to mention when Danny finds out… jeeze I'm really stickin' it to 'em ain't I? I am SOOO glad that you liked what I did with Maggie there. I'm really trying to fill out her character and the farm's eerie sense of tranquility among the devastation of the world, and I'm glad that it's coming through. Maggie's one of my faves too, and I really look forward to seeing her character grow in the upcoming Season 3. In the meantime I'll just have to build what I can and hope I stay on track. And *whew* I'm so glad that you though Hershel was SPOT ON. I was struggling a bit with him and was hoping I got him down. I'm a watcher, in case you couldn't tell, I really like to get people's physical ticks down so that I can really give life to their character… and I do not own the DVD's in order to get a fix and really watch people… so I'm going from memory here. Very glad it was thought to be SPOT ON. As always thanks for your review dude! You make my day each and every time you do, and your reviews always cement that I'm doing an actual GOOD job on this piece of work. _

_Cotton Strings: My great goodness, that was a lengthy review. But I feel for you. I hope you are over your flu, or at least feeling a bit better. You are absolutely right, there is A LOT going on right now…which is probably why my brain is 'bout to explode. Jenna/Carl, the juxtaposition in their plight and the distraught parents is going to be rough. The highway, the town, the farm itself slowly being invaded by forces beyond any of the Greene's control. It's gonna be a rollercoaster ride for sure. Rick and Callie are a big portion of this, I've been trying to work in the way that they mirror one another and compliment one another as we've gone on. And I think watching the way that this plays out is going to change their relationship a bit (but not in romantic way). And as you said, if it weren't a strictly Daryl/Callie world I think I'd be pulling for Rick/Callie too. As for Rick/OC…NO SPOILERS FOR YOU (wait, was just saying that a spoiler….) I'm contemplating a few things right now, so for now we'll just stick with NO SPOILERS and leave it at that. Anyway, thank you so much for your review-long winded as it was. I have no problem with lengthy reviews, I'm a long winded son of a bitch myself…as I'm sure everyone can see. HOPE YOU'RE FEELING BETTER!_

_PiratesLife: Bit of a spoiler for you….I haven't even gotten started on the heartbreakin *DUN DUN DUN* As for the not bawling like a baby thing… let it fly man, let it fly. You don't need to give an explanation… and if you do. Say you stubbed your toe. Thank you for the compliment saying that it was amazingly written-superb even. I really just let it flow and was quite pleased with how it came out so I'm really glad that you enjoyed it. And that it evoked such emotion out of you. As always thank you so much for your review, I really appreciate the feedback. _

_BecomingScarlett2012: OH NO LAPTOP CRASH! I seem to be breaking everyone's heart with Jenna, and I'm sorry for that. As for Miles, he's coming up so stay tuned. I'll try not to break your heart again, but make no promises. Thanks for your feedback!_

_GrimmSapphire: HOWDY! I've broken yet another heart I see. Sorry I'm really glad that you felt that way about the chapter, I was going back and forth with so many ideas on how to actually write it without just writing exactly what everyone already knew. Honestly that's one of the main reasons that a lot of the scenes we all know and love are written from the perspective of one of my OC's to give a new take. I'm glad the drama wasn't lost and that it sparked that visual ref for you. Miles and Shane are coming up so keep your eyes peeled! Thanks so much for the review, it's great hearing from you. I've finally caught up on your fic *points to screen* reviews forth coming my friend!_

_A'right, people, shows over… see ya next chapter! _


	20. Conscience Killer

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_Alright, we're doing some more backtracking in this chapter…but don't worry we'll all be on the same page soon enough. This chapter's going to focus on catching up to Shane, Miles and Otis at the FEMA station._

_As always, read, review and most of all enjoy!_

_~Michelle _

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Conscience Killer**

"Fuuuuck," Miles' whispered voice echoed louder than it should have in Shane's ears. Looking across the open space between the two police cars that they were hiding behind he watched the boy slip back down and bang the back of his head lightly against the back of the trunk.

The sounds of the dead shuffling aimlessly around the parking lot of the school was an eerie backdrop as the sun settled low on the horizon basking the entire world in the dim blue light of the approaching night. Shane shifted his eyes around them, listening as dead feet hit off of trash, and crunched off of broken glass not far behind them.

Shane settled himself back against the car next to the boy and firmed his lips into a line, silently watching Miles continue to lightly bang his head. Beside him Otis was shaking his head, and Shane slipped his gaze to the larger man and knew that nothing but disdain was showing on his face when their eyes met. The larger man gave that pathetic helpless sorrowful look and again Shane wanted to smash his fist into his face.

"Did you know it was like this?" Shane seethed jutting his chin and indicating the crowded parking lot of the school.

"No," Otis said quietly his head shaking as his eyes widened. He looked over Shane and caught Miles' eye and shook his head again. "It was bad before, but-"

"Don't really matter," Miles said quietly as he ran his broken left hand through his hair and then shook his head. He looked over at Shane and cracked a very small smile. "Fuck man. It don't matter, Shane. We're here, and we have to try."

Shane clenched his jaw but nodded at the boy, fuck it all, the man slowly working his way to his knees now at the car beside him. Shane followed Miles' movements and worked to his knees to again slip his gaze over the crowd of Walkers shambling about. There were too fuckin' many of them. Way too fuckin' many.

But the kid was right, and this idiotic plan was their only shot.

"They're gonna be on you quick," Shane said angrily as he handed one of the flare guns to the bastard beside him and watched Miles nod his head. Shane checked the flare gun he held and then sniffed hard as he watched Miles clench and unclench his good right hand in a nervous motion.

"Right," Miles said idly peeking his head around the back of the car to the space between them. Shane watched as the kid took in a deep breath through his nose and continued to nod his head.

"I still don't know how you plan to," Otis piped in and Shane shot him a glare over his shoulder. Reaching out Shane grabbed the fat fuck and shook him bringing the man's face an inch from his.

"Shut it," Shane said quietly, his eyes going to where Miles sat now staring at them. He dropped his hand from the man and ran it through his hair. Shane looked down at his hands holding the flare gun and then started to shake his head.

He didn't know how the fuck this was supposed to work either. But Miles was right, it was there only shot at having even a chance at getting the equipment they needed. There were just too fuckin' many of them out there.

"Hey," Miles said sliding forward. "Have a little faith man," Miles smiled wide and winked. "I've been in tighter spots and come out clean. This'll be a walk in the park. It worked before, and there were a hell of a lot more of those fuckers in Atlanta then there are here." Miles nodded his head and shifted his gaze between Shane and Otis. "It worked before, man. And at least this time I'm not gonna be blarin' a fuckin' car alarm the whole way."

Shane smiled and felt himself chuckle as Miles again slipped his attention to the space between the cars. When Miles had come up with the plan, Shane had jumped on it for all that it was worth. The only thing burnin' through his brain being Carl, and the need to get into that trailer and get the supplies that would save his life. But the longer that they sat there, listening to the shuffling and moaning of the mass of undead in the parking lot, the more ill-at-ease Shane was with their plan.

The more he kept thinking about just what he was sending that kid into. What he was letting him do.

"Shane. C'mon," Miles said finally breaking him out of his thoughts. "We can't sit here and discuss this shit anymore. Carl needs us."

"A'right," Shane said nodding his head in a jerky manner again readying his gun. He slipped his eyes to where Otis was shaking his head and he smacked his hand at the larger man's head. "You quit that shit. This is how it's goin' down, so just fuckin' keep your mind where it needs to be." Otis stared at Shane in a bit of shock and then looked to Miles who gave him a smile and a nod.

"S'alright man," Miles said with a lift of his brows. "We do this kind of shit all the time."

"Tell me your kidding" Otis said in an incredulous tone.

"I wish," Shane said quietly, as he shook his head memories of all the seemingly inescapable and insurmountable odds that they'd been through. "I wish." He shook his head and looked to Miles. "Remember. You get their attention. Lead them off and lose 'em. Then you get your ass back to the farm. You don't come back here."

"I know. I know," Miles said waving his broken left hand around in a dismissive manner. "I don't fuckin' like it, but I know." He looked at Shane and gave the man a long considering look before reaching out his right hand into the space between the cars they hid behind. Shane stared at Miles' outstretched hand for a moment before looking back up at the kid as he grabbed it in a tight embrace. "Be safe, Shane. Be smart. And be fuckin' quick 'bout it."

"We'll see you at the farm, Miles." Shane said nodding as he shook the kid's hand tightly. "Be careful, I'm not looking forward to the wrath of Callie if you eat it out there."

"Nice choice of words, man." Miles spat back as he dropped Shane's hand and they both shared a smile. "I'll be fine," Miles snuck a look at the shambling mass of people. "Now go, before I lose my fuckin' nerve here."

Shane took in a deep breath and nodded his head. Shifting his gaze to Otis he shared a single nod with the larger man who tilted his head in acknowledgement and began to shift slowly away from the car that they were hiding behind and towards the next one in the line. Shane slipped into a crouched walk and began to follow, his eyes sliding over his shoulder to see Miles just watching them. He felt his head nodding again, and watched as Miles gave him a small smile as he slowly waved the fingers on his broken left hand.

Shane slipped to the next car, and when he looked back Miles was already sliding forward and slowly opening the driver's door of the squad car he and Otis had been hiding behind. The car that they'd found the keys still in. The car that they'd raided the trunk of and gathered the flare guns from. The car that Miles was slipping into the driver's seat of and planning to start up and drive off in an effort to distract the Walkers.

Shane shook his head again and started at the feel of a hand on his shoulder. Shane turned and glared at Otis and watched the man extract his hand slowly. Shane let out a breath and peered over the tops of the cars and watched as Miles very slowly started to close the car door.

"A'right," Shane said quietly to Otis as he lifted his flare gun. "Let's buy him a bit of time," Shane said, leaving off the words that both men new lingered in the air. _Just in case_.

Just in case for some reason that car didn't start up. Just in case that kid needed to toss the plan and make a break for them. Just in case.

Otis nodded and slipped up beside Shane, his finger on the trigger of his flare gun. The larger man peered over the top of the car they were at and jutted his chin to a far off area near the school building. Shane nodded and readied himself to shoot. Taking a deep breath in, one thought continued to play over and over in his mind.

For Carl. For Carl. For Carl.

Opening his eyes wide Shane fired the flare gun and then ducked as quickly as he could behind the vehicle. He listened as Otis let off his flare and slipped down as well. Both of them slipped along the side of the car their eyes angled at the Walkers who were now slowly working their way towards the burning flares at the other end of the parking lot. Shane shifted his eyes to where a few still shambled, not taking the bait. Shifting his attention to the car that Miles was sitting in, he clenched his jaw tight as he waited.

"C'mon, kid." Shane muttered in an agitated tone, nervously working his feet on the ground. His eyes slipped to the trailer not far off and then back to the car. "C'mon!"

The sound of the car starting had Shane's eyes going wide, and he turned and pushed Otis towards the trailer. They ran, keeping low so as not to attract the attention of any of the Walkers that weren't distracted by either the flare or the newly started car. Shane slipped his eyes to the parking lot as Otis worked up the steps, watching in awe as most of the Walkers turned towards the car.

Their dead decaying bodies turned, slow shuffling steps becoming more urgent as they locked in on target of Miles in that car. That car that still wasn't moving.

"C'mon Miles," Shane seethed as he heard Otis open the trailer door. The Walkers were beginning to gather now at the front of the squad car, and with a sense of dread Shane realized what Miles was doing. He wasn't just going to sit and see how many followed him. He was gonna take the whole fuckin' lot with him. "Son of a bitch," Shane's face contorted and he again felt Otis' hand land on his shoulder and begin to pull him up to the trailer.

Shane looked back, eyes wide in anger at the man. Just as his mouth opened to say something the distinct sound of the car engine sputtering and dying had his head snapping back to it. Shane's heart thudded wildly in his chest as he watched the crowd of Walkers get closer to where that now fuckin' dead squad car sat. Dead decaying hands slipped over the hood of the car as more and more undead men and women crowded around it.

With the barely lit dusk hues helping his vision, Shane could just make out the shadowed frantic figure of Miles inside the car. He heard the engine turn over and die, again and again as the kid turned that key over and over again. Shane's feet were moving, his hands clenched tight to his shotgun, and again the hand of that fucker behind him landed on his shoulder and held tight.

"You can't," Otis said in a harsh agonizing whisper of despair, his eyes glued to where the Walkers crowded the squad car. He slipped his eyes back down to Shane as he again tried to pull the man into the trailer. "I'm so sorry. There are too many. You can't-"

The sound of a gunshot had both of their eyes again snapping to the car. Shane watched a Walker that had been clawing at the driver's side window fall limp to the ground. The mass of Walkers next to it falling over its body in an effort to get at the boy through the now shattered window of the car. In the next instant the car engine roared to life and was peeling backwards. Shane's breath left him in rush as he listened to Miles' excited 'FUCK YEAH!' filter through the broken window as the car careened backwards away from the parking lot.

The lights atop flickered to life, and the siren let out a single blaring noise to the air, drawing the attention of whatever Walkers hadn't been pawing at the car before. The sound of tires screeching as Miles turned the car around and began to drive off had a smile flying to Shane's lips.

Otis' hand on Shane's shoulder tightened and he smacked against it twice.

"Boy's got some kind of higher power on his side," Otis said shaking Shane as they watched the Walkers shamble after Miles. The lights atop the car beckoning them, and then fading into nothingness.

"Let's hope it lasts," Shane said turning to face Otis. "C'mon. We gotta move. There could be more 'round here."

With that Otis turned and entered the trailer. Shane slipped his eyes over his shoulder, trying to catch a glimpse of the lights from the squad car, but he saw nothing but the retreating forms of the herd of Walkers shambling off into the slowly growing night.

_I'm a constant sinner, a conscience killer_

_I'm a righteous heartache, never gonna let you get close to mine_

_I'm a punk every time, give me little room_

_And I'll spit in your eye_

* * *

Miles had both hands on the wheel, his knuckles white as he clenched tight and pressed his foot harder into the gas pedal. He was breathing like what he figured a fuckin' woman in labor sounded like, each breath short and quick as he worked to slow his heartbeat to more manageable speed. He felt the brisk night air on his face from the shattered window beside him and let that slight breeze cool his sweat drenched face.

"Jesus," Miles said in a rushed tone as he slipped his eyes up to the rearview mirror and caught sight of the Walkers slowly falling to the background of the dark night. "Jesus fuckin' Christ. Never again. Never I promise."

Miles had never believed in a higher power. Never once had he prayed, or asked forgiveness. Never. Not even when the world he knew came crumbling down around his feet in a heap of undead hordes.

When that engine cut the first time he'd damn near shit his pants, but he hadn't prayed. He'd chanted 'fuck' like that was going out of style, but he hadn't prayed. The second and third time he'd switched his chant to 'motherfucker'.

At the fourth and fifth time he turned the key. That instance when his wild eyes had lifted to see the Walkers pawing at the hood of the car and one sliding it's rough nails down the window next to him he'd finally stopped muttering and just stared in shock. When that already cracked window had broken under the pressure, and those fingers broke through that tempered glass barrier Miles had finally given himself over to the unrelenting urge to pray.

His chant changed to 'Oh God' and it was repeated over and over as he pushed away from those reaching hands. Over and over as he again turned that key. And then when nothing happened his heart had thudded hard in his chest as he looked out over the growing horde of Walkers and he knew it was over. He'd pulled his gun and contemplated it, lifting it just slightly to his own head.

'Oh God' he'd closed his eyes and lifted it just a bit higher. And then the fuckin' Walker had slid it's gnarled and skinless hand all the way in that gore covered broken window. Adrenaline pumped, and reactions learned over the course of months and months of being a fuckin' survivor kicked in. And he hadn't wasted a second in turning and pumping a bullet into that son of a bitch's decaying face.

The sound of that gun going off and watching that Walker fall had sparked something in him. Brought back to light exactly what Miles was doing, and why he was in that parking lot in the first place. Thoughts of Shane and Otis needing this distraction to get what they needed. Thoughts of Carl. Thoughts of everyone flew to his mind. And he turned that key with a muttered 'Please God' and fuck if that car hadn't started right up.

"Jesus," Miles muttered now as he let out another shaking breath and once again slid his gaze to the rearview mirror. The Walkers could hardly be seen now, falling behind as he sped away. He let out a shaking breath and smiled as he kept his eyes on those slowly disappearing figures. He squinted hard into that growing night and tried to see that school and that trailer but he couldn't.

Miles slipped his eyes back to the road, and felt his entire body tense, arms held out straight as they could go before him as if that would hold off what he saw before him. Time slowed and his breath caught deep in his chest. His foot hit the brake instinctively, his hands turning the wheel to try and avoid it but the reaction was too late.

The squad car barreled into a mass of bodies, and idly Miles thought that even the Walkers he was currently plowing down looked fuckin' surprised. The tires screeched, and the car jolted violently at the hard impact. The speed he'd been going sent the car careening out of his control, his broken left hand more of a detriment now than it had ever been before as he struggled to keep the car from turning more or flipping over. His eyes had closed at some point and he figured it had to have been him making that strangely girlish screaming noise that echoed in his ears. Suddenly the car jammed to a painful stop, Miles' head and body flying forward as the front of the car smashed into something.

His body continued forward, his head smashing first up to the ceiling of the car and then forward into the wheel and dash. Bright flashes sparked behind his closed eyelids and pain blossomed not long after He felt his breath leave his body in a painful gasp as his chest was compressed hard into the steering wheel. In the dark recesses of his mind he could hear his father's voice laughingly saying, 'That's why you always wear your seatbelt, bud.'

Finally everything came to a stop. And Miles found himself muttering almost incoherently to the emptiness of the car. "Shut up, dad."

He didn't know how long he'd sat there. How long his eyes had been closed but Miles groaned and shifted a bit, his head rolling on his sore shoulders as he tried to figure it out. The smell of engine grease, gasoline, and acrid smoke filtered into his nostrils. But that wasn't what had his breath catching and his eyes opening.

Decay.

His head was still spinning, fuck the world was spinning, when he opened his eyes. Wetness ran down into his right eye half blinding him, and he blinked repeatedly before putting his hand up to rub away the sting. Pain sliced through his head and he pulled his fingers away and stared at the blood.

"Fuck," Miles seethed through clenched teeth as he then dabbed at the apparent gash through his right eyebrow. His right eye kept wanting to close but he forced it open as he struggled and groaned, trying to quickly assess if he had broken anything.

The moaning hiss from the front of his car had his eyes snapping back to the front, remembering suddenly why he'd opened his eyes. The smell. Oh that smell.

A Walker was pawing at the air, its body stuck between the front of the totaled squad car he was in and the back bumper of a US Army Humvee. Through the now shattered windshield he watched the Walker snarl and grab at the air paying no mind to the fact that its lower half had been completely smashed.

Miles shook his head and worked to push open the driver's side door, wincing with the effort. He couldn't stay here. All those Walkers following him, not to mention the shit load he'd just plowed through, could be on him in no time. He needed to move. Figure out what to do next.

The sickening sound of popping and snapping had Miles stopping his push against the apparently stuck door. His eyes slid back to the front, and he watched in horrifying silence as the Walker reached forward and stuck its dead fingers into one of the ripples in the metal of the now condensed hood of the car. It pulled itself up towards him, eyes intent on the yummy little treat that was trapped inside of the car. Again those popping, snapping noises, followed by a sound that reminded Miles of a popsicle being sucked on and removed from a mouth. That mental image did not help his stomach deal with what happened next.

The Walker clawed again, and pulled and ripped itself in two. Arms working to pull the now much lighter upper half of its body up the hood towards the shattered and bent windshield. Its legs and hips left to their eternal resting place between the two cars. Miles' eyes widened as the Walker moved with a speed he wasn't expecting and in almost one lunge the Walker's hand was raking down the shattered glass in front of him.

Frantically Miles worked the handle of the door, his shoulder ramming it as he tried to keep his eyes on the Walker. Dead hands pulled the shattered tempered glass of the windshield away as if peeling back a layer of tinfoil on leftovers.

"SHIT!" Miles was ramming his shoulder into the car door over and over, but he gave up as soon as the Walker's hand gripped onto the steering wheel in front of him.

Miles lifted his left hand as the Walker threw itself onto him, and he felt its jaws clamp down hard on the plaster cast covering his wrist. The pain that shot into his arm and fingers was intense, but his adrenaline was pumping so hard he pushed past it and used that broken appendage to push against the Walker. Reaching blindly with his right hand Miles grabbed for his gun which had fallen to his feet and wedged under the gas pedal. He slumped as far down as he could, the Walker's lighter half of a body making the movement easier. The Walker's other hand and shoulder were still stuck on the shattered glass, its powerful mouth still pressing hard into the plaster of his cast, cracking it apart and digging pieces into his arm.

Miles' fingers hit off the butt of his gun and he let out what would best be described as a battle cry as he practically dislocated his right shoulder to grab the gun. Finally finding purchase, Miles slipped back, his shoulders landing painfully on the console between the seats, his foot kicking up and pressing against the stuck driver's side door.

One swift motion and he had the barrel of the gun against the Walker's left eye. He fired, the bullet tearing through the Walker's brain, out the back of its head and through the already broken driver's side window. The Walker's body slumped on top of him and he took those few moments to catch his breath.

Pain ebbed into his world slowly, and with a strangled groan he pushed the half of a Walker off of him and back out the windshield from whence it came. The movement sent a fresh wave of almost nauseating pain through his left arm, and he instantly cradled the limb to his body. Then in a frantic kind of motion he was pulling at the bits of plaster, desperately trying to make sure that he hadn't been bit.

"Please. Please, God," Miles said quietly pulling as hard as he could and peeking his eyes into the break in his cast to his wrist. He angled it towards the interior light on the roof of the car and let out a sigh of relief. No bites. "Fuckin' son of a bitch."

Miles let out a few panting breaths and let his eyes slide around him. The world titled again and he closed his eyes to try and right it. Blinking his eyes open he again looked about. Keeping a firm grip on his gun he kicked out with his foot and worked to dislodge the rest of the door's broken window. Just as he was about to slip his feet out the window Glenn's voice from months ago echoed in his head.

"_Rule number four," Glenn said with a smirk as he looked up at him from the campfire at the Quarry. "Never, ever, lead with your feet." _

"Always said he was a smart motherfucker," Miles said in his best impression of Danny. Swinging his feet back down to the floor, he worked slowly to angle his still aching head out the window. He let his eyes slide both ways and as tipped himself as far down as he could to try and be sure that there was nothing under the car. Satisfied that if there had been something there, it would be trying to get to him by now, he worked his upper half out of the car. His left arm remained cradled to his body as the pain continued to throb as he worked to exit the car like one of the fuckin' Dukes of Hazard.

Finally he was able to swing his legs out and put them on solid ground. Miles leaned back against the squad car for a moment his eyes working in the darkness to try and see what was around him. He gripped his gun tight, and let his finger slip over the trigger in a detached sort of motion as he studied his surroundings.

"Shoulda brought my fuckin' bat," Miles said still getting used to the foreign feel of the gun in his hand. Wincing slightly he turned his attention to the Humvee that he'd crashed into. His squinted in bit of confusion. The vehicle just didn't seem to fit right into the rest of the world around him.

Sure there had been plenty of military vehicles, mixed in with FEMA trucks and local PD cars like the one he'd been driving. But this, this was well away from any of the others. It's light khaki colored paint, besmirched with a good bit of Walker guts, still shockingly different from the rest of the dark green and black vehicles that Miles had seen in and around that school parking lot.

Wiping the blood from his right eye again, he winced and worked his way towards the cab of the Humvee. It was a hulking vehicle, larger than the orange monstrosity that he usually traveled in. cradling his left hand to his stomach, Miles skipped his eyes over his shoulder and glanced around him. He knew that there were Walkers close by, fuck, he'd hit like six of them with that squad car. They had to be somewhere.

Miles looked at the gun held tight in his right hand, and then looked to his completely unusable left. Rolling his eyes he settled his gun into the back of his jeans and put his good right hand to the handle of the driver's side door of the Army Humvee.

He needed a new ride. There was no way he was gonna make it if he had to walk back to the farm. He cracked a grin at the thought of what everyone would think when he showed up in this beast. Shaking his head against the throbbing and blinking out the blood from his right eye he pulled the door and grimaced at the loud groan it gave.

Miles skipped his eyes behind him and then stepped back quickly, giving himself room to maneuver in case there were inhabitants in the vehicle. No smell greeted him. No groans. No moans. But mostly no smell. Well, at least not a strong one. Shit, everything in the world smelled like death now. So the teeny-tiny smell of decaying flesh and blood that met Miles' nose as he shifted closer to the moonlit interior of the Humvee really wasn't gonna stop him from getting in.

He pulled himself gingerly up into the seat, and winced hard as his left hand wrenched off of the steering wheel as he sat. Grimacing in pain he shook his head and slipped his gun from the small of his back, giving the entire interior a quick once-over. Settling back on a sigh he closed the door as quietly as he could and then let his head settle back at the seat.

Eyes closed Miles caught his breath, the pain-reducing effects of adrenaline now ebbing away and allowing the pain of the crash, what he figured were some well and truly bruised ribs, the possibly concussion, and his crushed left hand to come to the forefront. He sat there for a good while, willing his heart to beat at a normal level, his vision to clear and the world to right itself for longer than five seconds before tilting off and spinning again. The feel of his blood drying on the side of his face and cracking every time he blinked was what brought him back to the world around him.

He needed to get the fuck outta dodge.

"Keys. Keys," Miles started muttering to himself as he looked around the Humvee's darkened interior. He figured he could always hot-wire it. He squinted at the dash of the giant vehicle and grimaced. Maybe. His eyes slipped to where the keys should have been, and he grinned. "Fuck yeah," Miles said putting his fingers to the silver chain and keys hanging from the ignition. "Gotta love the apocalypse."

Miles shifted his attention around the cab of the vehicle before starting it up, and stopped short at the sight on the seat beside him. His mouth instantly fell as a disgusted groan fell from his lips. A hand sat there, the seat stained with the blood that had seeped out of it.

"Gross," Miles muttered his eyes squinting at the hand. He was about to turn from it when he noticed that the fingers of the hand were curled around something. Leaning over a bit, he settled his gun on his lap and put a finger to the chain. Lifting it up slowly, Miles shook it a bit to get the hand to fall off to the floorboards below and then brought it close to his face to examine it.

They were dog tags. Not really surprising to find in a US Army vehicle. But what had his eyes going wide, and his breath catching in his chest was the name inscribed upon them.

_Marcus, Robert W. _

"Holy shit," Miles said incredulously as he stared at the slightly blood-stained dog tags in his hand. He ran his thumb over the dried blood on the surface of the tag. Just to make sure that somehow the blood hadn't dried in a weird way that was making him see shit that just wasn't there. Miles shook his head and let out a shaky chuckle, before letting his eyes roam the interior of the Humvee with a renewed interest.

Miles spent a few minutes more just looking around the interior of the Humvee, looking for anything that would tell him that this was in fact Callie's brother. Honestly, what were the fuckin' odds. There had to be more than one Robert Marcus in the Army right? More than one in Georgia?

Miles bit at the inside of his cheek as he again rubbed his thumb over the dog tags in his hand. The numbers on it looked like a social security number. Nine digits. And on the next two lines were a blood type and followed by the word, _Catholic_. That one he knew was right. He shook his head and shoved the dog tags into his jeans pocket and figured it wouldn't hurt to show 'em to Callie. Then he grimaced, wondering what the fuck it meant that they were sitting in an abandoned Humvee gripped in the cut off hand of a fuckin' Walker.

"Shit," Miles grumbled, his good right hand sliding over his hair. Shaking his head he put his hand to the keys in the ignition, and then stopped. Sighing he reached over and did up his seatbelt smirking at himself in the rearview mirror. "Just for you, dad." Reaching forward again he put his fingers to the keys and turned them.

The Humvee roared to life and the headlights immediately illuminated the dark roadside before him. Miles' head slipped back and he banged it off of the seat behind him. There were all those Walkers he'd been lookin' for. Just fuckin' milling about a good couple of feet in front of him. Miles let out a shaky breath and watched as most of those undead geeks turned to look directly at him and his headlights. Slipping his eyes down to the gas gage Miles yet again felt the grimace mar his features. Less than a quarter tank, no way it was going to make it back to the farm.

Miles looked up again, and his ears began to pick up the sound of gunfire in the distance. Eyes wide he realized it must have been Shane and Otis trying to get back to the truck. And gunfire meant only one thing. They needed help.

Looking up at the mass of Walkers slowly beginning to turn and walk towards him, Miles let a slow wicked grin slide onto his face. If there was one thing he had learned from Danny as they rode around in that orange monster of a Hummer all those months. These fuckin' things were made for mowin' down Walkers.

And just think what this wonderful US Army Humvee could do compared to the street legal orange one they usually rode in.

Putting his hand to the gear shift he winced as he put the sore fingers of his broken left hand to the wheel. He revved the engine just for effect and slipped the Humvee into drive, his foot hitting that gas pedal hard as he said a silent prayer, his new favorite thing to do, that he'd make it back to the truck.

_I'm a red blooded sickness, there was no way around_

_I'm a fine line teaser, never been nothing but a cheater_

_I'm a son of the night, give a little room_

_I'll spit in your eye_

* * *

Shane slammed his back up against the wall, and stared down at the mass of Walkers currently pawing at him and Otis from their perch on the top of the closed up bleachers. His breath came out in sharp gasps as he listened to the sounds of the groans of the dead. He knew it was impossible, but he swore he could feel their fuckin' dead fingers sliding off of his steel toed boots.

Shane blinked a few times and watched as beside him Otis backed up a bit more. The larger man having difficulty finding purchase on the ledge that they'd found themselves on. Not to mention trying to catch his breath after their full tilt sprint to this fucked up mess of a situation.

And just the thought of that again had Shane's head spinning, and his hand raking through his hair as he watched the mass of undead bodies paw and claw for their meal.

_Miles._

What the fuck happened to Miles?

When he and Otis had entered into that trailer that entire parking lot had emptied as the Walkers worked to follow the noisy trail of the squad car and the meal sitting inside. Then, swear to God, not even twenty minutes later as Shane and Otis exited with all the supplies, they were back. All of them, and then some. Shane wasn't fool enough to think that the Walkers just got tired of chasing the car. Not after fuckin' twenty minutes.

No way. Those fuckers weren't the type to get bored. Once they had their attention on something as tantalizing as that car and that kid; they weren't going to just back off and shrug it off. Not unless -

Shane let out a deep sigh and yet again smashed the back of his head into the wall behind him. He heard the crinkle of the banners hanging there, cheering on the home team in bright bold letters. A sickening image of a sheet hung over a car on a darkened stretch of highway flew to his mind. Black lettering spelling out a simple birthday message. The shocked awe on the kid's face as he read it.

Shane shook his head violently and then smashed the palm of his hand into the side of it twice. Hoping that the pain would help to dislodge any and all images of that kid. Until he saw different, Miles was fine. And Shane needed to keep his head in the game. Carl's life depended on it.

_Carl._

That one simple thought brought Shane instantly back to the present. His eyes shifted on a slant of anger to the man still huffing and puffing beside him as he struggled to keep away from the groping hands of the undead below them. Taking in a deep breath, Shane steeled his shoulders and began to nod his head, earning an odd look from Otis beside him.

"We can't fuckin' stay here," Shane spat as he glared at the Walkers. "We gotta get back to Carl."

"Right," Otis said in a breathy sort of whisper, his eyes holding Shane's for a moment. Then his head begins nodding as he stares at the windows over Shane's shoulder. "Right. You're right." Otis slid his body towards Shane, his foot almost slipping. Shane's hand shot out and curled into the fabric of his shirt pulling him upwards again. Otis gave Shane's hand a patin thanks and then juts his chin to the space over Shane's left shoulder.

"We're gonna have to split up," Otis said breathlessly. Shane's eyes snapped wide and he looked over his shoulder at the window and then back at the burly man grimacing at him. "That window," Otis again jutted his chin and again Shane felt his eyes go wide as he looked at it. "It's not that far of a drop down to the ground. You can make it through there-"

"We ain't splittin' up," Shane said angrily and Otis just shook his head and pushed at Shane a bit. The larger man shook his head and handed Shane the smaller bag of medical supplies.

"Look at me," Otis said his brow narrowed in a bit of annoyance. "I ain't gonna fit through there. But you can."

"What about you?" Shane said slowly reaching and taking the pack full of supplies and slipping it on to his shoulder.

A hand snaked around Shane's ankle and he felt himself rock off kilter for a moment. Otis' hand shot out and grabbed him while Shane shook his foot wildly. Otis brought his larger foot down hard and the snapping sound of breaking bones echoed loudly. One more swift kick and the hand completely broke off, fingers still hooked into the laces of Shane's boots. Shane shook his foot wildly again and finally succeeded in removing the dismembered parts from his shoe.

The feeling of it though, that was gonna be stickin' around for a while.

"See that set of doors," Otis said pointing a finger towards a set of double doors across the way. Shane stared for a minute at the way Otis' finger was shaking as he pointed, and when he met the other man's eye he firmed his lips to a line and just nodded. He couldn't help but be just a bit impressed with the burly man in that moment in time, the words 'accidents happen' echoing in Rick's calm voice in his head. "Those lead to the locker rooms." Otis said lowering his shaking hand and looking back to Shane with wide eyes. "I'll go there. Windows are bigger. We can meet outside and get to the truck."

Shane shifted his eyes to the Walkers clawing and pawing over one another desperate to get to them, and then over to the obviously scared man beside him. His mind circled in a sickening way over the thought of Rick covered in Carl's blood, and Carl laying helpless and dying on a bed.

Carl waiting for him to come back and save him.

"A'right," Shane said finally, shifting his shotgun over his shoulder and putting a hand to Otis' shoulder. "A'right." Shane shifted his attention to the Walkers. "You take three shots, and then you go. I'll cover you long as I can."

Otis looked at Shane for a good couple of seconds before nodding his head and slipping his rifle off of his shoulder. He hefted the other bag of supplies up a bit higher and eyed the mass of undead gripping at the stacked bleachers that they were perched upon. Shane watched the man blink as he sighted down his rifle, lift the rifle away from target and take a few steadying breaths, and then re-sight down the barrel of the rifle that Shane was sure the man was a crack shot with.

"Here we go," Otis said quietly. "Comin' home Patricia. I'm comin' home."

Shane shifted his eyes away from the window he was inching towards and watched Otis sniff hard and line up his first shot. A deep breath in from both men, and then the first shot was fired. Another breath, another shot. And finally a breath and the final shot and Shane was pulling his shot gun off of his shoulder as Otis made an ungraceful leap to the ground full of Walkers.

For a second Shane watched as the bulky man fell to his knees and the Walkers shuffled after him. It was obvious as Otis struggled to his feet, dead hands pawing and clawing at his legs, that the man was injured from the jump down to the hard court floor below. And as Shane lined up his shot of the Walker closest to the slow moving man he thought about aiming just a bit differently. Just take the fucker out of his misery now, before the horde caught up to him.

But the sight of that black duffle bag full of supplies that Otis wore on his shoulder stopped him cold. Thoughts of Carl needing those supplies, and of the impossibility of him being able to retrieve it from where it was now circled not far behind. Shane shifted the sight of his shotgun and blasted a hole into the head of the Walker that had its dead hands on that bag.

Otis slipped his eyes behind him and nodded once as Shane took out another two Walkers. It bought the big man enough time to make it to those double doors, and as his husky frame disappeared from view Shane turned to the window he was supposed to make his escape through.

"Fuckin' hell," Shane muttered as he kicked out at a pair of hands grasping yet again for his boot laces. He slipped along the bleachers and pushed up and out, amazed for one instant by the simplicity of the action and the tiny fuckin' hole he was supposed to be slipping through. The sound and feel of the bleachers rocking below his feet had him looking over his shoulder.

He watched in mild amazement as the Walkers seemed to figure out that they could use one another as a fuckin' ladder of sorts to get to him. Dead man, walking upon dead man, and boom tasty prize. Shane shook his head and let out a low breath through his pursed lips and sent his head out the window.

"A'right," Shane said looking at the dark ground below, a small hedge and grass. Better than concrete to land on. Not too high up, but definitely not a little drop down. Shaking his head he slipped the small pack of medical supplies off of his shoulder and dropped it to the ground. Shane shifted his attention over his shoulder and watched the Walkers get closer. Shaking his head he slipped his shotgun over his shoulder and then adjusted so that his feet were flying quickly out the window.

Feet first. Hang down. Lessen the distance.

He was chanting the words in his head as he did exactly that. Hanging by his fingertips now, he spared a look down and mentally cringed. This wasn't going to go well.

_Carl. Carl. Carl_.

Shane let go and tried to roll his body to take the brunt of the fall off of his legs, but failed. He caught his right leg hard and felt the knee pop out of joint and then painfully pop halfway back in as he struggled to work to his feet.

"Son of a -" Shane pushed off the ground with his arms. His muscles blazing in pain all over as he worked to grab up his back pack and right his shotgun. A sound above him had his eyes sliding up the brick of the building to the window he'd just fallen, _not jumped he fuckin' fell_, out of.

Two, then three, then the hands of a fourth Walker pushed through that small space. Growling, moaning, and hissing sounds reached his ears. He watched in a detached sort of horror as the first Walker pushed forward more and fell from the window. The body fell to the ground and Shane stared at it, almost too stunned for words.

Then the Walker was getting to its feet and Shane's eyes went wide. Not even thinking, he lifted his shotgun and fired, taking off the bastard's head as it shambled towards him. Another sound, and he watched the macabre sight of the undead willingly flinging themselves out the tiny window to get to him. As the next body hit the ground Shane didn't stand around to shoot it. He shouldered his pack and turned to run.

The pain in his leg was excruciating, and he found himself fuckin' skipping away from the building and around to where he knew they'd parked the truck. His strange sort of galloping trot was stilted as he continued to search over his shoulder. He hoped to see Otis, but all he saw were fuckin' Walkers. Shane lifted his shotgun as he realized that the things were gaining on him and he fired twice taking out one. He pulled on the trigger again and his eyes widened in terror when nothing happened.

"Fuck!" Shane seethed as he shouldered his weapon and pushed his pain-riddled body to its limits. He kept moving, back towards the front lot where this whole horror story had started. His eyes caught movement to his left and he turned, watching in amazement as Otis' figure rounded the building and continued running towards him. Shane waved his arms frantically as the man struggled on his own injured legs to catch up.

They were running together now, almost side by side. Shane's hand gripped into Otis' hunting vest and practically dragging the man with him. The sounds of the Walkers at their backs were getting louder, and Shane felt his leg threatening to give out with each hard press to the asphalt. Finally, Shane saw the truck and he let out a hard breath as he pushed further ahead.

_Carl. Carl. Carl. _

_Lori. Carl. Lori. Carl._

Shane pushed forward on a rush of adrenaline and pain and shifted his eyes behind him to see what they were up against. The sight of the horde of Walkers on their trail had his steps faltering. He nearly took Otis and himself down to the ground, causing the larger man to look behind and stifle a sob of fear.

And then there was a bright light to his right, followed by the sound of powerful engine. And a very familiar whooping and hollering. Shane turned just in time to watch the light colored Humvee smash into the first row of Walkers almost on top of them. He stood transfixed for a moment, the pain in his leg forgotten as he continued to grip hard into the fabric of Otis' vest and keep the larger man on his feet and the Humvee crashed into the side of the building.

The passenger door facing them opened and out popped fuckin' Miles, blood caked into his hair and running down the right side of his face. He stared out at Shane and Otis for a second before he was scrambling down out of the vehicle and running towards them.

"The fuck you just standing there for," Miles seethed as he pushed at both of them and settled his gun into place at the small of his back. "Run damnit!"

Shane grabbed the kid's arm, and handed him the bag of supplies and the keys to the truck pushing him forward. Shane watched the Miles rush forward and then reached back to grab for Otis again. Curling his fingers into the man's vest he pulled hard. Over Otis' head Shane saw the rest of the Walkers beginning to filter around the large Humvee that Miles had just driven through them.

"C'mon," Shane pulled again, taking the bag of supplies the other man had and swinging it over his own shoulder. Otis ran a few more steps with him and it wasn't long before they were again stumbling in their combined pain. Both of them were hurt, both of them were slow, and honestly as Shane looked forward to the truck only one thought played in his head as the lumbering man behind him again slipped to the ground.

Both of them were going to die.

"No," Shane shook his head and pulled again at Otis who was waving his hand and breathing hard. "Get the fuck up, you son of a bitch!" Shane pulled on the man. "I can't die here for you. I can't die here."

Otis was nodding his head and grabbing at Shane's hand to help himself up. One Walker caught up to them and Shane smashed the butt of his shotgun into its head. Otis was still trying to get to his feet, and Shane could hear the sound of the truck starting and Miles shouting for them to come on. Shane looked down at Otis. They weren't far from the truck, but it was still a good distance to run.

The world around him dimmed into a pinprick of awareness. Sounds ebbed away. Miles and the sound of the old truck being shifted into gear fell away. All that was left were the Walkers surrounding him, and the man at his feet holding him back from making it out.

From making it back to Carl. To Lori.

Shane's eyes landed on the man still struggling to his feet, and then to the horde of Walkers now almost upon them. He looked to Otis and the other man must have seen something on his face. Must have seen exactly the moment that Shane realized that they weren't both going to die here.

Only one of them.

Shane made a grab for the rifle and Otis' hands slipped off of it a bit as shock rippled over and through him. Shane pulled again on the weapon, and shook the other man a bit eliciting a painful gasp from him. One more violent tug and Otis was on the ground and Shane was sighting down the gun at him. Something acrid swelled in the back of Shane's throat as he stared into Otis' shocked eyes. Something acrid that he didn't recognize and didn't fuckin' have time for.

He swallowed and fired into the man's leg just as he was getting his footing. Shane watched Otis fall in a screaming pain-filled heap. The sound of the car idling not far off had Shane turning, but before he could turn all the way Otis was gripping his ankle and pulling on him.

"No!" Otis yelled. "NO!"

Shane kicked out and dislodged the man's hands, sparing a quick look up at the approaching Walkers before looking down at the injured man trying to pull himself after Shane's retreating form. He gripped Shane's bad leg and pulled him to the ground. Otis' hands scratched and clawed at Shane for purchase as he desperately tried to pull himself along after Shane. They were both scrambling along the concrete and Shane finally felt the tear of Otis' fingers into his scalp as he pulled himself forward. Shane smashed the rifle into Otis' head and then leaned forward again pointing the weapon as a Walker shambled close.

"You caused this," Shane seethed as he used the rifle to push against Otis' body and shove him towards the Walkers. "You caused all of this. You deserve this. I won't die here for you."

Shane fired again, hitting Otis in the shoulder and sending his body flying back into the oncoming crowd of Walkers. Spinning on his heel Shane shifted the bag on his shoulder and took one painful step before his gaze crashed into the wide eyes of Miles. The boy was stopped, half-in and half-out of the vehicle, obviously on his way to help.

Frozen for that moment, Shane again felt that acrid taste in the back of his throat. And again he swallowed it as the sounds of Otis' screaming demise broke through the calm quiet he'd created in that moment when he'd made his decision. Shane held Miles' horror stricken gaze for only a second, pushing that acrid taste away and taking hold of what settled in its place.

With a strength he didn't recognize in himself, he ran to the truck waving at the boy now staring beyond him as Otis was ripped limb from limb.

* * *

They'd been driving for nearly a half an hour in complete silence. The horror of that parking lot and everything that had transpired weighing heavily on Miles as he clenched his right hand tight along the steering wheel. New nightmares were being formed in the recesses of his mind as they worked their way back, just waiting for that chance to be brought to life when the boy decided to try and sleep. He pushed them back for now and settled into a prayer of hope. Hope that Carl had survived long enough for this whole fuckin' nightmare trip not to have been a waste.

A waste of everything.

Miles could feel his jaw clenching as he worked to keep his mouth from hanging open in shock. Because he was shocked. Shocked and sickened at what he'd witnessed go down in that parking lot only a half an hour ago.

The pain in his arm, in his head, in his entire body, fell to the background as he rolled over the scene again and again in his mind's eye. His mouth went dry and he felt the overwhelming urge to throw up, but he held it in. Held tight against it, and just stared at the dark road before him.

Beside him he heard Shane shift and wince, muttering something about his fuckin' leg. Pressure built at Miles' eyes and he shook his head.

Shane hadn't said a word to him about what happened. There really hadn't been time to linger on it. Otis was screaming. Shane was yelling at him to go. And Miles was trapped somewhere in between the horror of what had happened, and the reality of what he'd seen. Or thought he'd seen.

Shit. What he _knew_ he'd seen.

Shane shot Otis. Left him for dead. Left him to be ripped apart.

And Shane knew that Miles had seen it. All of it. He knew. And that's why he wasn't prattling on about it, or trying to get Miles to understand. Because if there was one thing that Shane had apparently learned in the months that they'd lived and survived together it was that Miles was not a child. He was not some snot nosed kid who would sit there and idly believe whatever bullshit was fed to him.

Shane knew that. And he knew the type of person Miles was.

And there had been a moment, a single fleeting second that held in the air when Shane turned to find him staring at him holding the now dead Otis' rifle, that Miles thought Shane was going to take him out too. When he saw Shane's finger twitch over that trigger and the barrel lower just a fraction of an inch his way. And truth be told, that feeling lingered in the dark, quiet confines of the truck cab.

Otis' truck.

Miles listened as Shane shifted beside him again and stiffened slightly at the sound of him sniffing loudly and then clearing his throat. He felt when Shane's eyes slid over to him; a chill running down his spine and causing him to clench tighter to the wheel. Shane's eyes stayed on him for a long time before Miles dared to look at the dark haired man from the corner of his eye.

Shane sucked in air through his teeth and then shifted his attention back to the dark road before them, and Miles continued to watch him from the corner of his eye.

"Man," Shane said quietly, his voice sounding as normal as it ever did. Which sent a fresh wave of nausea through Miles. "It's dark." Miles clenched his jaw as Shane shifted his attention quickly back to him and then back to the road. "It's amazing, don't ya think, how dark it can get without street lights or anything else, just the moon," Shane continued and Miles shifted his eyes to the road and away from the man beside him.

The air in the cab had suddenly become thick with something that Miles felt he was too young to really understand. Something he couldn't really place. Not here. Not with Shane.

"Really, man, look," Shane threw his hand out before him in a wave at the road before them. "Fuckin' dark. So dark you can't really see what's right in front of ya. Let alone something further out," Shane shifted his eyes to Miles again and again that chill flew down his spine. A bead of sweat worked its way down the side of Miles' face under that stare. And Shane continued in a tone that brought everything to light, "You know what I mean?"

A beat of silence in the thick air had Miles taking in a deep shaking breath as Shane continued to stare at him.

"Yeah," Miles said finally, his voice cracking slightly. Stiffening his shoulders, Miles cleared his throat and shook his head, his eyes never leaving the road before him. "It's dark."

Another beat of silence, that thickness growing and starting to gain ground in Miles' mind. Starting to have a name.

"You hurt? Bit?" Shane asked quietly, and again Miles felt the man's eyes glide over him. Miles shook his head in a quick jerky fashion, his eyes still glued to the road ahead. Shane was quiet for a second, his eyes still gliding over him. Miles felt the instant that they landed on his left arm laying useless in his lap, the plaster of his cast barely hanging to his hand now. The cracked and broken remains of his cast pushed into his thigh as his body tensed under Shane's scrutiny. "You wanna pull over? Let me drive?"

"Nah," Miles said, his use of such a laid-back word was said too quickly to have been taken for the nonchalant response he'd been trying for. And Miles flinched a bit because of it. "I got this," Miles said finally shifting his eyes to Shane. Their gazes met, or rather crashed into one another and instantly Miles was again looking to the road. "I got this man, just," Miles let out a breath and shook his head. "Chill." Shane's eyes remained on Miles for a few seconds more and Miles found himself taking a breath. He slipped his eyes over to Shane and found him staring at his hands. "You hurt?"

Shane's eyes snapped up and he was again staring hard at Miles. Confusion marred Shane's face for a moment before he lifted his hand up and wiped at the small trail of blood running down his forehead on the left side. Shane stared at his blood stained fingertips for a moment before his jaw clenched and he wiped it off on his pants.

"Just a scratch," Shane said quietly, his eyes again shifting to Miles beside him. Miles nodded, his tongue working to wet his suddenly dry mouth. Yeah, he knew it was a scratch, he'd seen it happen. Darkness be damned, he'd seen it.

"Yeah," Miles said his eyes sliding back to the road. "Happens."

"Musta caught it on that window when I jumped out," Shane said, and the tone of his voice was suddenly different. It wasn't the tone of someone explaining something. It was the tone of someone telling someone something.

It was that instant that Miles realized what was happening. Shane wasn't explaining his wound away, he was _telling_ Miles how to explain it. Feeding him fuckin' lines of a sort. And finally, in that moment a name was given to the thickness in the air around them.

Threatening.

Shane's eyes again lingered on the side of his face, and Miles felt himself go numb when his eyes shifted to the side in an imperceptible motion to look at the man. He fleetingly wish that he imagined watching Shane's hand slide over the spot where his knife sat. But he wasn't a moron. Miles clenched his jaw and tightened his right hand's grip on the wheel. Letting out one shaking breath he pushed past the lump in his throat and steadied his trembling chin as he looked back to the road.

"Yeah, musta," Miles said finally into the thick air of the dark truck cab.

Silence, followed by the slide of Shane's hand over the fabric of his pants, had Miles blinking rapidly at the dark road ahead of him. And then Shane's hand was grasping at the back of his neck. The hold was tight and familiar, supposed to be comforting, and yet it stiffened Miles' back and had him sucking in a frightened breath.

"You a'right?" Shane said with a bit of a lightness now in his tone. "You're quiet."

"Bit sore, and worried," Miles said quietly blinking his eyes a few times as Shane tightened his grip just a bit. "'Bout Carl."

"Yeah," Shane said nodding his head. He then began to shake Miles in that familiar way that he always did, his hand slipping to Miles' shoulder and squeezing. "You did good, man. Real good. Prouda you, man."

Miles firmed his lip as Shane again shook his shoulder before patting it hard twice. As they fell back into silence the pressure behind Miles' eyes became so strong that he had to focus on his breathing in order to really hold the tears back. In and out through his nose, his jaw clenched to hide the ridiculous tremble of his chin. His vision blurred as the wetness covered each lens of his eye, the light of the headlights wavered in his vision, and he blinked hard. His head was throbbing now, and as Shane slipped his hand off of his shoulder and back to rest along the rifle-Otis' rifle- sitting between them Miles was thankful for the darkness of the truck's cab.

Thankful that the man next to him couldn't see the fear that he was desperately trying to hide. Idly Miles wondered what type of conversation Shane would have been having with himself had he actually followed through on that twitch of his finger when he saw Miles witness his execution of Otis. Would he have been silently contemplating his actions? Would he have been mourning them?

Or would he have been doing the same thing he was doing now; fabricating a tale to tell the people waiting for them back home.

_I'm nails, I'm a knife_

_I'm a preacher with a gun, I'm a one man lie_

_I'm a king, I'm a ruse_

_I'm born again with no life to lose_

'_Cause it don't mean all that much _

_Does it boy? We never really had a choice_

_No it don't mean that much to us boy, _

_We never had a choice; we're conscience killers_

_Don't want no conscience at all_

_~Conscience Killer/ BRMC (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club)_

_AN: I hope this didn't disappoint you. I really, really hope it didn't. And I hope I've regained a bit of your happy-happy since Miles is most definitely not dead. Scare outta his damn mind, but not dead. There's not much to say here except that I'm going to be trying to bring the crew together as quickly as possible…in an effort to clear up my clusterfuck Stay tuned next chapter will be a bit bouncy, jumpy as I try to get that all worked out. _

_QUESTION: do y'all prefer the Review replies here? 'cause I was thinking of doing them as PM's and then glancing over any overall themes I see popping up in them. Let me know…cause unless I hear otherwise that's what's gonna be happening for this chapters reviews._

_But, for now:_

_Piratejessieswaby & Emberka-2012: Your thoughts echoed one another in the sympathy for Callie and Jenna and Daryl. I can only say that it's gonna be rough, but that she'll have support. Thanks so much for the reviews!_

_LadyLecter47: So there ya go, you tell me if you think you have to use that there strong-ass pimp hand ya got. Callie and Hershel are going to be interesting, and the whole section with Daryl and Glenn was totally meant to put a bit of comedic lightness to an otherwise harsh bunch of chapters. Glad that went over well…as for casting the rest of the Avengers crew…I think I made reference to a Hulk Shane in NM:Safe with a SHANE SMASH ref..so there's another I guess. Get your tissues ready… it's gonna be a hard couple of chapters here. _

_TrustInFaith: DONE! *salutes*_

_SuperNeos2: Hey there, welcome to the reviews and thank you so much for taking the time to drop me a lilne. And to answer your question. I do that 'cause I'm evil…and it's the way I roll. I'm so glad that you're liking MY Daryl. I've worked hard on him. ;) Thanks again!_

_Rednecks 'n Angels: You got two in here… Amputation….Hmmm… NO SPOILERS As for Shane shooting Miles… question answered there. As for the first block of Timshel…I'm so glad it was hilarious, that's exactly what I was going for. The comic shout out was for the fact that the show is based in comics… and so in essence all of the characters are "superheroes" of one type or another. And yeah… as for everything else, guess this chapter kind of got that for ya, huh?_

_Cotton Strings: I'm working through to get everyone back together quickly, I promise! Stay with me. As for T-Dog…yeah, he's got a good grasp on what's going on. He doesn't talk much, so he's got plenty of time to watch, and he's not an idiot. Thanks for the feedback!_

_BecomingScarlett2012: thanks! I'm so glad that I made you laugh. Danny's good for that. Sorry you're still upset, but I promise…uh, well, you're gonna be upset for a while I think…._

_Sdwafford: Yeah, the next chapter's gonna be a rush of emotions when it comes to everyone finding out about Jenna…Ooops SPOILER I THINK. As for the Rick / Callie moment possibility NO SPOILERS FOR YOU… As for the kids, I was really trying to grasp how children of different ages would react/adapt in this situation. I find it interesting and heart-wrenching and damn good fic fodder. Thanks as always for your review. _

_LoyalAsAViking & AlabastR: I hit you two up with the PM's, but wanted to say thanks again for the reviews._

_AngieInWonderland: Don't you be worrying about the reviewing every two chaps, I'm just happy that you still review. Thanks for the pat on the back with the clusterfuck I've created. My brain's got so much going on it's a wonder any of it actually gets put down into something that can actually be read. Working a Maggie POV was SO important for me, because she's a big character coming up with Glenn and in Season 3 so I wanted to try and fill her out. I think you are right on many levels with your review. Hershel and Callie will be interesting to watch. And Callie trying to be strong for everyone but wanting to break down…and wanting Daryl…yes, yes, yes. As for the situation with Jenna, I think it's going to be something huge for everyone to get through. A turning point before the turning point if you will. Thanks for the vote of confidence in my long-winded updates. Glad you like them!_

_Gothbutterfly69: Girl, you are catching up! Keep it going. And thank you so much for taking the time to review as you feel it. Glad you love MY Daryl, he's been a bit hard to keep in character but I'm working through it. I hope that you enjoy everything I've put in here. _

_Okay, I think that's it for now. As I said, unless I get this overwhelming NOOOOO from you, expect PMs to your reviews!_

_Much Love!_


	21. Wild Horses Pt 1

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_Okay, so I promise that this is the last chapter of backtracking… for now. We're gonna get everyone caught up to the same point in time (kinda). We're doing A LOT of jumping around here so try to keep your head on straight._

_As always, read, review and most of all enjoy!_

_~Michelle_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Wild Horses Pt. 1**

Glenn pressed the palms of his hands into his eyes hard, and tried desperately to erase the last hour from his brain. He pressed hard, and rubbed furiously at his eyes before sliding his hands out to his temples, where he continued to apply a steady pressure to the throbbing that had settled there.

But it didn't help. The image of Jenna laying on that bed, her skin pale and slick with a fine sheen of sweat, her breathing heavy as the infection settled into her body. The image of when she had woken for that short time and worked a shaky smile onto her face at the sight of him and Carol. The image of Callie's stricken face as she stood at the end of the bed and stared at the girl. All of it was burned into his brain.

When Callie had told him, he was sure she was mistaken. That the girl was just suffering from the ill-effects of everything she'd been through. He was sure of it.

It was Jenna. She couldn't-

Glenn pressed hard at the side of his head again and finally let his eyes close tight.

The image of Carol's face as she stood at the doorway to that little room that Jenna was in, the horror that had shown in her eyes slipped into his mind's eye. He had stood there dumbstruck as Callie worked through an apology to the woman for her being brought here in hopes of seeing her own daughter. As Jenna struggled into a sitting position and assured Carol with every ounce of strength that she had that Sophia wasn't bitten, wasn't scratched, that she was fine. That the girl was stronger and faster and more of a survivor than any of them.

Glenn had watched in utter amazement as Carol's gaze lifted, her eyes still haunted but clear of tears for the first time in a long time. He watched the woman shake her head and walk into that room with a purposeful stride that he'd never seen from her before. And then he watched as she sat down on Jenna's bedside and held the dying girl's-God Almighty the _dying girl's_—hand in her own. She'd smiled then, a tight motherly smile and she slipped her gaze from Jenna's exhausted feverish face to Callie's at the end of the bed.

"It's gonna be okay," Carol said as she brushed Jenna's hair away from her face with that warm smile. A tear slid down Carol's cheek and Glenn just stared in awe. "It's gonna be okay."

It was that moment that Glenn realized that no matter what he did, no matter how many lives he saved, how many Walkers he took out, or how long he survived in this crazy world, he would never be as strong as the two women that he stood in that room with. Or that girl on the bed.

Glenn let his hands fall from his head and nodded to himself, that single thought spurring him back into action. He opened the driver's side door to the Hummer and threw himself inside. Quietly closing the door again he put both of his hands to the steering wheel and clenched it tightly.

Callie had pretty much begged them not to say anything to Rick or Lori. To let them deal with Carl, and not put more pressure on them. Carol had shaken her head but agreed with a hand to Callie's slightly hunched shoulders. And Glenn, well-he'd walked out.

He'd walked out and away, and shook his head. He understood what Callie was saying. Why she wanted to keep the burden off of Rick and Lori. He understood completely. But he didn't agree with her taking it all on to her shoulders.

And in that moment when she'd cried and begged them to go out and sit with T-Dog and leave her to handle things, he decided that for once he wasn't going to do what was expected. He wasn't going to just roll over and let her do that to herself. He walked out of that room, and towards the front door with purpose in his stride.

And in his haste he ran directly into the girl from the woods, the one that had saved his ass from atop a horse. Maggie.

"Sorry," Glenn muttered as he pushed his hand through his hair. His hat was laying somewhere on the floor of the room Jenna was in. Pushed off by his restless hands and never picked up. He skipped his eyes up to the girl, and found her just staring at him.

They stood that way for a few seconds, her eyes searching his face as he shifted awkwardly on his feet and averted what he knew were red rimmed tear-filled eyes. She crossed her arms over her chest, not in an off-putting manner but more as a comfort to herself and let a small grimace mar her pretty face.

"I'm sorry," Maggie said quietly. He watched her eyes skip from him to the door that he'd slammed shut behind him. "I'm so very sorry."

"Yeah," Glenn said in return, his hand grabbing his hair. "Thanks," Glenn looked up at her and caught her eye. "For everything." Her lips twitched in a mirthless grin and she shook her head at him. It was at that point that her eyes seemed to catch on his other hand, and she furrowed her brow.

"Are you leavin'?" Maggie asked her tone incredulous as her eyes again met his.

"I'm going to get -" Glenn shook his head and grimaced. "She's taking too much of this on herself. The others should know."

"You're gonna drive back there? Now?" Maggie's brow furrowed more and she shifted her eyes to where the front door lay. "It's gettin' dark. You shouldn't be drivin' this late. You'll attract-"

"I can handle it," Glenn said with a tiny little smile on his face. If he'd been more himself, he probably would have been blushing at her concern. But instead he grimaced and shook his head. "Uh, I guess I should ask your dad if that's okay. I mean I'm sure he doesn't want a bunch of strangers-"

"It's fine," Maggie said cutting him off with a wave of her hand. "I told y'all to come here. He's expectin' it. He ain't happy 'bout it, but he's expectin' it."

"That's -" Glenn shook his head and let out a bit of a chuckle. "There's really only so many times you can say 'Thanks' before it becomes annoying, huh?" She smiled and lifted one brow in an amused manner, and this time he felt it when he blushed. Ducking his head he worked past her. "I'm gonna go before it gets too late."

If he hadn't been so embarrassed by his reaction to the pretty girl he would have probably looked back. And he would have seen her talking to Rick as he exited from the dining and him leaving the house. And then he would have been more prepared with an excuse when the former Sheriff's deputy caught up to him and cornered him on the porch before he made it down the steps to the Hummer.

But as it was, Glenn sucked with secrets, and as he started up the Hummer he again settled his gaze on his hands. The stricken look on Rick's face was burned into his mind just as bright as the rest, and he suddenly felt sick to his stomach knowing he'd caused it. Shaking his head he lifted his head and let his gaze slide back to the porch.

Maggie stood at the railing, her arms crossed over her chest again as she simply stared back at him. He offered her a small smile that he hoped she could see in the slowly fading light that filtered down over them. She returned the smile and shook her head as he put the Hummer into reverse and worked to turn the hulking vehicle back around. His eyes scanned over the house in the rearview mirror, and he watched the girl turn to talk to her father as he came to join her on the porch.

* * *

Daryl scratched at the back of his neck, the feel of the dirt and sweat that seemed to have seeped into his skin making his face contort in disgust. Running his hand over the back of his head he scratched at his scalp and shifted his eyes towards the RV as he walked past and towards the door.

It had been a long ass day, one that had settled on his shoulders in a heap and wouldn't seem to dissipate. He'd walked the woods alone, after the rest of the crew had left, needing that bit of time to collect himself. To gather his thoughts. He'd checked the woods and found jack-shit and come back feelin' worse than when he'd left.

He'd known he was gonna snap at the first person that tried to talk to him, so he'd waved at Dale and motioned he was gonna check the perimeter. After that, when the sun had finally started to settle on the horizon he worked his way back to the RV. His body and mind as at ease as they was going to get. Now, all he wanted to do was head back to that little room with that bed, and slip down into it next to Ben and Gracie and go the fuck to sleep.

Leave this fuckin' day far, far behind.

Daryl shook his head in some sort of strange amazement at the thought of the type of man he'd slowly found himself turning into. Fuckin' wanting to cuddle with some babies. Unbe-fuckin-lievable.

Putting his hand to the door handle he settled his boot on the step and then stopped. His ears pricked as he picked up the sound of voices within, and he felt the grimace contort his face. Danny and Andrea. Fuck. He really didn't want to be in there with those two giving each other eyes. Inwardly groaning at the thought of it, Daryl slipped his hands off of the door handle and worked it over towards the ladder.

"Quit it, Gracie." Ben's little voice sounded over his head and Daryl slipped his eyes up and furrowed his brow.

Daryl slipped quickly and quietly up the ladder and smirked at the sight. Dale stood near the lawn chair his head shaking and a small smile playing over his face as he watched the two children settled near the far edge. Both little bodies were snuggled under a large blanket, Ben working to push his sister away with one hand while he threw his little arm over his eyes and turned to his side. Gracie was slapping idly at her brother's hand as she tried to snuggle up close to him.

"S'nough of that shit," Daryl said quietly as he stepped over towards the chair. Both kids shifted, angling their little eyes to him and immediately stopped their fighting. Daryl raised a brow at Dale and watched the man chuckle and shake his head.

"I've been trying to get them to settle for a half an hour," Dale said earning a raised brow from the man beside him. "Proof positive that I'd have made a horrible father. I have no sway with children. They just instinctively know they can walk all over me." Dale said still chuckling a bit.

"What they doin' up here?" Daryl asked, choosing to ignore the old man's words, and his strange allusion to Daryl being a good father. Fuck that. Dale grimaced a bit and shifted his eyes from where the two children had worked to settle themselves into a comfortable sleeping position.

"They were a bit restless below," Dale said quietly his eyes slipping over to meet Daryl's raised brows. "I think they're both a bit-" Dale firmed his lips and furrowed his heavy gray brows. "Ben didn't want to sleep in the RV. He was scared of Walkers getting in again. No matter what Danny and Andrea said, he just flat out refused." Dale took a deep breath in through his nose. "I told him he could camp out up here, and Gracie followed. I figured we could get them down into bed once they fell asleep."

"Kid's been through a lot," Daryl said quietly his arms crossing over his chest as he looked to where Ben and Gracie were snuggled up. The slow steady puffs of breath that he could hear coming from the two suggested that they were getting closer to sleep. Once he heard those telltale baby snore's of Ben's he'd work on getting them settled down stairs.

Shit, hopefully by then Danny and Andrea'd be done with-whatever the fuck they were doing, and he'd be able to grab a bit of shut eye too. Daryl uncrossed his arms as he watched Dale shift on his feet to look out over the parking lot. Blinking back the exhaustion in his eyes and then working out the tightness in his shoulders, Daryl set his crossbow down beside the lawn chair that was facing down the highway behind them.

With a yawn that he tried, and failed, to hide he slumped down into the chair. He heard Dale chuckle just a bit and rolled his eyes as he worked the pack of cigarettes-Callie's pack that he stole a couple days ago- out of his back pocket. His eyes slipped over the slumbering forms of Ben and Gracie and then down the road, taking in the empty space where the Hummer used to sit.

He pulled out a cigarette then, and lifted the hand holding it to his mouth. His eyes remained on that dark stretch of highway, staring in the direction that the Greene family farm and a good bit of his group lay. His thumb nail scratched idly over the stubble under his bottom lip and he let out a breath through his nose before placing the cigarette to his lips.

Lighting it up, he settled his forearms on his knees and hunched forward, hands dangling between his knees. His eyes skipped to the old man beside him, vigilant as ever no matter how fuckin' tired he was. Daryl shifted the cigarette in his mouth from one side of his mouth to the other and then reached out and tapped Dale's knee with the almost empty pack of smokes.

Dale looked down with a humored glance and Daryl averted his gaze as he tapped again and held the box up slightly.

"I know they ain't Slims or nothing-" Daryl left the statement hanging and actually smirked a bit when Dale let out a low sigh.

"Never going to live that down am I?" Dale said smiling and finally catching Daryl's humored gaze. He stared at the pack for a few seconds before Daryl expertly shook out a single cigarette. Dale shook his head but took the offering and the lighter. Dale hesitated lighting up, as his eyes skipped to the children.

"Smokin'll help give you that bad-ass edge you apparently need with 'em," Daryl said smirking as he watched Dale eye the children before actually lighting up. "Then again," Daryl continued as he shifted and shoved the cigarettes back into his pants pocket. "Don't think those babies have any allusions that smokin's a bad habit, so don't think that's gonna work."

"How the world has changed," Dale said with raised brows and a nod of his head as he inhaled deeply from the cigarette. Daryl grunted in response and then shifted his eyes back to the expanse of highway, hands again dangling between his knees as he hunched forward. It was ridiculous, but he felt better just staring off that way. Like if he kept his eyes that way, he could somehow feel closer to -

He shook his head and took a deep drag off of his cigarette.

Dale slipped his eyes to the man sitting smoking beside him and squinted at him in the low moonlight. For the first time in a long time Dale noticed just how tired Daryl looked. The man had always been so good at hiding his fatigue from the group before. His constant hunting and turns at watch at the Quarry had to have left him feeling ragged, but it never showed. But now, in only the few short weeks that they'd been away from that peaceful rest stop Daryl looked like he'd aged ten years.

It could have, of course, just been the layers of dirt and grime that he carried. But Dale knew that it was more than dirt and grime weighing the man's shoulders into a hunch and causing him to squint through the darkness of that highway. Dale took a drag off of his cigarette and then shifted a bit on his feet standing so that he was a bit closer Daryl. The movement caught Daryl's attention and had him looking over at where Dale now stood observing him.

"Something you got on your mind, old man?" Daryl asked in a quiet almost defensive tone.

"I just-" Dale grimaced slightly and then shook his head. Raising a hand he continued. "You can feel free to ignore me completely," Dale said quietly his wide sincere eyes falling to Daryl's. "You don't have to answer at all, but—" he turned to face Daryl fully and furrowed his brow just a bit. "I realized just now, that with everything that's happened, I didn't know if anyone thought to ask-" Dale stopped again and Daryl looked like he was about ready to beat the shit out of him if he did it again. Dale smiled. "Are you alright, son?"

Daryl's eyes popped open for a fraction of a second, and if Dale hadn't been staring so intently at his face he probably wouldn't have seen the reaction it. Those blue eyes of his popped open in surprise and then averted quickly, his entire body kind of closing in on itself as he hunched his shoulders further and returned to staring off down the highway. Dale kept his eyes on Daryl's shoulders, feeling the man's unease grow with each passing second. Daryl removed his cigarette and settled his thumbnail to his mouth idly chewing at the bed of it. Dale nodded his head a bit and took another slow drag of his cigarette, his eyes slipping to the two sleeping children on the RV roof with them. Just when the silence had dragged on so long that Dale was certain Daryl was going to ignore him he heard the man let out a low sigh and watched a large puff of acrid smoke drift to the stars above.

"Lotta shit gone down since the last time you and me shared a smoke up here, Dale." Daryl said quietly, and Dale watched as Daryl's gaze slid to him over his shoulder. "Wanna be a bit more specific with what you're referrin' to?" Dale nodded his head with a small smile, his brain suddenly being overrun with all the things that had happened in those few short weeks.

Thoughts of Merle; of the Quarry being overrun; of the highway where they almost lost Callie and Miles; of the loss of Jim; the CDC…God everything. It all came crashing down and Dale took a deep breath as he looked at the man who had seemingly shouldered everything in stride and silence.

"You're absolutely right," Dale said quietly causing Daryl's head to turn to him. "And I'm truly sorry for that. Tell you what," Dale pointed his two fingers holding the cigarette at the man sitting next to him. "You go on and take your pick. Anything. Hell everything, if you want."

Daryl looked away again and Dale watched the man stare down at his hands holding his cigarette. Daryl then slid his gaze to the sleeping kids in front of him and then the highway and that empty spot where the Hummer should have been. Lifting his cigarette to his mouth Daryl took a long drag and let the smoke filter out slowly between his barely opened lips. Daryl then shook his head and dragged his hand through his hair, that cigarette still gripped in his fingers.

"Why she gotta-" Daryl started then shook his head as he rubbed angrily at the space above the bridge of his nose. He shook his head and tossed his hand up and looked at Dale. Dale smiled sadly as the man picked the easier route, the most recent incident with the least bit of loss. "Why can't she just be like the resta them mommas and stay put. Stop playin' hero, and just fuckin'-" Daryl stopped and shook his head, his brows raising as he looked at Dale for an answer. "Why?"

"Well," Dale said as he pondered his choice of words. He shrugged after a moment and scratched at his own stubble-covered jaw, Daryl's eyes intent on his face as he waited. "I don't think she actually knows how to just stay put."

"Think she's got fuckin' ADD?" Daryl asked, his tone completely serious. Dale laughed and Daryl grunted as he looked back to his hands dangling between his legs. Dale shook his head and patted Daryl's shoulder, a bit of a sad feeling settling in the older man's stomach when he felt Daryl shy away from the comforting touch.

"I don't think that's it," Dale said not really caring about Daryl's aversion to his comforting gesture. He patted again and squeezed once. "I don't know what it is truthfully," Dale said and Daryl nodded his head a bit. "But I do know she's never going to be that woman," Daryl looked up to Dale and felt himself smirking as Dale smiled and lifted a brow. "Do you really want her to be?"

Daryl didn't verbally answer just shook his head a bit and sighed, and Dale let his hand slide off of his shoulder. They continued on in silence after that, Daryl's mind no doubt lingering on Callie who may or may not have made it back to the farm by now, and the missing girl he'd apparently taken as his responsibility to find. While Dale's thoughts circled round and round on everything, which only made his head hurt more than it had been before.

"Ya ain't the first to ask," Daryl said suddenly and Dale's eyes widened as he looked down at him. Daryl slipped his eyes up to his quickly and then back to the highway. "If I was a'right." Daryl clarified quietly. "Glenn was tryin'," Daryl sniffed and shook his head. "I snapped his head off."

"Glenn can be a bit, persistent," Dale said quietly and Daryl looked at him with a raised brow. Dale smiled sarcastically and lifted his hand before throwing his cigarette over the edge of the RV. "Yes I know, pot," he said with a lift of his shaggy brows and a smile before pointing his finger down the dark highway, "kettle. I know."

"Yeah, well," Daryl rolled his eyes and took a final drag from his cigarette. "Thanks," Daryl said quietly as he pushed to his feet and tossed his own cigarette off the edge. "For askin'."

"Anytime, son," Dale responded watching Daryl work his way towards the two lumps lightly snoring under the blanket. "Thanks for not snapping my head off." Daryl shrugged as he put his hands to the blanket and Dale chuckled.

"Must be more tired than I thought," Daryl said in return, the tiniest hint of a smile playing on his lips as he looked over at Dale.

Dale smiled and watched Daryl gently work the blanket back a bit, revealing Gracie's brown head of curls. Just as Daryl's hand was settling on her head his eyes snapped up and shot down the highway. Dale stared as Daryl worked slowly to his feet, and then shifted his attention to where the man was staring.

"What is it?" Dale said squinting a bit into the distance.

"Headlights," Daryl said quietly his body rigid now as Dale came to a stop at his side. Both men stood and watched the slow approach of the lights in the distance, an ominous feeling settling in the pit of both of their stomachs at what the vehicle's return would bring.

* * *

Danny let out a long painful breath and shook his head at himself as he worked to unbutton the borrowed Hawaiian shirt he'd been sporting. He lifted his hands from the buttons, after only making it half way and rubbed both palms hard into his tired eyes.

This day. This fuckin' day.

Shaking his head he put his fingers back to the buttons of the shirt and continued to work it open. He was standing, because he fuckin' needed to get to the point where he could stand for longer than a half hour stretch, and he could feel the tender pull of the stitches in his side. He had just finished unbuttoning when he heard a noise behind him.

"Hey, Danny," Andrea's slightly questioning voice slid into the room and he spun around. Which was a fuckin' mistake because the speedy movement sent a fresh wave of pain through his bum leg and had him falling very fuckin' ungracefully to the bed.

Andrea's eyes were wide for a moment from her position at the door, as if she was unsure what just happened. Then her eyes slipped to Danny shifting awkwardly on the bed and working to hold closed his unbuttoned shirt. She raised a brow as she watched him shift an angry grimace at her and she couldn't help but smirk as she settled her hip to the doorframe.

"You know," Andrea said crossing her arms over her chest as she watched him start to do up the buttons of Dale's oversized shirt again. "I have seen you without your shirt on before."

"Yeah, well, unless you're planning on evenin' up the score, sweetheart; you can just turn your cute little ass back around there and keep on loading them clips. Like a good little gun junkie." Danny said tossing his right arm out and pointing a finger over her shoulder. The motion brought a fresh wince to his face and at that point Andrea's planned sarcastic remark faded.

"What are you hiding?" Andrea asked taking a step into the room. She stopped when Danny raised his right hand and wagged his finger.

"I'm serious, Andrea," Danny said still trying to ward her off with a smile as he clutched his left hand to the wound in his side.

"I'm not taking my top off," Andrea said in an aggravated tone that for some reason brought a wider smile to Danny's lips. She kept moving forward and he kept on smiling.

"That's what you say now," Danny tried to settle himself into a position that was further away from her but she was quicker. "Don't go blamin' me when it just _happens_." Her hands were prying his away from the shirt he'd worked so hard to open and he grimaced when her eyes widened at the sight. "Andrea-"

"Jesus," Andrea said on a sharp inhale. Her eyes slipped up to his quickly before her hands were pushing the halves of his shirt open further and her pale blue eyes were stuck to the bloody mass of bandages at his side.

"It's fine," Danny said wincing as she pressed against his wound a bit too hard. She pulled back and shook her head. "I must have ripped a few of the stitches when I was bashing that Walker yesterday." Her angry eyes snapped up to his and again she was shaking her head. "Andrea, it's fine. Really."

"It's not fine, Danny." Andrea snapped back, one hand raking through her hair while the other hovered over his bloody bandages. "God, you are the most stubborn person I've ever met."

"Wow, really?" Danny said raising a brow. "You happen to look in a mirror lately."

"I'm gonna get Daryl." Andrea said completely ignoring his remark. She got to her feet but before she could move any further Danny grabbed her wrist and pulled her back slightly. His head was shaking from side to side and again she let out an angry huff as she broke his hold on her arm. "Danny, you're bleeding."

"I've been bleeding," Danny said shaking his head and looking up at her. "It's not that bad, really. It can wait." Andrea turned away from him and started for the door and he snapped. "Damnit Andrea," she turned with a frown marring her features. "The man's helped my ass enough in the past week, and he's got enough on his plate right now. It can fuckin' wait." He let out a sigh and brushed his hand through his overgrown waves. "Honestly, it can wait until we get to that farm tomorrow."

Andrea stared at him, those beautiful blues of hers just searching his face. Her mouth opened and closed a few times as if she was working through what exactly she wanted to say, but just couldn't get the words to form. Idly Danny began to grin at the fact that for once he'd managed to stop one of her tirades. Finally, after what seemed like too long of a time, Andrea rolled her eyes and threw her hands up in the air.

"Fine," Andrea turned away and then waved for him to follow and he happily watched her stalk away. Hips swaying oh so nicely. "But you're at least letting me change that bandage."

"I can—"

"Get your ass out here, Danny." Andrea said cutting him off as she fell out of his field of vision.

Danny pushed to his feet and looked to where his crutch was leaning against the wall near the door. Stumbling a bit he put both hands to the doorframe and let his gaze linger on the crutch for a minute, before shaking his head and pressing on. The RV's interior was small enough that he had enough places to help him along that he didn't need the fuckin' thing.

Andrea slipped her eyes over her shoulder from where she stood at the sink and watched Danny pause in the doorway. His arms were out wide holding his lean frame up, Dale's ridiculous Hawaiian shirt hanging open revealing his bare chest. The dusting of hairs along his pectorals followed the curve of his musculature and then disappeared beneath the large wrap of white bandage wrapped around his midsection. Fleeting, drunken, hazy memory told her that the trail of hairs disappeared and then restarted right below his navel heading straight down-Andrea shook her head and lifted her gaze to his face.

"Oh for the love of God," Andrea muttered at the sight of that hundred-watt smile of his aimed right at her flushed face. Andrea turned her attention to the cupboards in front of her and began gathering supplies as she tried to school her face and push the flush of heat in her cheeks far, far away.

The sound of him chuckling as he slowly worked his way towards her helped a bit. Replacing that heat of embarrassment, and what she begrudgingly admitted was a bit of arousal, into a nice steady stream of anger. By the time his smiling ass had settled against the small table behind her she was sufficiently pissed off.

Then of course she turned around. He wasn't smiling anymore, well not like he had been—not that hundred watt 'meant to melt your panties off' smile. No this one was a soft smile, a considering one; one that had her hand falling a bit and that flush of heat rising on her cheeks again. Danny crossed his arms over his chest and settled his injured leg out putting the most of his weight on his good leg and his ass against the table.

"You know," Danny said as Andrea wrung her hands into the bandages she'd pulled from the cabinet. "You keep lookin' at me like that, I'm gonna have to take matters into my own hands with regards to that shirt you're wearin'."

"Shut up," Andrea said, silently thankful that the man had opened his big mouth and said something stupid. Her anger shot back to the forefront and she skipped her eyes up to his. Shocked at the bit of humor she saw, she realized that had been his plan with quip.

Andrea finished gathering the supplies together. A sadness tweaked her stomach when she realized that everything was pretty much already out and ready. They'd had to use it so often as of late that apparently nothing ever got put away anymore. She took a deep breath and then turned at the sound of Danny's wincing. She watched him struggle a bit as he worked to get the Hawaiian shirt off of his shoulders and she took a few steps towards him.

"Let me help," Andrea said quietly, her hands moving forward slowly. He looked up and began to shake his head but the instant her fingers touched onto the bare skin of his shoulders his mouth snapped shut. Andrea desperately worked to keep her eyes off of his face, and instead watched her pale fingers glide over his skin. She could feel his eyes on her like a branding iron against her already flushed skin. Biting her lip just a tiny bit she marveled at the feel of his muscles jumping under her fingers as she worked the fabric over his shoulders and down his arms.

Surprisingly Danny remained quiet as she finished removing the shirt, his arms lifting easily under the pressure she applied to them. His eyes stayed on her, and Andrea felt her heartbeat thudding wildly in her chest as she tossed the shirt to the bench seat at her right. Her head tilted to the side and her fingers hovered over the large patch of red beneath the bandages. She felt the look that crossed her features and shook her head before taking in a deep breath.

"Oh Danny," Andrea said quietly. "You should have told someone."

"Shit's been hittin' the fan at a pretty breakneck speed lately, Andrea," Danny said wincing as he shifted on his perch. "Slipped my mind."

"Sure it did," Andrea said shaking her head in annoyance. She put her fingers to the three pieces of medical tape at the edge of the bandages and began to pull slowly. She worked in silence, surprisingly, removing the bandage that was wrapped around his lean midsection slowly so as not to aggravate anything that was below. His eyes stayed on her the whole time, studying her in a way that was almost more aggravating than if he'd been talking.

She finally got the bandage off, letting the bloody strips fall to her feet. Her eyes slipped to his navel for an instant. Yep, there was that little trail-she seethed through her teeth and then shook her head, before again looking to where the large piece of blood-soaked gauze covered his stitches. She saw her fingers shaking a bit as she reached for it, and was surprised when he put his hand up and removed it for her. She looked up at him, and saw that he'd averted his gaze and as he tossed the gauze towards the sink. A deep breath in and Andrea turned to grab the bowl of water and wash cloth she'd prepared.

"So," Danny said quietly as she wrung out the wash cloth. She looked up at him briefly before placing the cool cloth to his stomach. He inhaled sharply at the contact and closed his eyes as his head tipped to the ceiling. "I, uh, saw you stole me a book from the CDC."

"The Bible?" Andrea asked, her mind no longer lingering on the way his muscles twitched as she ran her cloth covered fingers over them-well, not really. She put her mind to the task and shrugged a bit in response to his words. "I thought you'd maybe want it."

"Tryin' to save my soul?" Danny asked in a humored tone.

"Don't be an idiot," Andrea snapped back. She felt the smile tug at her lips as she realized exactly what he was doing. Inane conversation to help take the embarrassment away. In that moment she looked up at him and caught his eyes, the sparkling humor held beneath with that tiny little smile on his bearded face confirming her suspicions. "You know I'm the last person to believe any of that is going to help."

"A little faith can go a long way, Andrea." Danny said quietly raising a brow.

"You're a man of science," Andrea said suddenly catching him off guard as she looked up at his face. She'd somehow finished with the cleaning of his wound and shook her head in slight amazement. Turning from him she set the bowl aside and picked up the fresh gauze and bandage wraps. "You're a science teacher right? Degrees in Chemistry and _Physics_? Right? How can you so easily give in to religion."

"Yeah," Danny said nodding as she looked at him with confusion. "Yeah, I'm a man of science," he said the word with a bit of sarcasm and she shook her head. "And you're full of logic, ain't ya?" She shrugged and he smirked just a bit. "Honestly, I never used to be such a staunch believer." Danny said quietly watching her study his face. "I was a strict non-believer. Probably some of it due to my schooling, but mostly due to personal choice. But then this apocalypse happened. And I said to myself, 'well fuck, how the hell am I supposed to explain this?'."

"The fact that you're still alive," Andrea said quietly her eyes falling to her hands as she vaguely recalled their conversation on the floor of the women's locker room at the CDC. She felt Danny let out a breath that ruffled her hair around her face.

"I mean really," Danny said his hand sliding slowly up her arm and causing a trail of goosebumps to follow his fingers. "How do you logically explain a fuckin' junkie survivin' this long? How do you explain me havin' to -" Danny stopped and shook his head, his hand falling from her shoulder. Andrea looked up and watched him avert his eyes to the left staring out the windshield. "Leslie was a good person. We may not have gotten along in the end, but she didn't deserve that."

Andrea had no idea what to say. She felt the tears prickling in her eyes as she was suddenly hit with a wave of sadness. For Danny. For his still missing son. For his ex-wife—who he obviously still cared for deeply no matter how many times he said otherwise. For Amy. Andrea took in a long shuddering breath and slowly applied the gauze to Danny's purple and red bruised skin, covering the area of broken stitches and applying a bit of pressure. The contact caused him to wince violently and Andrea muttered an apology as she then began to work the bandages around his body.

"Honestly," Danny said on a pained breath. "Science and logic really hasn't seemed to help us much as of late," Danny continued. "So I figure why not give the 'higher power' theory a shot."

"God's will?" Andrea asked as she pressed herself closer between his legs and worked the bandage around the back of him. She felt him shrug and heard him take in a deep inhale as her hair tickled at his shoulder and chest. The exhale was slow, and Andrea was shocked when hit directly in her ear sending a shiver over her entire body.

"Why not?" his words were quiet, barely above a whisper in her ear and she felt his hand settle at the small of her back. She stiffened slightly, her back arching at the contact of his warm hand in so familiar a place and her breathing became a bit labored as she moved back. She felt him sigh as her body apparently reacted in a way that he'd wanted it to. Her eyes remained downcast as she worked the bandage around his midsection, his fingers pressing delicately but firmly into the muscles at her lower back.

She pressed her hand into his stomach, right above where that damn happy little trail of hairs was now hidden and let out a shaky breath. He held tight to her back, trying to keep her pressed close to him. She felt him lean forward a bit, his bearded chin working beside her head to move her hair away from her neck so that he could put his mouth to her ear.

"You still mad at me?" Danny said into her ear, that whispered breath causing her breath to catch. Her eyes closed and she felt her head shift to the side as he nuzzled his mouth a bit at her neck, his lips barely brushing the space below her ear. "Please say no."

She pressed hard at his stomach, causing him to flinch away. Immediately she felt bad but was slightly grateful for the fact that his hand had dropped from her back and she was able to back up a step. Her wide eyes met his slightly grimacing ones and she sighed.

"Hold this," Andrea pressed again, a bit more lightly and shivered when his hand covered over hers. She turned away again and grabbed the small roll of tape, using the moment to collect herself. A few breaths later she turned back to him, her eyes blinking and her 'lawyer face' as Amy had always called it back in place. "You said I could hate you for the rest of my life," Andrea said in response to him, shifting closer and ripping off a piece of tape. "Seeing as I'm not dead yet," she shrugged as she applied the first piece of tape. He chuckled and shook his head as she ripped a second and third piece and repeated her actions.

"Like being married all over again," Danny said smirking at her as she turned back around and moved to wipe off her slightly red tinged hands on one of the dishrags. She again felt his gaze on her back and this time she didn't have the chance to settle herself her nerves. His hands settled at her hips and he turned her to face him, his body pressing her into the counter behind.

"Usually women don't hate me until after we've slept together," Danny said pressing his hips to hers and shifting his fingers so that they settled right at the front waistband of her jeans. Tiny pinpricks of sensation filled her as those fingertips slid just a bit under her shirt. "Bit unsettling to have one hate me for something as silly as saving her ass," Danny said again shifting his bearded chin over her shoulder and into her neck. His pressed a wet open mouth kiss against her skin and again she found her body reacting without her mind's permission. Her head tilted just a bit and her eyes closed as he slid his scratchy bearded cheek up so that his lips were again in her ear. "How's 'bout we fix that?"

"Danny," Andrea's voice was a wanton rasp that she barely recognized. Her hands lifted to settle on his bare chest, and she knew she needed to push him away. But instead she found her hands sliding up and resting at his shoulders as his mouth worked delicately at the skin of her neck. Her head fell back and he chuckled against her skin, the movement of his sharp whiskers and the rumble of that deep chuckle working her body into an almost frenzied state. She willed herself to try one last attempt to push him away, and still didn't recognize the throaty whisper that escaped. "What happened to chivalry, and not taking advantage of my delicate state of mind?"

He stopped and lifted his head spearing her with a look of utter amusement.

"You know, I musta left my chivalry at the CDC," Danny said with a wicked little smile. "Done gone boom." He said as he pressed his hips closer. She took in a sharp breath at the feel of his erection pressing against her thigh, her mind reeling as she tried to remember the last time she'd been so turned on by such a thing. God how long had it been since she last- He slipped just a bit closer, his hands sliding over her midsection and lifting her shirt a bit. "As for your delicate state of mind," he said his lips hovering over hers as his hand slipped higher, fingers brushing the bottom of her bra's underwire. "Please."

The tone of his voice was sarcastic, and the twitch of his brow was the straw that broke the camel's back. She laughed, she couldn't help it, and his lips crashed into hers. His body was flush to hers now, his good knee sliding in between hers and a rush of welcoming familiar heat filled her as she wrapped her arms around his neck. Her fingers tangled harshly into his hair, pulling his head and his hot mouth harder against hers. His hands moved around to her back, molding her body to his. The feel of his bandaged torso meeting the bare flesh of her abdomen caused her to gasp in the realization that he'd somehow succeeded in lifting her shirt over her breasts.

Her bra clad breast met the slightly abrasive hairs on his chest and her mouth left his as she moaned. His lips worked over her jaw and back down to her neck and that spot right below her ear. He was sucking and kissing and otherwise driving her crazy, and honestly it wasn't until she felt his hands slide up over her bare breasts, his thumbs moving slowly over her taut nipples, that she realized he'd at some point removed her shirt. She stared at him in awe, that wicked grin of his growing as he worked his thumbs back and forth over her nipples. She didn't even remember lifting her damn hands from him to let him take her shirt off. Meanwhile her bra was slipped up under her chin and her head was shaking as he lowered his mouth to press a hot kiss to her left breast.

Her head flew back and her hands flew down to find purchase on his body as her body arched in pure unadulterated lust at the feel of his mouth on her breast. Her hands tightened around his hips and then moved up, and that was when she remembered-

"Fuck," Danny shot back from her his hand covering his wounded side. In her rush to aide him she ended up somehow hitting his injured left leg with her knee and sent him sprawling back against the small table. "Son of a -"

"I'm so sorry," Andrea said reaching out her hands, he shooed them away and ran a hand through his hair before lifting his pained gaze to her. Settling himself into the bench seat he shot his injured leg out in front of him and grinned at her. A single moment of confusion marred her features before she was rolling her eyes and shoving her bra back down into place. "You're an idiot. How did you even-"

"I told you not to blame me when it just happened," Danny waggled his eyebrows at her as she looked around for her shirt.

"Asshole," Andrea said half-heartedly, her heart still beating too rapidly in her chest and causing her voice to come out breathy and harsh. She picked up her shirt from the floor and started working it open.

"You know," Danny said idly, causing her eyes to slide back to him. "Before you put that on, we could move to a more comfortable location. Somewhere I could maybe lay down. Pick up where we left off," Danny smiled at her and her eyes widened as she looked back to the back bedroom. Shuffling from above had her head shaking and him nodding.

"We can't," Andrea said quietly followed immediately by, "We shouldn't."

Danny moved to get up, to try and convince her that both of those statements were utter and complete bullshit. But as soon as he got to his feet, he found himself looking up at the sound of feet rushing along the roof. An instant rush of dread filled him, quashing what was left of his amorous intent and he felt his jaw clenching tight. Andrea must have heard it too because she was working hurriedly to put her shirt on as he hobbled to the door. A loud banging on the door had them moving a bit faster.

"Get the fuck out here," Daryl's muffled agitated voice sounded and Danny just barely made out the man's head working past the window as he hurried towards the back of the RV.

Andrea helped Danny down the steps just as Dale was working down the ladder followed by Ben and Gracie.

"What's going on?" Andrea asked as Danny worked along the side of the RV towards where Daryl had run off. "Is it Walkers?"

"No," Dale said quietly as he helped Ben down to where Andrea stood. She put her hand to the boy's shoulder and held him steady. "It's the Hummer."

Danny was working to move faster than his body was really ready for him to. His right hand was braced against the RV as he hobbled after the faster moving Daryl. The bright headlights were hidden behind the station wagon and Shane's jeep, and cut deep through the darkness of the highway. Pressing off of the RV Danny stumbled a bit and lurched forward to grab onto the front of the station wagon. Small hands settled at his arm just as he touched the station wagon's hood and he smiled down at Ben beside him.

"You're s'posed to be using your crutch," Ben said fighting back a huge yawns as he helped steady Danny on his feet. "And where's your shirt?"

"Inside," Danny said slipping his gaze over his shoulder to Andrea and a smirking Dale. "Andrea was changin' my bandage for me."

"Is that what the kids are calling it these days," Dale muttered as he passed earning a shocked 'Dale!' from Andrea and a loud laugh from Danny.

"Why'd they come back?" Ben asked quietly watching as Glenn disembarked from the Hummer. Danny pressed his hand into the boy's shoulder and then shifted his eyes forward.

"Don't know, buddy," Danny said quietly. The continued on and watched as Glenn spoke in hushed tones to Daryl. Danny watched Daryl stagger backwards, the back of his hand lifting to his mouth and his shoulders hunching a bit as he took those two steps back. Daryl turned away from Glenn and angrily wiped his hand down his face as he growled at the forest. Glenn stared at Daryl, the sadness on his face piercing through Danny's heart and caused his steps to pause. Glenn's eyes skipped from the stalking form of Daryl who was now pressing his hands into the guardrail with his back to them, over to Danny.

"G-man," Danny said going for lighthearted but knowing that it came out strangled and barely audible.

"Danny," Glenn said, his voice a bit raw and as he stepped closer Danny saw the redness settled around his eyes. Glenn shook his head and firmed his lips before stepping forward again. "Danny, it's Jenna."

* * *

The second transfusion that Callie had given to Carl was taking its toll. Her eyes were barely open as she sat in the small room where Jenna was resting. The dim light provided by the small lamp on the nightstand only served to illuminate the table and the top of the bed. Jenna's red hair visible, but fuzzy in Callie's wavering vision.

Callie's head lolled back against the worn upholstered back of the wingback chair in the dark corner of the room. Her left arm, the one with the bandage wrapped around her hand and at her elbow where the needle had been settled was settled out along the arm of the chair, while her right was tucked up under her chin. Desperately working to keep her head from lolling too far forward. She blinked again a few times, her wavering vision going black for a moment as the feel of hot tears slid down her cheeks.

She was falling asleep. Or passing out. Probably passing out. Her head tilted just a bit at the feel of a hand on her shoulder, her slowly darkening vision unable to make out the face of the person. But the soft voice and gentle touch gave Carol away. Her words were lost to the haze of Callie's brain, something about 'Jenna resting' and as Callie's eyes closed she heard a faint 'going to sit with Lori for a while'.

And then in an instant she knew she'd finally passed out, or fallen asleep, because suddenly she wasn't sitting in that room on that horribly upholstered chair. She was in a familiar blood-stained driver's seat, staring down at the small silver gun in her hands in bit of confusion.

She could still feel the lumpy mass that was the chair cushion beneath her, but as she looked around her she knew that it didn't fit. And she didn't have the Fat Lady with her at the farm, so that didn't make sense either. Her head was hurting now as she tried to wrap her mind around what was going on.

"Don't let it get this far," Jim's voice beside her had her turning and in a bit of detached awe she simply stared. The man was dead. So was this a memory? He looked just as she remembered him.

Half of his face was gone from the bullet wound he'd given himself when he tried to take his own life in that car. His eyes were dead and clouded and yellowed puss was sliding out like tears down his sweat-slicked face. His jaw was askew, thick black and red blood falling out his open mouth and down his chin, dripping over his shirt.

"This is hell," Jim's voice sounded again. So clear despite the fact that his jaw wasn't even connected to his head on the right side anymore. She sat in a bit of awe at the sight of the talking Walker, and couldn't help but wonder why she wasn't shooting him. Instead she was just sitting there, calmly having a chat with him. "This is hell, Callie. End it before it gets to this."

"Jenna," Callie said, and somewhere in the dark corner of her mind she thought the name, but didn't even register saying it. In her head it settled strangely and a strange sensation crawled over her. Her eyes blinked and for just a moment the interior of the car turned into a dimly lit room. A figure was sitting on the edge of a bed. Jenna's bed. She blinked again and she was back in the car with the horrifying undead figure of Jim sitting beside her. "I'm so sorry." Her brow narrowed at that, because she knew that hadn't been her saying those words. Her eyes slipped up to the rearview mirror expecting to see Miles because that's where he'd been sitting during that horrific time, but it was nothing but darkness and a shadowy figure. "Callie." That voice again and she was turning around in the seat to face that dark backseat.

Jenna's dead snarling face, her red hair hanging in a tattered mass around her face met her straight on. The girl's mouth opened wide as she lunged, dead fingers reaching for Callie as she struggled to lift the weight of the Fat Lady.

Callie woke with a start, her body shooting forward, hand grasping for the gun that wasn't there. She met resistance and began to panic, feeling strong fingers settled at her shoulders. Her breathing was ragged as she worked against the fuzzy figure settled before her.

"Callie," Rick's voice edged into her still reeling mind and had her eyes focusing towards where his face was. Suddenly she realized it had been his voice in her half-dream, saying her name, saying Jenna's name, saying he was sorry. And the fingers she'd thought had been Jenna's clawing at her, had been Ricks' working to bring her out of her waking nightmare.

Callie lifted her hand to her head, feeling Rick's hands slide down from her shoulders to her elbows slowly. He held her steady as her body rocked back and forth a bit, and then slipped his hands back up. Fear. Adrenaline. The almost real feeling of an undead Jenna trying to take a bite out of her had her slipping forward more. Rick was kneeling between her legs and he must have felt her moving because his hands slipped over her shoulders and cradled her head to him as she plunged her face into his shoulder. Her wet eyes meeting the warm flesh of his neck.

She was crying again, and she felt ridiculous for it. Here she was trying to be strong for the girl dying in the bed not more than a few feet away and all she was doing was crying. Disgust flowed over her and she began pulling away from Rick's embrace. He tried to hold tight, but her hands pushing on his chest finally won out and he slipped his hands back to her shoulders. Rick held her at arm's length, his body still kneeling between her legs as she hunched forward in the chair and put her head in her shaking hands.

Three fucking deep breaths, Callie-girl. One. Two. Three.

As she exhaled the last time Callie raked her slowly steadying fingers through her hair, wincing only slightly at the pain in her left hand and arm. Settling both hands at the back of her neck she finally lifted her eyes to Rick's, and the realization hit her like a brick to the head.

He knew.

"Who?" Callie said quietly, her voice hoarse from crying.

"Glenn," Rick said quietly his hands finally falling from her shoulders. He settled one to his raised knee and raked the other through his own hair, his eyes angling to the sleeping girl behind them. Callie shook her head and let out a sigh. "Don't be mad at him. He didn't really want to tell me, I could tell. I cornered him before he left."

"Left?" Callie said, her eyes going wide as Rick shifted his attention back to her. "Where did he go?"

"Back to the highway," Rick said in a slow deliberate tone. "To tell the others."

"Shit," Callie began to push past him working to stand but a wave of dizziness followed quickly by Rick's hands at her arms settled her back down. She wanted to be angry, she felt angry. But it wasn't at Glenn. It wasn't at Rick either. She was angry at herself. Angry at the world. But that anger soon ebbed away and the only feeling left, was the one she'd been trying to fight off since the world ended around her.

Defeated.

Rick must have seen it. He must have been able to read it in the way her body sagged or the way her eyes rolled to the bed. He sighed and put the hand that had been itching at the wound at the back of his head to her knee. Before he could open his mouth, she sucked in a breath and worked to quell that feeling before it could take over.

"How's Carl?" Callie asked suddenly, shocking the man before her for an instant with the calm tone of her voice. Again setting her own grief aside to help him with the weight of his own worries. He shook his head at her as she rubbed at the spot where her blood had been drained and given to his boy.

"He's hangin' in," Rick said watching her rub away the tears on her face and nod. He saw her desperately trying to build up her defenses, and while he wanted her to let that guard down and allow him to help, he knew she wouldn't. Not for him. He grimaced at the strange feeling that put into his chest, and shook his head working to press whatever that was far away. "Thanks to you." She looked up at him and put a hand to his shoulder squeezing once. "Hershel, Patricia and Maggie are readying the room for surgery."

"Are they back?" Callie worked to stand up and this time she didn't let him settle her back down. He sighed and shook his head and simply helped her to stand as he shook his head.

"No," Rick ran his free hand over his face as they both stood staring at Jenna, her labored breathing wracking her small frame in the covers. "Hershel said we couldn't wait any longer. Lori and I," he took a breath. "We had to make a decision. We chose to try." Callie shifted her eyes to him and he caught her eye. "Carol's sitting with Lori and T-Dog in the living room."

A moment of silence fell over them, as they just continued to stare at the girl in the bed. Her red hair fanned out around her pale, sweat-slicked face. The infection had already settled so deeply into her, the fever, and no doubt the pain-Callie shook her head and put her hand to Rick's shoulder.

"He's gonna be fine," she said quietly. He let out a small scoffing sound and shook his head at her.

"You should have told me," Rick said quietly, his own voice raspy and coarse as if he were holding back tears. She looked to his face in the dim light of the room and saw the watering of his eyes glisten just a bit. "You should have told me."

"You had enough to worry about," Callie said almost angrily wiping at her own tears. Why the fuck couldn't she control that flow of water the way the men in her life seemed to be able to do? "Do you feel better now that you know? Do you feel good?" He was shaking his head at her his mouth moving as he worked to say something. "I knew the moment you found out you would take this on your shoulders. Blame yourself. And you didn't need that. You needed to be with Carl and Lori. Fuck, you should be with Lori now, not here."

"Lori was two steps behind me when I was coming here," Rick said angrily, his voice rising slightly before slipped an angered look to Jenna in the bed. "And if Hershel hadn't pulled us aside to ask us about the surgery she'd be here now."

"Jesus, you told her," Callie wiped her hand over her forehead and pressed back against the pressure there. "You two have enough to worry about, Rick. There is no reason for you to take on worrying about this too."

"But it's fine for you to just take on the weight of the world alone?" Rick threw a hand out at her and she backed up a step at his outburst. She stumbled and he sighed and caught her elbow righting her again. "It doesn't work that way, Callie. Being a family doesn't work that way." She opened her mouth and he dragged her back to him so that she was an inch away from his face. "Don't even say it. We're family now. We're all each other has now. You don't have to take this on alone." She stared at him and he tightened his grip on her elbow. "You should have told me."

Callie's chin dropped to her chest and his hand slipped off of her arm. Jenna stirred, her body arching a bit in pain and Callie moved away and towards the bed. She felt Rick's eyes on her as she settled on the edge of the bed. She took a few breaths and then reached forward to the bowl of water and rag settled on the nightstand. Wringing out the rag she shushed the still sleeping girl who seemed to be in the throes of a nightmare herself and put the cool cloth to her too hot skin.

Rick's eyes were still on her, and she heard his soft steps as he moved to stand behind her. She would not apologize for the choice she made. She wasn't sorry. And he knew that.

"This whole time," Rick started then cleared his throat. "Since we got here and got Carl stabilized. Since my brain actually had time to process what had happened," he stepped closer and she slid the cloth over Jenna's forehead. "I've been thinking about the CDC." Her brow narrowed and her fingers stilled. "I've been thinking about what Jenner told us. About us all being-" he cut himself off and slipped his gaze to the slightly ajar door. "And I sat at Carl's bedside and I prayed."

"Rick," Callie started as she looked up to him, he shook his head at her.

"I said I wanted proof," Rick said quietly his voice even more coarse as he fought back the strong emotions pouring into his words. "I said I needed proof but I never-" he shuddered a bit. "I sat there and I worried that one of those times that his breathing hitched, and it looked like it wasn't going to start up again… I worried that the next time he opened his eyes they would be clouded and dead," Rick's voice cracked and Callie let the washcloth fall to the ground as she got to her feet. "Now with this surgery going down—" he stopped again and his eyes widened as her hands lifted to grip his arms. "I feel like I lied to Lori."

"Rick," Callie said again stepping closer.

"He woke up," Rick said ignoring her and the feel of her hands. "Scared me to death because I'd been there, fingering my gun," He shook his head as a sickening feeling overwhelmed him. "But he was fine. He said he remembered the deer. The fuckin' deer, Callie." He let a mirthless laugh filter out and shook his head. "I told Lori we had to try. I didn't tell her what Jenner said. I told her that we had hope, that we had to -"

"Of course you do," Callie said emphatically and he shook his head at her.

"Then I cornered Glenn and made him tell me what you were hiding from me." Rick stared hard at her. "And I felt sick. I felt so," he searched for the word and finally grabbed her shoulders. "I _feel_ so horribly selfish. For not pushing you. For letting you hide it when I knew something wasn't right. Even now, I feel it, for burdening you with my worries about-I feel horrible knowing that while I was worried about something that may not go down, you were sitting her alone just _waiting_ for it to happen. God," he said on a strangled sob, she shook her head and he nodded, her eyes slipping to Jenna. He pulled her a bit and caused her eyes to come back to his, the tears falling free down his face now. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." He pulled her forward and she fell into his embrace.

Callie shook her head against his chest and held tight to him, again giving herself up to the feeling of defeat and hopelessness that had settled into her chest. She let her tears fall, feeling his own as he pressed his face into her neck. Sounds of a commotion outside in the house had them breaking apart.

Rick moved faster than her, the dizziness of her two transfusions causing her to falter at the doorjamb. He looked back and she waved him off as she worked forward using her hand along the wall to steady herself as she headed towards the foyer.

She made it there just in time to see Shane hobble through the front door and pass of two large bags to a stoney-faced Hershel. Shane's eyes slid to the form of Patricia and Callie just barely made out the words 'didn't make it', and 'sacrificed himself to save us'.

"Miles?" Callie asked quietly falling forward a bit as the weeping Patricia was pulled away by Maggie and Hershel. Rick's hand shot out to steady her and he looked to Shane.

"I'm here," the kid's voice was low as he worked his way slowly in to the house. His bloodied forehead and the way he was cradling his broken arm, with his broken cast, to his body had both Shane and Rick reaching out to him. He pushed past them and went directly to Callie who was opening her arms for him.

"Dear God, what happened to you?" Callie said as she dragged the obviously injured boy to her. She held him tight and he held her back. Her hands curled into the fabric of his shirt and held him tighter than she probably ever had before. And it didn't take long for her to start to cry again. Relief coursing through her and mixing with everything else causing it to be too much. Miles stiffened in her embrace, his eyes narrowing and slipping over her head to Rick who closed his eyes and shook his head slightly at the boy's enquiring gaze.

"What is it?" Miles asked suddenly, his hands pushing Callie to arm's length. He searched her face and she just shook her head. Miles again looked towards Rick and Shane.

"Is it Carl?" Shane asked immediately, his body working to hobble past his friend to where Hershel and the others had disappeared.

"No," Rick responded quietly, his eyes slipping to Callie. She looked to Miles, and her hands settled at his arms gently, his eyes sliding over her face in confusion and fear. "It's not Carl."

_I watched you suffer a dull aching pain_

_Now you decided to show me the same_

_No sweeping exits or off stage lines_

_Could make me feel bitter or treat you unkind_

_Wild horses, couldn't drag me away_

_Wild, wild horses couldn't drag me away_

_~Wild Horses/ The Rolling Stones_

_AN: And thus ends part one. Bear with me folks, I'm working hard to get everyone back together soon. I wanted to reach out to all of you and let you know that I am so glad that you've kept with me as I delve deep into some very painful areas for our crew of misfits. I know that it's a lot to deal with, and as always I appreciate your readership, and comments more and more. _

_And…on a silly little side note. When I was writing Rick and Callie's conversation, and delving into Rick's feelings…the Jenner revelation and so on, really something struck me. I got so many comments, about saving Sophia, and saving Jenna…and yet I don't think in all the stories/reviews I've read have I ever once heard of someone ask to kill of Carl. Hmmm…. I've read more about how annoying he is, how he's constantly causing trouble…and yet strangely no one's ever said to an author…are you gonna kill Carl. _

_No spoilers here peeps, just an interesting notion that popped into my brain._

_With that I leave you_

_See ya in part 2._

_Much love!_


	22. Wild Horses Pt 2

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_SO….a bit of a spoiler…cause I know y'all are jonesin' for everyone to be back together again. Well, it ain't happening this chapter *ducks*. I know. I know. But honestly…I couldn't cut the awesome Daryl and Andrea find the walker in the woods scene could I? _

_As always, read, review and most of all enjoy!_

_~michelle_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Wild Horses Pt. 2**

Maggie kept her head down as she walked past the living room towards the porch. She could feel his gaze on her, and it was starting to make her skin crawl.

Shane.

Maggie's heart went out to Rick and his wife, waiting for her father to step out of that little room. To Carol, the soft-spoken mother whose child was still lost somewhere out in the forest beyond their little safe haven. To Callie-God she didn't even want to think about what that woman was goin' through.

She even felt sorry for the foul-mouthed boy who had returned with the dark haired man she now knew as Shane. Shane. She was finding it hard to have anything but contempt for that man. Especially after the way he'd acted not so long ago.

Maggie had been walking back to tell Rick that her father and Patricia were set and going to begin the surgery when she'd stumbled upon he and Callie informing the newly returned duo of the young girl's fate. That boy's grief-stricken face as they told him was heart-wrenching. And Maggie had frozen immediately feeling as though she were intruding upon a very private moment. The way the kid had pushed Callie away sending her falling back against the wall-goodness if it hadn't been for Rick she'd have fallen to the ground. The way he'd thrown himself through the open door of the girl's room, and then stumbled backwards back out only moments later. His back pressing hard into the wall across from the still open door, right before his legs just crumbled beneath him causing him to slide down the wall in a heap.

Shane had merely stood there, his hands raking through his hair as he muttered 'Jesus', while Rick and Callie had moved towards the suffering boy. That poor boy, who was just sitting on the ground, cradling his broken arm to his body as his head moved side to side in disbelief.

She'd felt her own heart seize up in her chest in that moment. Memories assaulting her; images of her and Beth stumbling from a room nearly the same way weeks, or God was it months ago now?

It had taken a few agonizing minutes, that felt like hours as Maggie waited and listened not really knowing what to do while they spoke in hushed tones to settle the boy. Beth had come around and stared at her with wide unblinking eyes, obviously dragged back to another time as well by the look on her face. Maggie shooed her to her room as Rick made his way towards her. He asked so kindly to have permission to let the kid get cleaned up, a request Maggie had agreed to even before the man had finished asking.

She shown them both up to the bathroom and had Jimmy bring up some fresh clothes for the battered kid. The two of them were about the same height, but the kid was a bit wider 'round the shoulders than Beth's lean and lanky boyfriend. After he'd finished she'd gone in and put a bandage to the boy's head and set his arm with an ace bandage around his broken cast. She knew that broken bones were well out of her realm of expertise, and her father was the boy's best shot if he wanted to ever have use of the limb again.

And it was as she was making her way out of the bathroom after cleaning up her supplies that she'd ran into Shane. His icy stare had startled her and backed her up a few steps, her eyes searching the hallway for any sign of the boy or Rick.

"Maggie, right?" Shane had asked in a tone that was meant to be friendly. The man had even tried to smile at her, but Maggie wasn't biting. She'd been mollycoddled all her life by her father, so when it came to deflecting it, she was a damned professional.

"Can I help you?" Maggie said shifting her weight on her feet and glaring at the man. He seemed taken aback by her attitude and after a moment of consideration his smile fell. He sniffed and shifted his eyes down the hall, making sure they were alone before stepping closer. She held her ground, but tightened her arms around the supplies she held to her chest.

"That woman," he started his eyes shifting uncomfortably. "Otis' wife."

"Patricia," Maggie said stiffly, and when his eyes lifted she added "Otis' _widow_." In hindsight it had probably been the wrong way to act. And she knew, Good Lord she could hear her father's admonishing tone in the back of her mind, but she didn't care. She was upset, and he deserved to know.

"Right," Shane said his teeth slipping out to work over his bottom lip. He again shifted his eyes around and Maggie found herself doing the same, hoping that someone would happen by. "She's working on Carl." Maggie found her head lifting in a sort of confirmation of his unasked question. "She ain't gonna do nothin' stupid is she?"

Maggie's eyes had snapped wide and her head shot back a bit, his words smacking into her with the force of a slap to the face. Because that's exactly what they were. How dare he? Maggie shifted her weight and found herself sliding forward, her face pushing into the little buffer of comfort that she'd put between them and her eyes narrowing on his slightly shocked ones.

"If you mean to ask if she's gonna take out her vengeance on an innocent little baby," Maggie seethed as she pressed closer. She left the statement hang, and he stared at her for a moment before raising a single seemingly humored brow at her. She shook her head and started to walk past him in disgust. "What kind of man are you to ask such a thing?" His hand shot out and grabbed her arm stopping her, rough fingers digging just a bit into her skin.

"A man that's worried 'bout his family," Shane said in a quiet and almost deadly tone. "People ain't the same as they used to be. This world," he shook his head and raised his other hand to slide over his head, wincing when he hit the cut that she could see the blood trail coming from. "This world brings out the worst in people."

"Maybe in your world," Maggie said breaking his hold on her arm and stepping away from him. He stared at her, and she shook her head. "Otis died trying to save that boy. Patricia isn't going to sully his sacrifice by doing anything '_stupid'_, as you put it." Maggie took a breath in through her nose and shook her head again before turning her back on him. She'd taken a couple of steps before stopping and facing him again, his eyes still boring holes into her. "There's a set a clothes in there," Maggie said. "They were Otis'. It's all we have." Shane's eyes dropped to the ground between them and she felt a heavy weight settle on her shoulders.

Damn her father for instilling such deep-seeded morals into her. She let out a breath and waited for him to lift his eyes again, but he didn't. He simply turned towards the bathroom, his hand still working through his dark curling hair.

"Hey," Maggie said gaining his attention, he turned with that same expression and she suddenly realized that he didn't look angry so much as, what was the word? Lost maybe? "When you're finished I can look at that cut for you."

"S'a'right," Shane said his hand working in a way that made Maggie think he was horrified that she'd noticed his injury. "Just a scratch."

"The world around us," Maggie said quietly, causing his eyes to lift again. "It's only as bad as we make it."

"Thoughts like that," Shane said with a disgusted laugh, as he turned away from her and worked towards the bathroom. "It's a wonder you people are even still alive."

An hour later and that conversation was still plaguing Maggie's thoughts. And her body stayed tense until she'd finally worked her way out of the man's field of vision and pushed out onto the front porch. The cool breeze that hit her instantly helped to settle her frazzled nerves. Taking a deep breath she shifted her eyes to the left, and again she felt her heart break just a bit.

The boy sat alone in the dark, his eyes settled on some point out in the darkness. His left hand was cradled to his body, while his right was clenched tight on his thigh. His dark blonde hair was in a state of complete disarray, dried in odd angles around his head. Maggie let out a low breath and turned towards him, letting her feet fall hard to alert him to her presence. When he didn't turn Maggie raised a brow and simply shoved her hands towards him.

"Here," Maggie said, the sound of her voice waking the boy from his stupor and sending his eyes to hers. She pushed her hands out again and he slipped his eyes down in a daze. "Take this, it'll help with the pain."

"Thanks," the kid muttered taking the two pills and popping them into his mouth, before taking the glass from her. He sucked the entire glass of water down in thirsty gulps and Maggie reached out to take it from him. Once again his eyes slipped to the darkness and Maggie slid her eyes to where he was looking, trying to see what he was searching for.

"Mind if I sit?" Maggie said quietly. The kid shifted his eyes to her and after a moment he shrugged his shoulders. She smiled a bit and settled into the chair next to him, her eyes on the empty glass in her hand.

She really had no idea what to say to the kid. He was hurting, badly. His entire world seemed to have crashed down around him in the span of one day, and he was having a hard time with it. She shifted her eyes to the boy, and watched his face. His eyes were shifting around not fixed to anything, as if he were lost in thought. Maggie shifted her eyes back to the door to the house, knowing that he probably didn't want a stranger out here intruding.

Again she found her mind wandering to that small room where that girl lay. The image of Callie still settled by her bedside, wiping her brow down with a cool wet cloth. In her mind's eye the image changed to Annette, settled beside Shaun, the motions the same. Her step-mother had been adamant about staying by her son's side, no matter how much any of them tried to get her to rest and take a break. It had been that unwavering dedication to her sick boy that had been her undoing.

Maggie still remembered Annette's screams echoing through the room and waking her from her where she'd fallen asleep in one of the chairs they'd dragged into the room. The sight of Shaun tearing into their mother's arm still lingered in Maggie's mind; the sole subject of a many if not all of her nightmares. She'd screamed so loud and watched frozen for what seemed like forever as Shaun continued to tear into their mother's flesh. Her father and Otis had come in together followed by a terrified Beth.

Maggie didn't remember much after that. Brief flashes of Otis working a lead, from God knew where, around Shaun's shoulders and head. Annette bloody body being cradled by her father on the floor next to the bed. Patricia's ashen face leading Maggie and Beth stumbling from the room.

Almost unbidden, Maggie's gaze yet again ventured through the dark to the far off barn. Her eyes then skipped back to the silent boy beside her, before veering to the window behind them. Maggie could only hope that Callie's unwavering devotion to her girl didn't have the same end results as she witnessed in this house before. And whether it was against her father's wishes or not, Maggie was comforted by the sight of the gun Callie had near her.

The woman was obviously prepared in her own way for what was to come. A fact that had not escaped her father's scrutiny. Maggie shook her head, thinking about the conversation between her father and Callie that was still to come.

Slipping her eyes to the boy Maggie felt the his sadness filter around her. Thoughts of her and Beth sitting out here, watching their father carrying Annette's seemingly lifeless body towards Otis and the barn. She understood why the boy would want to be alone. Why he would need to be alone. It was obvious that he knew what was coming, and Maggie again felt awkward, as if she should leave him to his privacy.

But there was something in the way he was isolating himself that had her staying put. Something about the way he avoided being in the house. No, not the house. The people in the house. One person, in particular. The same person who had been eyeing her only moments ago and causing her skin to crawl in her own damn house. There was something to that avoidance, something she suddenly felt the need to get to the bottom of.

"I'm sorry," the boy said quietly causing Maggie's eyes to open wide as her head turned to regard him. He was staring at his good right hand now, and she furrowed her brow at him. "About Otis. He was a," the boy stopped and shook his head angrily, his hand lifting to wipe hard over his eyes. A deep breath and he was again staring at the dark. "He was a good man."

"Yes he was," Maggie said quietly. She felt horrible when the boy's head dropped, his chin hitting his chest. "I'm sorry your girl's sick."

"She ain't sick," the boy spat out, his angry eyes shifting to her. "She's dyin'."

Shock washed over her at the venom in his voice, and just as her mouth opened to respond the flash of headlights caught her attention. The boy noticed too, and he sat up a bit straighter as he watched the large orange Hummer pull up to the front of the house.

Glenn, the young Asian man, hopped out of the driver's seat and Maggie felt herself smiling at him as he caught her eye. He nodded once, and then bounded over towards the slowly opening passenger side door. A man with dark wild hair and the heavy growth of a beard along his jaw slowly worked his way down to the ground. Maggie got to her feet at nearly the same time as the boy beside her.

"Danny!" the boy yelled out, before pushing past her and heading towards the porch stairs. The man looked up, his eyes widening a bit as he let Glenn help him down. The man, Danny, settled his weight on a crutch and pushed away from Glenn.

"Miles!" Danny called out, watching as the boy flew down the steps towards him.

"Thank God," Maggie heard Glenn say as he ran his hand through his hair and watched Danny reach out and pull Miles to him with his right arm while his left hand clutched at the crutch. Glenn shifted his attention up to her and gave her an almost imperceptible smile that she nodded in return to.

Danny pushed Miles out to arm's length and looked at the boy's face, studying him and his wounds. Maggie wondered at the relationship between the two. It was dark, but she would be hard pressed to say he looked like the boy in any real way.

"Jesus Christ boy," Danny exclaimed, his hand cupping the boy's face. "The fuck happened to you?"

"I crashed a car," Miles said in return to Danny before scrunching his face. "Then a Hummer. It's a long fuckin' story, and I don't really wanna talk about it."

"I don't fuckin' care. You're gonna tell me everything," Danny shook his head and grabbed onto Miles' shoulder as they worked towards the stairs. "And as of right now, you're never driving again. Ya hear me?"

Maggie's brows rose at the language and she immediately re-evaluated her initial thoughts. The two of them sounded too much alike to be anything but family. Glenn cleared his throat a bit and gave her a sheepish look as they worked their way up the stairs of the porch. It was at that point that Maggie took in the state of the man Glenn had brought back with him.

He was wearing a pair of khakis, and an old mechanics shirt with the name 'Butch' embroidered on it that looked to have seen better days. The button up shirt was open, and Maggie shook her head at the sight of the bandages wrapped around his midsection. The bit of red staining through it had her moving and shifting her attention to Glenn.

"Honestly," Maggie said to Glenn as he walked slowly beside Danny helping him along. "Is there anyone in your group that _isn't_ hurt?"

Glenn didn't answer just gave a small chuckle and shook his head before shifting his attention to Danny who was now watching her with an interested and amused air. Glenn swallowed and pushed out a hand towards her.

"Uh," Glenn began slowly. "Danny this is Maggie. The girl I was-" Glenn stopped and looked up at her with a small smile. "She's the one that saved my ass in the woods." Danny raised his brows and nodded his head at her and she nodded back. A beat of silence flowed out between them and then Maggie was shaking her head.

"Dad and Patricia are workin' on Carl now," Maggie said quietly.

"Shane? Your man?" Glenn asked and Maggie shifted on her feet a bit, watching as the boy hunched his shoulders in on himself. An action that wasn't missed by his two friends.

"Your man Shane is inside with Rick and the rest." Maggie said, her eyes sliding to where the boy was staring at the floorboards below his feet. "Otis didn't make it."

"I'm sorry," Glenn said quietly his face contorting with the sincerity of his words. "God, I'm so sorry." In the hushed silence Maggie heard Danny shift and watched him eye the boy beside him. He muttered something but all she could make out was 'long talk you and me' as the boy seemed to cave further in on himself.

"Your people are all in the living room, except Callie," Maggie said quietly as she looked to Danny and Miles. "She's in with your girl. Refuses to leave her."

"Yeah, that's what Glenn was sayin'," Danny said with a shake of his head. "Fuckin' woman." He put his hand to Miles' shoulder and pushed him along. "C'mon, you take me. We'll get her to take a break, even if I have to bodily remove her from the bedside." Danny started forward and then stopped just as Miles opened the door. He turned back to her and gave a sad smile. "Thank you."

Maggie nodded in return and wrapped her arms around herself watching as the silent boy disappeared with the newly arrived man. She felt Glenn step up beside her, and turned to see his eyes just stuck to the door. She studied his profile for a moment, indecision clear on his face. He shifted his eyes and blinked a few times in shock when he found her staring at him.

"Uh, I should," he pointed to the door and shifted his eyes away from her. "I should probably go in."

"You don't have to," Maggie said quietly, her eyes narrowing as he sighed. "If you don't want to. If you need a minute-"

"No, I should. Rick, Lori, Callie," he shook his head. "I should be in there with them."

"What about the rest of your group?" Maggie said her eyes shifting behind her to the Hummer. "I thought you were bringing them all back here."

"They're coming at first light," Glenn said shifting his eyes behind him. He opened his mouth to say something but then closed it. He shook his head and then looked at her. "Have you ever tried to argue with a brick wall?"

"Ya haven't really had the time to talk with my dad yet have ya?" Maggie said with a smile. Glenn chuckled and shook his head. He looked at her and she felt her stomach give just a bit of a flip when he smiled. Shaking her head she nodded towards the door. "You should go in."

"You'll be okay?" Glenn asked, the question hit her in a strange way. She found herself smiling widely at him and almost blushing. As the heat in her cheeks grew a bit she shook her head. Wasn't no almost about it. She was definitely blushing. Quickly she held it in check and gave him a push towards the door, hoping he didn't notice her flushed cheeks in the darkness.

Glenn disappeared inside with a small smile and Maggie was left alone on the porch staring into the lit foyer. The quiet of the night settled over her and she hugged her arms tighter around her body, the muffled sounds of the small reunion with Danny filtered out the screen door. But her brain wasn't processing them. Instead those muffled noises turned into something else, something more horrifying, and her eyes filtered back towards the barn. Those final words that Miles had said echoing in her ears.

_She ain't sick. She's dyin'._

* * *

"So, you really think we're going to find her?" Andrea's voice broke through the silence and honest to fuckin' God Daryl almost smacked her.

Instead of giving into that almost overwhelming response, Daryl chose the fuckin' high ground and ignored the bitch. As if he wasn't irritated enough by all the shit that had gone down today, she had to just keep adding fuel to the damn fire. Daryl let out a long sigh and shifted his flashlight beam around the dark woods once more before shutting it off to save the battery.

His mind went back to what Glenn had said when he climbed out of that Hummer. He was lo to admit that he'd been scared, actual honest to God scared, when he saw the look on the kid's face when he got out. Soon as he'd seen the car he'd been expectin' bad news. Expectin' to hear that he was gonna have to add that woman to his missing fuckin' persons list. Expectin' to hear that Carl hadn't made it.

Much as that one pained him to think, it wasn't farfetched that the boy wouldn't survive a gunshot wound. And Dixon's didn't do wishful thinkin' so…

He'd thought he'd pretty much prepared for anything that Glenn could have said. And he'd been wrong. So fuckin' wrong that the simple words, _Jenna's infected, _had damn near floored him. Even now, just thinking about it had him all shades of riled up.

And then, instead of Danny just gettin' in the fuckin' Hummer and going back with Glenn, like he shoulda. He and that fuckin' Chinaman had spent the better part of a half an hour tellin' him that he should come to.

What the fuck was he gonna do there that Danny couldn't do?

He'd stormed off after a while, draggin' the devastated Ben and Gracie with him to the RV. He'd left Andrea and Dale to deal with getting Glenn and Danny back on the road and shoved those two kids back to the back room of that RV. As soon as they'd gotten back there the both of them just broke down in tears. He was grateful when they shoved their faces into him because he couldn't even begin to fathom the fuckin' lost expression that had been riding his face when that happened.

They cried for what felt like hours, Daryl makin' his best attempt to soothe them until finally they'd calmed down. And then the fuckin' questions had started all posed by Ben as little Gracie just sat there chewing her thumbnail and sniffin' away.

When was Jenna gonna turn? Was he gonna get to say goodbye? ('Cause he didn't get to say g'bye to Mike and he'd liked Mike.) Was Callie gonna shoot Jenna like she did Mike and Nina and Jim? (Just hearin' all them names spiked a dagger into Daryl's gut and had him thinkin' maybe, just maybe he shoulda gone with Glenn and Danny). Was Callie gonna shoot them too if they got bit?

And then at that Ben had made a point of saying that he wanted Daryl to shoot him if it happened, which was the last fuckin' straw. He'd stood up and snapped at both of them to lay the fuck down and go to sleep. Ben had stared at him for a moment, and then complied with a grumble and a sniff. While little Itty-bit, who had curled up on her side during Ben's question segment stared at him while he stalked around that little back room.

He'd pushed his way out of the room and thrown himself into the bench seat of that little table and stared at it until he heard the Hummer pull off. Dale and Andrea had come back at that point. Dale gave him one long look, a fuckin' look that spoke volumes of shit Daryl didn't wanna hear, and then proceeded back up onto the roof of the RV. Andrea had stared at him for a good long while before slipping herself into the bench seat across from him.

They stayed that way, neither one knowin' what to say to the other-neither one really boastin' ever havin' actually conversed with the other on a one-on-one basis before. Finally after what felt like fuckin' hours Daryl shifted and worked his way back to that back room where Ben was still audibly sniffin'.

"I'm sorry," Daryl said as he settled himself onto the small twin bed across from where the boy and his sister were curled up. Ben's shinin' sad eyes slipped up to him and he nodded, his chin wobblin' as he tried to control his tears.

"You think Sophia got bit too?" Ben asked quietly and Daryl shook his head and let out a long sigh through his nose as he slipped down and knelt in the space between the beds.

"No," Daryl said with conviction. "I'm gonna bring Sophia home. You hear me?" Ben had nodded but Daryl didn't let it go. "I wanna hear it."

"You're gonna bring her home," Ben said, his chin finally coming to a stop and his head lifting a bit. "I wanna say g'bye to Jenna."

"Gonna see her tomorrow mornin'." Daryl said putting his rough hand to the boy's head and pushing it back down to the pillow. Ben's eyes closed and he sighed. Daryl stayed and let his finger run over the boy's forehead until he fell asleep.

Daryl sat there just watchin' them two babies sleep, tiny whimpers fallin' from silent little Gracie's mouth as she snuggled in closer to her brother. Finally it all just got to be too much. The close confines of the RV. Those little whimpers. The sound of Andrea loadin' them fuckin' clips. He needed to get out. Get away. Get his fuckin' head on straight.

He'd pushed forward and made it to the door before Andrea had opened her trap, askin' what he was doin'. When he told her she offered to come along, and he let her. For God knows whatever reason, he fuckin' let her.

"Dale," Daryl yelled up and waited for the old man to peer over. "Gonna walk the road a bit. Shine a light for Sophia. Ben and Gracie are sleepin'," Dary shifted his eyes away when Andrea peered at him as she tucked her gun into the back of her jeans. "Can ya check on 'em in a bit. I don't want them wakin' up alone."

"Of course," Dale said nodding his head. "Be careful," Dale looked to Andrea who scoffed and rolled her eyes. Daryl met Dale's eyes and rolled his own earning a bit of a grin out of the old man before he turned and began walking.

And thus Daryl found himself walking the edge of the woods with a woman he didn't really care for. He didn't hate her, didn't not like her. He just didn't fuckin' care one way or another 'bout her.

"Daryl?" Andrea's voice broke into his thoughts and he found himself squinting over at her. "Did you hear me? I asked if you thought-"

"I fuckin' heard ya," Daryl snapped back. "I just wasn't answerin' ya."

"Why not?"

"'Cause it's a stupid fuckin' question." Daryl said harshly. "We're in fuckin' Georgia, not the mountains of Tibet. Of course we're gonna find her. People get lost all the time." Daryl shook his head. "That girl's a fuckin' survivor. Been one longer than this shit's been goin' down. She's tougher than y'all give her credit for livin' like she was," he felt Andrea's stare on his shoulders and he pressed through the awkward feeling he was getting from talking about Sophia's abusive life before. "She could be holed up in some farmhouse just waitin' for us to find her."

"You're very confident," Andrea said snidely and he snorted in return. "She's only twelve, Daryl."

"Fuck, I was nine when I got lost," Daryl said as he waved a hand at her. "Nine days in the woods, eatin' berries and wipin' my ass with poison oak." A smile came unbidden to Daryl's lips and he knew Andrea caught it.

"Someone found you?" Andrea asked trying to see him in the dark. She'd really never spoken to the man before, and found it strangely interesting to hear him being so open about something in his life.

"Nah," Daryl said that smile still in place on his face. Andrea peered at him as he shook his head and he let out a chuckle. "My dad was on a bender, and Merle was doin' him a stint in juvie. No one even knew I was gone. Made it back on my own. Made myself a sandwich, and weren't no worse for wear. 'Cept my ass itched somethin' awful." Daryl paused and let out another chuckle. "I remember tellin' Merle 'bout that when he got out. Fucker never let me live it down. Used to try to get me to wipe with poison oak every time we went out in the woods."

Andrea snorted and he looked over at her. She was slightly taken aback by what she saw. Daryl was smiling at her, not just a smirk or a twitch of his lips but a full on grin as he apparently fell into that memory of his childhood for all that it was worth. To her it was a terrible story, but to him, she shook her head. To him it had been something entirely different, something she in her limited experience with true hardships couldn't really ever hope to understand.

Daryl was still chuckling a bit and Andrea watched him pick his way through easily through the woods. Obviously still lost in some kind of internal humorous memories. Suddenly she was struck with something, and she looked at the man slightly ahead of her. The man lost in his thoughts of his brother.

"Daryl," Andrea said causing him to look back at her, his smile faded to a bit of a smirk now. "I don't think I ever-" she stopped and watched him raise an expectant and annoyed brow at her. "I'm sorry about Merle." He scoffed at her and looked away, his pace picking up a bit. He turned back and looked at her confusedly and she continued. "Really. I know what it's like to lose a sibling."

"Yeah, well," Daryl said quietly into the night. "Merle ain't dead." Andrea's feet stopped and she stared at the man a few steps ahead of her. She saw the moment his words echoed into his brain because his body tensed up and he half-turned to face her. "That was outta line," Daryl said quietly, surprising Andrea. "Amy was a sweet kid. What happened to her," he shook his head. "That was a shame. I don't envy you that pain."

"Thank you," Andrea said quietly and they started walking again. "Just knowing how hard it was for me with Amy," Andrea continued, ignoring the long shuddering, seemingly pained sigh from the man a few feet ahead of her. "I can't really imagine what Callie's going through right now. I mean she's already had to-"

"Shh," Daryl cut off Andrea mid sentence and held up his hand. Immediately Andrea pulled her gun and Daryl tried to hold back his biting remark. He pushed out his arm as a way to keep her ass back out of the way so he could take a look at what they were up against without her causing a fuckin' ruckus.

Daryl crept forward and squinted in the dark for a few seconds before pulling his flashlight and lighting up the small camp area they'd stumbled upon. His heart had been beating a mile a minute at the prospect of finding Sophia in this clearing, but his hopes were dashed in a heartbeat when his light slid up a nearby tree.

_Wishful fuckin' thinkin' gets you this shit, baby brother. _Merle's voice echoes in his head, and he snarls at it.

"Oh God," Andrea says putting her hand over her mouth and bending at the waist. Apparently the sight of the Walker hanging from the tree wiggling around wasn't something she'd been prepared for either. Daryl grimaced at the woman for a moment as she put her hand over her mouth.

"Ya a'right?" Daryl asked, she waved him off with a hand and felt his lip twitch a bit. "Go ahead and puke if you gotta. Ain't gonna be the first time I dealt with people pukin on me when we come up on one of these fuckers." Thoughts of Callie and then Rick flitted into his mind and he shook his head and smirked at the sound of her wretchin'. Add another to the list.

While Andrea worked to control her stomach Daryl inched forward and let his light hit off of a small piece of paper tacked to the tree under the Walker.

"Got bit, fever hit," Daryl squinted at the paper, "World's gone to shit. Might as well quit." Daryl squinted up the tree. "The fuck?" Daryl shifted his attention to the undead man twistin' like mad to try and get at him. "Dumbass didn't even know 'nough to shoot himself in the head. Look at that mess."

"I'd rather not," Andrea responded, causing Daryl to look over at her. He scrunched up his face. "Can we talk 'bout somethin' else?"

"Look at him, like some big fuckin' piñata," Daryl muttered causing Andrea to gag, he smirked a bit. Serves her right for taggin' along and bein' fuckin' annoyin' with her idiotic questionin'. She bent over a bit more and the sound was almost pained as she heaved. He found himself shaking his head and grimacing a bit before wrackin' his brain for a way to get her mind off of it. "You know why Merle called ya Sugar-Tits?"

He watched from the corner of his eye as her head snapped up and she speared him with a confused glare. She wiped at her mouth and continued to stare at him for a minute before he raised a brow expectantly. Her face softened as he worked his way around the campsite looking for any signs that Sophia might have stumbled upon it, and he sent her the tiniest of smirks.

"I remember Callie saying something about me having the better rack," Andrea said with a smirk as she spat at the ground and shifted away from the still swinging Walker. She smiled at him when he chuckled, and when their eyes met she gave him a silent nod of thanks. Inane conversation to take your mind off the horror around you was a beautiful thing when used correctly. Then she saw his eyes flick down to her breasts and watched him chuckle as she crossed her arms over her chest. "God, just as bad as your brother."

Daryl shrugged and then went back to looking in the small tent, the beam of his flashlight flicking around a bit. The sound of the groaning, swinging Walker in the tree as the background noise of his search, an eerie reminder of why they were out here.

"That was part of it," Daryl again chuckled the memory of the day Callie got the information from Merle flashing in his mind. "Honestly, the man couldn't remember a fuckin' name to save his life," Daryl said idly as he kicked at a broken lantern and looked over at the blonde woman now just staring at him.

"The drugs?"

"Nah," Daryl said working his head into the tent and looking around. "Merle just never really gave a fuck 'bout rememberin' 'em. Said it was a waste of time. Shit, the man didn't even call me by name half the time," Daryl said unable to stop the smirk from riding his lips as Andrea followed his movements with her eyes. "Called me 'kid' or 'boy' for the first few years, then 'dumbfuck', a few more in between, and then finally it just ended up being 'lil' brother' or somethin' close. Shit, only really started usin' my name after shit started hittin' the fan."

"From dumbfuck to brother in thirty-some years," Andrea said with a smile. "Quite the accomplishment." He flipped her off and she smiled wider. "I used to call Amy 'midget'," Andrea said her brow furrowing a bit as Daryl worked his way back towards her. He lifted a single brow at her in a way that had her thinking he was questioning her intelligence just a bit. "Guess it wasn't as badass as I thought." He scoffed and she snickered. "Shut up, I was twelve."

"And obviously lackin' in the imagination department," Daryl said under his breath. Andrea stared at him for a moment and then shook her head.

"So is this what you're like around Callie?" Andrea asked out of the blue, which caused his eyes to snap back to her. She was honestly interested, because she'd never been able to figure out exactly what Callie saw in him before. Even at the Quarry, it hadn't really made sense and had been the subject of quite a few gossip-fests between the rest of the ladies when Callie wasn't around. But the little glimpse she was getting here, the way he was keeping her mind off of things without her asking him to. The way he smiled when he thought she couldn't see him. She was starting to slowly understand the appeal.

Daryl just stared at her for a second before a snarl marched its way over his features and Andrea actually witnessed him put up a wall around himself, shoulders hunching and body stiffening. Realizing she'd brought up a sore subject she shook her head and glanced around them. She watched him keep walking and turned to follow him with wide eyes.

"Aren't you going to…" she motioned towards the tree with a hand, careful not to look, her stomach still churning a bit more than she liked.

"Why?" Daryl shot back, again looking at her like she should be wearing a helmet. "Ain't hurtin' no one up there."

Daryl watched Andrea slowly turn her head towards the walker, her eyes lifting to the dead man's face. Daryl's nose twitched as she inched along the debris underfoot for a closer inspection. He squinted as she moved, watching her body tense up as she clenched and unclenched her hand around the strap of her bag. It didn't take a fuckin' mind reader to know what she was thinkin' 'bout. The woman had been ready to 'opt out' back at the CDC according to Jenna. He'd overheard the girl talkin' to Callie 'bout it one night and hadn't really looked at the blonde in the same light since.

He'd always thought she had a bit more sense than that.

Daryl found himself moving forward a bit as the Walker began to claw at the air a in a more frenzied way. He found himself sliding back in time to a wooded area and another Walker hanging from a tree, and yet again Merle slipped into his mind.

_Bitch wants to die, let her keep rilin' that fucker up. Things gonna fuckin' fall right on her._

"You wanna live now? Or not?" Daryl asked shocking the shit out of the woman and sending her eyes snapping back to him. "Just a question," he jutted his chin. "You keep it up your gonna have that sum'bitch fallin' right on you. Get your wish." Andrea ignored him but backed up a few steps, her eyes slipped to him and then back to the Walker twice before finally staying on his.

"Answer for an arrow?" Andrea said quietly. It took him a moment, because he couldn't quite figure out why he cared one way or the other.

Maybe it was the thought that havin' some suicidal bitch at his back, or side, or even close by could be detrimental to his health. To his safety, and that of anyone else around them. Maybe it was because there weren't that many of them left, and another loss would take a bigger toll than anyone was really prepared for.

His thoughts went to Jenna, and to Callie waiting there for one of her babies to turn. He regarded her again and he snarled and nodded.

"I don't know," Andrea said quietly. "I don't know if I want to, if I have to, or if it's just habit." Daryl shook his head and fired an arrow at the Walker. He pushed his shoulder roughly into hers and turned her to face him.

"You know why I'm so sure I'm gonna find Sophia?" Daryl seethed as he stared into her eyes. Andrea was startled both by him touching her and by his question and simply stared at him opened mouthed for a while before shaking her head. "'Cause that lil' girl wants to live." Daryl said in a matter-of-fact tone, that moved her head back as if he'd slapped her. "Ain't never been a question in her little mind. Not after the world went dead 'round her. Not after her daddy died in fronta her. Not after any of the shit we been through. She wants to live," Daryl roughly broke his hold on Andrea's arm and pointed his finger in her face. "You do me a favor, blondie," Daryl said anger rollin' over him and shootin' words out of his mouth that he'd normally keep inside. "You stow that shit when we get to the farm. Ain't one person there that's gonna wanna hear your sob story 'bout not knowin' if you wanna live or not."

He saw Andrea's eyes widen a bit and he snarled before shaking his head and looking up at the now dead Walker.

"Fuckin' waste of an arrow," Daryl grumbled as he turned away and started back off into the woods. "Let's go."

When he didn't hear her following him, Daryl slowed his angry stride just a bit. She caught up to him a moment later and they trudged back to the highway and the RV in complete silence. He couldn't really figure out why he'd blown up on her. But he wasn't sorry for doin' it. That woman needed to understand that she wasn't the only one who'd lost people in this fucked up existence. His mind was circling 'round and 'round by the time the RV came into view, 'causing a deep rooted pain to throb behind his eyes.

Dale was working his way back up the ladder, his eyes shifting over his shoulder at their approach. Daryl waved the flashlight at the old man signaling it was them before that rifle could make it any further off of his shoulder. Dale waved back and continued up and Daryl flicked off the flashlight. He heard Andrea sigh from her position slightly behind him and he sped up his steps a little.

He made it to the RV without having to hear what was gonna follow that telltale sigh. He stopped at Merle's bike and watched from his periphery as Andrea worked past him to the door of the RV. Her hand was on the door handle and then that sigh sounded again and he growled knowing she wasn't gonna be able to let him have the last word.

_Fuckin' lawyers_. Merle's words from long, long ago echoed in his mind and he found himself snarling out a grin in agreement.

"Why are you still here?" Andrea's question caught him off guard. He'd been expecting something along the lines of an insult, not a question. His eyes lifted to hers and held. It was a fuckin' loaded question too, with a lot of different branches.

Why was he still survivin' after _losing_ Merle? Why was he still workin' to find somewhere safe? Why was he still with the group at all after what they done to his only kin? Why was he still on the highway?

All the answers circled 'round and kept comin' back to one answer. One he didn't wanna admit, especially not to fuckin' Andrea. She must have seen the answer for what it was though, 'cause he couldn't stop his eyes from flyin' to the RV for a moment before sliding down that dark stretch of highway. He looked away when his gaze slipped to hers again and he heard her take a step towards him.

"You should have gone to that farm," Andrea said with a frown and he glared at her. "Why didn't you?" Daryl really didn't know why he was answering her at all. Maybe it was some residual bad feelin's for what he'd said to her out in the woods. Maybe he was still tryin' to convince himself he'd made the right decision. Whatever it was, he blurted out the answer he'd made up for himself to see how well it stuck in the real world.

"She'd a wanted me to stay with the kids," Daryl said angry at himself for how stupid the words sounded as soon as they left his mouth. He felt his lips hitch at the distaste of it all, and looked away in anger when Andrea looked at him with that soft expression women got when they knew they had the upper hand on a man's logic. She shook her head and let a snarky little scoffing noise out.

"You know what," Andrea said quietly. "You're right. That's exactly what she would have said to you." Daryl's eyes snapped up to her and she smiled before lifting one finger and pointing it at him. "But you and I both know that what that woman wants and what she needs right now are two different things." Andrea pointed at him again and then ran her hand over her head. "And if you don't know the difference, then maybe you aren't the man I was beginning to think you were."

With that Andrea opened the door and her blonde head whipped around in that fashion that said she was fuckin' pleased with herself and Daryl growled low in the back of his throat. The door closed and Daryl skipped his eyes up to find Dale staring down at him. He smashed his foot into the back tire of Merle's bike and then again found his eyes slipping down the highway.

"Fuckin' lawyers."

* * *

Danny settled his bum leg up on the bottom edge of the bed that Jenna was laying in and ran his eyes over her slightly twitching, but still sleeping form. His eyes roamed her entire body, marveling at how small she suddenly seemed. How young; how frail. He settled his back against the worn surface of the wingback chair that Glenn had dragged over for him, and put both of his hands over his weary, slightly wet eyes and rubbed furiously. His gaze was dragged to the window along the wall opposite the bed by the sound of feet shuffling slightly on the floorboards. Danny let his hands fall to scratch into his bearded cheeks as he watched her.

Callie stood staring out the window into the night. Her dark waving hair was curled into a messy nest at the nape of her neck, her arms tightly wrapped around her and shoulders stiff as she moved her weight restlessly from her left foot to her right and then back again. It was the same position she'd been in when he'd first arrived.

The moment of relief that he'd seen on her face when he entered the room had been short-lived and easily replaced by grief. A palpable grief that seemed to have settled in the air of that dimly lit room and had hit him like a fuckin' ton of bricks. Callie had worked towards him, his steps faltering as his eyes had rested upon the form of the little girl-'cause that's what she was, a fuckin' little girl-laying in that bed. Callie's hand had settled on his arm, and he'd felt his bleary eyes slip to her but not really see her. The image of Jenna laying there was burning itself into his retinas.

Her hand had remained on his arm, as his eyes slipped back to the bed. They didn't say anything to one another, just stood there. Honestly, what the fuck was there to say? Miles was in the doorway, keeping a distance between himself and the horror, and Danny had picked up Carol leading the boy off in his periphery. His space apparently taken up by Glenn who remained in the doorway while Danny tried to process everything.

Danny still wasn't sure how long he and Callie had stood there, or at what point Glenn had actually pulled the chair over. But he did remember Callie taking his crutch and Glenn's hands leading him to sitting down. And then he'd actually felt the tears that had apparently been streaming down his face since he'd stepped in the room.

Glenn and Callie had a hushed conversation that he'd barely registered at the time, but now, as he watched her shoulders sag a bit and her feet shuffle, the sounds came back. The words finding a place in his head and heart.

"The others?" Callie had asked quietly.

"He, uh, -They-" Glenn paused and let out a sigh. "They're coming at first light. They promised Carol to stay for Sophia," Glenn added hastily. "Daryl," Glenn stopped again and didn't start. Danny didn't know why, but he figured Callie must have done something to stop him.

"You shouldn't have gone out there at all, ya know," Callie said and Glenn had chuckled. "And you were supposed to _not_ tell Rick."

"Yeah," Glenn said in return. "You shoulda probably known better about that one, Cal. As for leaving. I couldn't let you," Glenn stopped again and that was the end of the conversation.

Danny's eyes roamed over Callie again, taking in the sight of her disheveled appearance with a newly awoken sensitivity. Staring out into the dark, but every so often her head would turn to the bed, or the gun settled on the small stand close to her. Danny scratched at his cheeks again and shifted just a bit.

"Glenn could go get him," Danny said quietly watching as her back stiffened but she didn't turn. "I'm the one that said that Ben and Gracie should wait. I wasn't sure what -" he stopped and looked at Jenna's slightly stirring body. "I figured we needed time to discuss." Callie's head was nodding and Danny sat forward a bit, his bum leg falling to the ground. "Glenn could go and get him."

"He'll be here in the morning," Callie said tiredly. "I don't think that's so far off right now." She turned to face him and gave a sad little smile. "You back from the abyss now?"

"Fuck no," Danny said running his hand over his face again and looking back at the girl in the bed. "She know what's going on?" Callie nodded and he let out a sigh that was more shaky than he intended and worked to steel his nerves. "She made any decisions?" Callie didn't answer and Danny closed his eyes. "I really thought we were done, ya know? After Mike and Nina," he took a breath and shook his head. "I really thought…"

"Me too," Callie said quietly and his eyes slipped back to her, watching as she shook her head. "Fuckin' foolish. We should talk—"

"Not tonight, Cal." Danny said cutting her off. "Not right now. I need to- we all need to process this."

She nodded her head and went to turn back to the window but Danny started shaking his head. "You're off duty," Danny said quietly earning a raised brow from the woman. "You're fuckin' exhausted, and literally drained. Get the fuck outta here."

"I'm not-"

"She's as much mine as she is yours," Danny said quietly cutting her off and waving a hand as he closed his eyes and rubbed at the migraine building in his temples. "You're off duty, come back after you've gotten some rest." He heard her sigh, and felt her hand slide over his shoulders as she worked her way towards the side of the bed. From the corner of his eye he caught movement at the doorway and both he and Callie turned towards it, expecting Miles.

"Is everything okay?" Callie asked, her voice filled with dread at the sight of Maggie staring into the room. The girl's eyes were glued to the bed for a moment before she blinked and looked up at Callie, forcing a small smile to her face. "Carl-?"

"He's fine," Maggie said quietly her smile a bit wider. "He came through just fine," Maggie continued. "I figured you'd want to know."

"Thank you," Callie said letting out a breath she hadn't known she was holding. Behind her she heard Danny let out the same shaking sigh of relief, and she looked over her shoulder to see him rubbing viciously at his eyes again. As if he could rub the entire fucking world away.

A beat of silence followed, in which Maggie's eyes yet again locked onto Jenna's figure in the bed. Callie watched the girl's face, trying to figure out what was going through her mind as she just stared. As quick as her staring contest with Jenna's slumbering figure started, it stopped. Maggie shook her head a bit and slid her eyes to Callie's expectant gaze.

"Dad wanted to talk to you," Maggie said, and Callie began to nod. The good doctor had been trying to talk to her for a while about Jenna and her plans, and Callie had been avoiding it quite well. But she supposed there was really only so long you could avoid a man in his own home. She opened her mouth to respond but Maggie waved a flippant hand. "I told him he'd have to wait."

Callie's eyes opened wide and Danny let out a bit of a chuckle. Maggie's gaze flipped over Callie's shoulder to the man with his leg propped up on the bed and she raised her brow at him.

"I should probably talk to him," Callie said quietly to the girl, getting her attention back. "I've kind of been avoiding him."

"Oh I know," Maggie said with a stern look that soon faded to a smile. "As well you should." Callie chuckled this time and Maggie's grin grew and then fell. "I figured you'd want to get cleaned up first. Your man," Callie didn't miss the quick marring of the girl's features, visible even in the dim light of the room. "Shane. He's finished in the bathroom. Everyone else has already helped themselves to a warm shower, I figured you'd like one too."

"It's fine," Callie said raising a hand to wave her off. Maggie grabbed that hand and held it.

"Honestly," Maggie said stepping a bit closer as if to whisper, but her voice was loud and clear. "You smell disgusting. Starting to stink up the whole damn house." Both Callie and Danny barked out a laugh and Callie distinctly heard Danny mutter 'oh I like her' before laughing again. Maggie gave Callie a genuine smile and squeezed her hand a bit. "You need to clean up. The hot water will do you some good. Help clean off a bit of the day," Maggie squeezed her hand and again Callie worked to read the expression on the girl's face as her eyes shifted for a brief second to Jenna in the bed. "Water should be warm again now. We got some fresh towels in there. After you're all cleaned up we can take a look at some of those cuts ya got," Maggie jutted her chin towards Callie's left hand and the blood seeping through her dirty bandage.

"Not really a choice huh?" Callie said with a smirk to the girl.

"She already flat out told ya that you're stinkin' up the place, Cal." Danny said with a chuckle. "You lookin' for something more?"

"Shut it up," Callie shot over her shoulder before turning a smile back to Maggie. "Like his ass smells any better." Maggie chuckled and shook her head mumbling something about language that had Callie grinning from ear to ear. "I appreciate the offer."

"Good," Maggie said cutting off any other protest Callie would have made. The girl stood aside and extended her arm out in invitation for Callie to go on out into the hallway. Maggie looked back at Danny lowering her voice just a bit. "Your boy has posted himself up out here," Danny's brows rose and he nodded once waving a hand.

"Thanks, I'll get him," Danny said catching Callie's eye. "In a minute." Maggie nodded and then gave Callie a little push to her shoulder and out the door.

Callie's eyes caught on Miles sitting on the floor a bit down from the doorway and she gave him a wan smile that he didn't return. Maggie fell into step beside her, the girl's hand settled at her elbow helping her along. Callie couldn't help but smile.

"I don't really know how to say thank you for all that y'all have done," Callie said quietly her eyes flicking to the brown-haired girl beside her. Maggie frowned and shook her head in a dismissive manner. "I know this is an inconvenience," Callie said quietly as they passed by the living room where her group had taken up post. Her eyes skimmed over everyone locking onto Shane's gaze as it followed them. He'd shaved his head, the effect giving a strange harsh, haunting look to his exhausted appearance.

Callie's brow narrowed a bit when she noticed that the man wasn't looking at her, but following the movement of the girl. Callie's gaze shifted to Maggie who was working hard not to look at the man watching her.

"How's Patricia?" Callie asked quietly as they started up the stairs. She felt the jolt of the girl's body at the question and she stopped their progress for a minute as the girl collected herself.

"She's grievin'," Maggie said quietly, raising her own sad eyes to Callie. "We all are. Otis was a good man."

"I have no doubt of that," Callie said with a hand to the girl's arm. "I'm so sorry for your loss." Maggie didn't respond, simply shrugged off Callie's hand as gently as she could. Obviously not wanting to offend, but not really wanting the sympathy of a stranger. Callie started back up the stairs, watching as Maggie's gaze slipped behind them again to where her group was sitting. It was obvious that Maggie's mind was still on the man who had been eyeing her as they walked past. "You don't have to worry," Callie said quietly watching Maggie's gaze snap up to her. She worked hard to put a blank expression on her face as she raised a questioning brow. "We'll be out of your hair soon."

"Daddy's lettin' y'all stay on the land 'till Carl's up and 'round again," Maggie said quietly, her eyes shifting over her shoulder. "He already discussed it with Rick. So I think you may be here longer than you're thinkin'."

"They will," Callie said as they worked up the stairs. Maggie raised a brow as they worked their way slowly up, Callie's legs feeling a bit more like jell-o with each wobbling step she took. Callie smiled at the girl and shook her head. "I'm not expectin' a nice happy conversation with your father. Nor a lengthy stay afterwards."

And she wasn't. Callie wasn't an idiot. She'd seen the way that Hershel had been eyeing her when he would come in to give a quick check to Jenna. The way his eyes skimmed over the gun that she'd settled at the table beside her. The slight frown on his face as he took Jenna's pulse, and felt her head for fever. Two actions that had Callie shaking her head slightly in a sick sort of amusement.

"You're pretty quick," Maggie said with a smirk as they reached the landing and worked towards the bathroom. Callie returned the girl's smirk with a humored raise of her brows. They stopped outside the door and Maggie crossed her arms over her chest and stared at Callie for a moment. "I got Beth workin' to find you some clothes. You look to be 'bout the same size as—" she stopped and Callie watched her face fall for a second before she shook it off. "I think we have something that should fit ya."

"My clothes are in the Hummer," Callie said and Maggie raised her brows. "I don't want to put ya out anymore than we already have."

"Do your clothes all look like," she waved at Callie's stained pants and shirt. Callie again found herself laughing at the unhidden look of disgust filtering over the girl's features. Internally Callie echoed Danny's earlier sentiments, she definitely liked this girl.

"Not quite as bad," Callie said still chuckling but laughing again when Maggie uncrossed her arms and waved them about in front of her.

"Nuh uh," Maggie said. "I'm not havin' you walkin' 'round like that in my house." She mock shivered and gave Callie a small smile. "I'm sure we have something. Don't worry 'bout it."

"Thank you, Maggie," Callie said watching as the girl turned to face her again. "For everything." They stared at one another for a few moments before Maggie gave a single nod and again crossed her arms over her chest. The girl started towards the stairs and Callie shifted into the bathroom. She closed the door and put her back to it, standing in the room for a moment just breathing and looking around.

Callie's head tipped back after a moment, her shaking right hand lifting to her mouth as she desperately worked to smother the sob she felt dragging up her sore throat. She took three deep breaths in, and steeled her spine before her legs had a chance to buckle again. Clenching her hands into fists she let out one more trembling breath before shaking her head and taking those first few steps towards that inviting bathtub.

She turned on the water, and put her hands under the slowly warming stream. Closing her eyes she began the very difficult task of doing as Maggie suggested; trying to wash away this fucking day.

_I know I've dreamed you a sin and a lie_

_I have my freedom but I don't have much time_

_Faith has been broken tears must be cried_

_Let's do some living after we die_

_Wild horses, couldn't drag me away_

_Wild, wild horses we'll ride them someday_

_Wild horses, couldn't drag me away_

_Wild, wild horses we'll ride them someday_

_~Wild Horses / The Rolling Stones_

_AN: I feel like this horrible person for not giving y'all what you wanted (the whole group back together-Daryl and Callie's reunion). But you just have to deal 'cause I got this dude. I GOT THIS. Method to the madness I swear. I've been trying to update at least once a week…and I'm hard at work on the next chapter, but want to warn you that we're headin' to the lake for a few days. So if I don't get to update don't worry. _

_I want to thank a good bit of you for giving a bit of input in your review about the Carl issue I brought up at the end of the last chapter. I loved every bit of response that I got. _

_Vaughn Zomby: UGH is probably one of the best descriptive words I've seen as a review for my long-ass chapters. I sometimes think about just posting the bits and pieces instead of having so many lengthy snippets together…but for me it just seems to flow better as a big ass fuckin' chunk ya know? I love that you guys stick with me through it and can't begin to thank you all for that. I'm sorry I leave you so frustrated, and sad but I'm happy 'bout the excited thing!_

_See ya next chapter! _


	23. Vignette Arms

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_Just a little something that might just be defined as "fluff" or "sap" but I felt needed to be put out there. _

_As always, read, review and most of all enjoy!_

_~michelle_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Vignette: Arms**

_I never thought that you would be the one to hold my heart_

_But you came around and you knocked me off the ground from the start_

_You put your arms around me _

_And I believe that it's easier for you to let me go_

_You put your arms around me and I'm home_

Miles shifted a bit uncomfortably on the lumpy cushion of the wingback chair in Jenna's room. His right hand was playing with the odd bandage job that Dr. Greene had done on his wrist. The plaster cast removed and forgotten, and in its place a makeshift splint made from a few broken shims gathered by his daughter Maggie. The new contraption wasn't nearly as comfortable or supportive as the plaster one that Wallace had applied at the CDC, but it was better than nothing.

And as Dr. Greene, or Hershel-as the elder man asked Miles to call him after the tenth 'sorry Dr. Greene' that had left his muttering mouth, had pointed out-the new bandage job while uncomfortable, would at least ensure that the bones healed properly.

Not that Miles had really given a flyin' fuck about that at the time. He had just been damn glad that it had been Hershel working on his wrist rather than Otis' wife Patricia. The grieving woman had settled him at the dining table, but was then quickly ushered off by Maggie. Which sent an almost overwhelming sort of relief coursing through him. Then Maggie had shifted a look at him over her shoulder and he stared at her in wide-eyed fuckin' awe when she cracked a tiny grin and whispered that it was okay.

Okay. Fuckin' okay.

Jesus, at least he had the pain in his hand to focus on instead of all the shit that was completely and utterly wrong with that sentiment.

"You gonna be a'right in here, man?" Danny's voice broke into Miles' train of thought and had him looking up at the man teetering on his crutch at the doorway. Miles stared probably for a moment too long because Danny shifted and rolled his eyes a bit. "Earth to Miles," Danny said with a smirk. "You want me to get Glenn, or Carol?" Miles shook his head and then cleared his throat. "You sure? T-Dog? Fuck Maggie would come-"

"I got this," Miles snapped finally, his eyes slipping to the slightly stirring form of Jenna in the bed. Danny's eyes followed slowly, but slid back to watch Miles rake his right hand through his hair. "I got it, Danny. I'm okay."

"No you're not," Danny said quietly shifting his weight on his good leg and adjusting his crutch under his arm. Miles lifted angered eyes up to Danny and then grimaced at Danny's stony expression. "You're not okay. And no one is expectin' you to be. This is fucked up," Danny pointed a finger to the bed and looked poignantly at Miles. "No one is okay right now. Get me?"

"Yeah," Miles said sadly, his eyes going back to his hand. "I get you."

"Now. You good to sit here while I go check on Lori and Rick?" Danny said shifting back a bit and settling himself against the doorjamb. Miles didn't say anything just continued to play with his bandage, wincing as he moved his fingers gingerly. Danny nodded and shifted his eyes outside to the hallway. "I'll be back in a few. Maggie said that Callie just got in the shower, but if she comes back before me-"

"I know," Miles said waving his hand. "I'm to turn her ass away and send her off to get some sleep." Miles lifted a bit of a humored brow at Danny. "You really think she's gonna listen to me?"

"You're an adult now, kiddo," Danny said with a smirk. "Make her listen."

"PFfft," Miles let the sound escape with a chuckle, which earned a bit of a laugh from the older man as well. "Yeah how's that worked out for you?"

"Shut up," Danny muttered scratching at his bearded chin and looking at the bed again. "You sure you're good?"

"Get outta here man," Miles said quietly eyeing Jenna's form on the bed. "I think I can handle sitting here for a few fuckin' minutes. I'm an adult now, remember."

Danny didn't say anything, he simply stood there and stared at Miles for a good couple of seconds. It had taken a good bit of brow beatin' to get the kid to actually come into the room. And even after he came in, the kid had spent the whole time staring out that same window that Callie had been staring out. He'd only sat down after Danny fuckin' manhandled him into the chair when he vacated it. And then just sat there starin' at his fuckin' broken hand, moving his fingers around and wincing. Danny bit at the inside of his cheek and stepped out of the room, clicking the door shut behind him.

Giving a quick glance up and down the hall, Danny moved to the wall opposite the door and then braced his back up against it. Sliding down slowly, fuckin' _painfully_ to the ground, he settled his eyes on the closed door. While he should have probably actually gone to check on Rick and Lori , it had really just been an excuse. Miles needed time alone with Jenna if he was going to be able to come to grips with what was going down. Otherwise, when the time came to take care of it-Danny shook his head a bit before settling it back against the wall.

Fuck, there really wasn't anything in this world that would help any of them through this. Nothing but time. Which really wasn't something you could count on having anymore. Sliding his hands over his face Danny stared through his spread fingers at the door and waited.

* * *

Miles heard the door click shut and instantly lifted his eyes from the bandage on his hand to the bed. He almost expected her to wake up, like she was just foolin' with him and waiting for Danny to go to sleep or leave before peekin' an eye open and smiling at him.

She'd done it before. Shit they both had. Long months ago, when the adults had left the _kids_ to sleep in one rundown gas station convenience store or another. Then they'd peeked their eyes open and sat up and talked, or played cards. Usually Ben and Gracie would fall asleep after only an hour or so, but Jenna was always up with him until they were both too damned tired to keep their eyes open.

More than once they'd fallen asleep holding hands. A fact that only Miles was really aware of because he would wake up earlier and extract his hand before the cute little redhead had a chance to see it.

Miles felt the blush rise in his cheeks and shook it off, clenching his fingers of his left hand to send another wave of pain up into his elbow.

Jenna was that type of girl that in his past life would have never give him the time of day. She was cute, and rich, and funny, and smart. And to her, he woulda been just plain ol' Miles Grant- good friend. But in the world they lived in now, he was Miles fuckin' Grant- Post-apocalyptic Survivor and Badass.

Miles chuckled a bit at the memory of the day he'd gotten dubbed that. Jenna's smile when she scribbled the words onto the bottom of the Polaroid she'd snapped. Miles' eyes skipped to the door, and his brow furrowed a bit as a smile played over his lips. He should find that photo.

As Miles worked his eyes back to his hand he skipped them over Jenna's form on the bed and was shocked when he saw the girl's glassy eyes blinking at him in the dim light. Miles sat up straight and took in a breath, watching a slightly shaky smile fall over her lips.

"You can hold my hand if you want," Jenna said quietly, her slim fingers drumming a bit on the blanket beside felt his face contort in confusion as her grin grew a little wider. "It's why your fiddling with your hands isn't it?"

"No," Miles said quickly, dropping his fingers from the edge of the ace bandage. He then held it up for her and she blinked at him a couple of times.

"What happened to your hand Mike?" Jenna said shaking her head a bit and then blinked harder. "No not Mike."

"Miles," Miles said sadly. He remembered this now, Jim calling him strange names, as if his mind was getting lost in memories. Finding difficulty in freeing the reality of the present from the haze of the memories of his past. The man would shake it off and smile at him and then call him by the right name, but the instance had always sat ill with Miles. Now, seeing Jenna go through it, he found himself getting angry about it.

"That's what I said," Jenna said shaking her head. "Come on," she patted the bed and Miles stared at her. "Sit with me. Hold my hand."

"Jen," Miles started, leaning forward in his chair and staring at her. She moved to sit up reaching across her and grabbing at pillows on her right. Miles got to his feet and rounded the bed to the other side, snatching the pillows from her slightly shaking hands. She stared up at him slightly amused and he shook his head. "You shouldn't be-"

"I want to sit up," Jenna said sternly. "I've been laying down all day. I want to sit up, and I want to talk to you like we did all those times before when it was just us." She stared at him, and he looked away, feeling the blush rise in his cheeks. "So sit your ass down, Miles."

"Oh so now you've got yourself a 'tude," Miles said chuckling and smirking as she patted her hand on the empty space of the bed at her right side.

"Please, I've always had attitude. And you know it." she said in that valley-girl tone that he'd always made fun of her for when they first met. She cracked a grin and then let her head fall back to the headboard as her eyes closed.

Miles situated himself on the bed, and slid closer, the pillow he'd grabbed from her held tight to his body by his broken arm. The fingers of his right hand began to idly drum over the pillow and Jenna smiled with her eyes closed. He could see the slight sheen of sweat across her brow, and winced as his eyes took in the large scratch that sliced her pretty face from her eyebrow to her jaw line. He watched her face, seeing her take in breath after breath with her eyes closed and head back against the headboard.

It was strange, sitting there with her, knowing that she was dying. She wasn't any different though. She was still teasing him and smiling. He furrowed his brow a bit, and slipped a bit closer.

"Jen," he started but was cut off by her shifting around a bit and smiling as her eyes opened.

"I can't believe they found a place for us to stay with bed," Jenna bounced a bit and then winced at the motion. Miles flipped the pillow out of his grip and tossed it to the floor, his right hand reaching out to settle on her legs to stop her. Her brow furrowed and she looked at him, then shook her head.

"Jenna do you know-" he stopped and let out an almost strangled sigh. "Jenna you know what's going on right? Where we are?" She stared at him in confusion for a minute, her eyes slipping around the room and he saw the moment when her brain cleared and her mind was able to focus again. And the expression that slipped over her face damn near killed him on the spot.

And that was when he reached out and finally held her hand. His broken left one gripping onto her right as he slid further up on the bed so that his hip touched hers. He reached out, without even thinking about it, and slipped a stray strand of her hair over her left ear. His hand fell back to his knee where he had settled their interlocked hands. Instead of fiddling with his bandage he let his fingers slide over her knuckles, his eyes watching in idle curiosity as each of her fingers twitched as he hit the knuckle. The heat coming off of her skin was almost too much for him to take.

They sat in silence for a good couple of minutes. Jenna's sniffling and slightly hitched breathing the only sound echoing in the room. Miles really didn't know what to say. Speechless for the second time in his life, both instances caused by the redhead on the bed with him.

"I had a dream," Jenna said quietly causing Miles to lift his eyes to her. She was staring off towards the window as she spoke. "Sophia." She said the name and frowned, and he felt his own face contort with the same expression. "I left her out there," Jenna continued, and Miles felt confusion overtake his sadness. What was she going on about now?

"Jen?"

"I had a dream though," Jenna said turning to lock her eyes with his. "She's gonna be found," she twitched her nose a bit and again looked confused and sad as she shifted her eyes back to the window. "But not by Daryl. I can't remember who, it's all blurry. But you guys are gonna find her. She's not gonna be lost forever. I know it."

"Okay," Miles said quietly, his left hand tightening on hers to get her attention back on him. "That's good, Jenna." Jenna tried to smile, Miles saw her work at it. But her chin started trembling and he saw the tears welling up in her already glassy hazel eyes.

"I don't wanna die," Jenna said finally, her upper body lurching forward with the force of the sob that followed. Her hand slipped out of his and she pushed them into her eyes. Miles flew forward, his arms encircling her tinier frame and dragging himself closer to her.

Putting his chin on the top of her head, Miles tilted his wide opened eyes to the ceiling his own breathing coming out in harsh rasps. His eyes slipped over to the door and he found himself saying a silent plea that Danny get his ass back there. He didn't know how to handle this. He hadn't known how to handle it when it had been his own brother, and he sure as hell didn't know how to handle it now.

"Fuck," Miles muttered his arms tightening on Jenna, his chin slipping over her soft hair. Where the fuck was that bastard?

"I'm sorry," Jenna said, her voice muffled by her face pressing tight into his chest. She sniffed and shook her head. "I'm trying to be strong, but-"

"You don't have to be strong," Miles said quietly over her head. He waited a minute and then slipped his hands to her shaking shoulders and pulled her away from his body. Her head was still down, her hands now clutching his shirt. He shook her just a bit, and then slid his right hand to her chin to lift her head and get her to look at him. Watery hazel eyes met his brown ones and he slapped a shaking smile onto his face. "No one's expectin' you to be. You've been strong long enough. It's our turn to be strong for you."

"You're too sweet," Jenna said with a sniff and a smile, which he returned. Her way of teasing him. All those times he'd told her about all the girls that had told him he was just 'too sweet'. He shook his head and let his thumb slide over her jaw.

Suddenly those two years that separated them didn't seem like anything. The fact that they were teenagers, supposed kids, melted into the background. What the fuck did your age matter in a world like this anyway? When he looked at her now, watching as she tried to smile through the pain she was feeling and the fear she had of dying, there was nothing else to it. Nothing but the two of them.

Jenna and Miles.

A very brief thought passed through his brain before his lips met hers. An idle thought to the nature of infectious diseases. He'd had a crash course when his Uncle Charlie had been diagnosed with full-blown AIDS years and years ago. He'd watched his favorite uncle waste away slowly from that disease; watched his partner Elliot kiss and hug him as if he wasn't sick at all.

His brain had latched onto that long ago lesson. That Elliot couldn't possibly contract his Uncle's illness from kissing him; that it just wasn't possible. Too little saliva exchanged to be any danger at all.

He knew that this disease, this sickness, whatever it was that had wiped out the world around him wasn't AIDS. Knew that he really didn't have a clue what amount of what was needed to transfer the infection from one person to the next. But honestly, in that moment when he felt her lips touch so softly to his he didn't give a flyin' fuck.

He felt Jenna gasp against his lips, and he tightened his right hand just a bit and pulled her to him. It was a small tentative kiss, barely really even a kiss at all. Mouths closed, lips pressed together in a childish fashion that had him damn near laughing at himself. But he didn't push. Because he knew, from all those late night conversations, that the pretty little redhead in his arms had never been kissed before.

Miles moved his lips against Jenna's as slowly as he could, coaxing with the little bit of skill he could boast, and finally slipping his tongue between her slightly parted lips. She sighed just a bit against his lips and he pressed in just a bit more, his fingers traveling to the back of her neck and sliding through the short length of her soft hair.

Jenna pulled away breathless and Miles let her, but only so far. He pressed his forehead into hers, his eyes closed, the heat of her fever burning into his own skin. His thumb moved over her jaw, slipping in the slight wetness caused by the tear sliding down her cheek. Eyes still closed Miles pressed her head tighter to his and then let out a slightly shaking breath.

"Okay?" Miles asked, not really able to form more than one word. Jenna was apparently having more trouble because all she could do was nod, and he was ashamed to admit that he was a bit fuckin' proud of himself 'cause of that. He chuckled and opened his eyes, his head pulling back, her fingers uncurling from their death grip on his shirt but not leaving completely. She looked up at him and bit at her bottom lip, he twitched a bit wanting to crash his lips back into hers.

Self-control and deep seeded affection for the girl in his arms kept him from doing it.

"My first and last kiss," Jenna said quietly and the words stuck into him like a knife through his heart. His hand tightened around her head again and he was pulling her closer again. Her eyes went wide, fingers spread over his chest. He knew she could feel his heart beating wildly but he didn't care. "Miles?"

"Not last," Miles said his eyes searching hers, hoping she understood. He really didn't have any other words. "Not yet." He knew she understood when her fingers curled into his shirt again and her head tipped just a bit. The slight smile on her lips as he leaned forward made him smile and he couldn't help but kiss her cheek right beside her lips tenderly before once again pressing his lips to hers.

This time the kiss deepened almost automatically, his broken left hand raising so that both of his hands were cradling her warm face. The pain in his hand and wrist was forgotten in that moment, and he let it slide to the bed to brace them as he pressed against her just a bit. Her hands lifted from his shirt and moved randomly along his arms, his shoulders, his neck. She pulled away, as he began to lower her back to a prone position on the bed, sliding down so that he lay next to her but slightly over her. He looked at her smiling slightly at the blush on her cheeks, one that had nothing to do with the infection taking over her body. She smiled timidly back and pressed her hands flat against his chest.

"I don't know what to do with my hands," Jenna admitted shyly her eyes sliding from his in embarrassment. He smirked at her, and she rolled her eyes and in that instant he knew he'd love her forever. "Where should I-"

"Put them wherever you want, Jen." Miles said as he pecked at her lips. "It'll work itself out." Miles pressed his lips into hers again shutting off any further discussion. Her hands slipped over his chest and around his neck holding him to her and he couldn't help but smile against her lips. He kissed her harder then, working to shut out the world around them. And just letting them for one simple moment be two teenagers and nothing more.

_The world is coming down on me and I can't find a reason to be loved_

_I never wanna leave you but I can't make you bleed if I'm alone_

_You put your arms around me_

_And I believe that it's easier for you to let me go…_

_I tried my best to never let you see the truth_

_And I've never opened up_

_I've never truly loved 'til you put your arms around me_

_And I believe that it's easier for you to let me go_

Danny reached out with his crutch and knocked it against the closed door before him for the second time, the knocks a bit harder as his paranoia started taking hold. Just as he was pulling the crutch back he heard a loud engine outside that had his head tilting towards where the front door lay. The sound of the bedroom door slowly opening had his eyes slipping back to it and he couldn't help but smirk at the sight before him.

Disheveled and embarrassed as hell, Miles exited the room still working his t-shirt back down over his trim torso. The kid ran his good hand through his hair trying to tame the dark blonde mess and stared down at Danny in a bit of confusion.

Confusion that lasted only a moment before anger and annoyance seeped over the kid's slightly flushed cheeks.

"You been there the whole fuckin' time?" Miles spat out and Danny grinned and waggled his brows. "I should kick you in your bum leg." Danny laughed and reached out a hand to the kid who was slowly closing the door behind him. He was avoiding eye contact as he reached down and not so gently helped Danny to his feet.

"We both know you're a lover not a fighter, stud." Danny instantly winced when the kid knocked him to the side a bit, but he chuckled too. "You didn't do anything too stupid, right?" Danny asked as he winced and adjusted himself on his crutch. His hand tightened on Miles' shoulder and the kid rubbed at the back of his head before glaring at Danny.

"No," Miles said, the flush of embarrassment working its way off of his cheeks. "Unless you count kissing a dyin' girl stupid."

"Not at all," Danny said patting Miles' shoulder. They stood there for a minute, Miles seeming to search the floor for answers to questions that he wasn't ever going to voice to anyone. Danny squeezed his shoulder again, the sound of the front door opening and loud angry steps on the floorboards sending his gaze down the hallway.

Danny couldn't help the smirk that lifted his lips as Daryl's eyes met his, and he lifted his chin in a nod of welcome to the annoyed looking redneck. Daryl turned towards him, ignoring the sounds of the rest of their group as they called out to him. Danny shook his head and smiled causing Daryl to stop.

"'Bout damn time you showed up," Danny said with a chuckle. "She's upstairs still cleanin' up I think. Second door on the left." Daryl gave a simple lift of his chin to Danny, his eyes skimming over to Miles who was still adjusting his t-shirt. He lifted his foot to leave but then turned back and squinted hard at them.

"Jenna?" Daryl asked, his voice harsh but not angry. He cleared his throat and took in a deep breath as Danny smiled just a bit.

"She's resting," Miles filled in, his eyes catching on Daryl's. "Now go. And make sure you fuckin' knock or something."

Daryl let out a gruff huff of a breath that acted as a bit of a laugh and then shook his head. He turned from the two men in the hallway and pushed on. Rick slipped into step with Daryl as he worked towards the stairwell. The former sheriff's hand clasping onto the redneck's in welcome, his mouth moving with whispered words as he walked with Daryl towards the stairs and out of Danny's sight.

* * *

Callie settled the fresh dark green camisole around her midsection, the soft feel of the clean loose fitting silk fabric so foreign against her skin that she actually shivered. The clean pair of jeans actually felt like they fit, rather than slipping down with each and every small movement she made. Her eyes lifted and she stared into the steam covered mirror. Lifting her slightly shaking hand she wiped at the wet steam revealing her reflection. She sniffed and then placed both of her hands tight to the white sink in front of her, the slight twinge of pain in her left hand causing her to loosen her grip just a bit.

Her wet waving hair scattered and clung to the skin around her shoulders. Shoulders that looked almost boney now instead of well-toned. Her body was wasting away slowly in this world that they lived in. Too many days of going with too little food. Too many times where she'd scraped half of her food onto Gracie or Ben's plates, or let Miles finish hers when the boy had eyed it with that hungry look that all teenage boys had where food was concerned. Too many stressful moments when she just couldn't stomach anything at all.

Callie let out a slow breath and tipped her head down, her eyes staring into the sink. She saw a few dark hairs still clinging to the white porcelain. Shane's recently shorn locks stuck there from all the condensation that the steaming hot showers had caused. She picked up the small hand towel from the rack beside her and idly began wiping those hairs away.

She felt uncomfortable in this house, for a great many reasons. But most of all for intruding upon this strangely serene piece of land. For somehow tainting it with their woe begotten lives, bringing pain, sorrow and disease upon complete strangers. Her hands scrubbed harder at the sink, still seeing Shane's dark hairs in the basin.

She felt this unrelenting need to erase the presence of those hairs from the untarnished porcelain. Hoping that the act would help to somehow bring this small family back to the strange bit of normalcy that they'd achieved in the hellhole of a world that they all lived in now.

She scrubbed harder, and wished that the simple act of cleaning that sink of Shane's hair would bring back the man that they had lost. Otis. But she knew that was impossible. Knew that nothing would bring that man back to his wife and his family here.

He died.

He died for them. Sacrificed his life for one of their own.

Miles' face flew into her thoughts, the look that she watched flit across his face when Shane told them of Otis' fate causing her to snarl. Callie scrubbed harder, until she finally got fed up, and threw the towel across the room. Her hands went back to the sink and she closed her eyes tight at the sight of those fucking hairs that just wouldn't be cleaned off and just simply slipped around the wet basin in a taunting fashion. She closed her eyes tight and willed herself not to cry again.

She'd done enough fucking crying today. Hell she'd cried enough for a fucking lifetime in the span of the few hours she'd been at this farm.

Her tears weren't going to help anything. Not Rick. Not Carl. Not Jenna. Not Sophia. Not Patricia. God fucking damn there were just too many. She was so busy trying to control the painful pressure of tears stinging behind her eyes that she didn't hear the door open. She only turned when she picked up the sound of voices from outside that cracked door.

"You can't go in there," Maggie's slightly angered and incredulous tone filtered in and Callie's brow narrowed as the door slipped a bit further open.

"Back off, Calamity Jane," Daryl's annoyed voice sounded and Callie couldn't help the smile that tilted her lips as the man came into view. His dirty, bedraggled form blocking out the light filtering in around him was so welcome a sight that her heart thumped like a fucking dog's tail at seeing it's master. His hand was tight on the knob and he was glaring daggers at what she expected was Maggie. After a single second of glaring he snarled at the girl and then threw himself inside the bathroom. His eyes still glaring at the now visible, and completely pissed off, Maggie Greene.

"You can't-" Maggie's eyes slipped to Callie, obviously catching the smile on her face. Callie shook her head and Maggie's mouth opened and closed a few times before she again stared at Daryl's angry face.

"Get outta here, little girl. Go bother Chinaman." Daryl shooed the girl away with his free hand, his other hand still gripping the door knob. He repeated the motion and watched as Maggie continued to glare. Finally he rolled his eyes and just slammed the door in her face. The girl's muffled 'Asshole' had Callie actually chuckling.

"You know," Callie said as Daryl snapped his eyes from the door over to her. "We're probably gonna have to work on your people skills eventually."

"Fuck people skills," Daryl spat. "Bitch called me Robin Hood." Callie barked out a laugh and worked to instantly quell her laughter as Daryl turned towards her.

As soon as their eyes met across the small expanse of the still steamy bathroom, Callie's hand fell from her lips. It had been a long time since she'd been so utterly paralyzed by those piercing blue orbs of his and the power that they seemed to hold over her. Her breath caught in her throat as he simply stared at her, that moment of simple humor lost as the thick weight of everything crashed down between them.

Callie felt her body rebelling against the stranglehold she had on her emotions. Felt the quiver of her chin, and the hitch of her breath before it began to stutter out in poorly controlled bursts. She turned away at the feel of the tears burning a path out of her eyes and sliding down her cheeks.

"Fuck," Callie said slamming her hands back into the sink. Her bleary, tear-streaked vision instantly locking onto those two or three fucking dark hairs still stuck to the inside of the sink. She smashed her left hand against the side of the sink and grimaced as she watched a few red streaks slide down towards the drain.

"Callie," Daryl's voice was raspy and far off in her mind, as if he wasn't really there. She watched those bloody streaks and thought for a moment that maybe he wasn't. Maybe he was a figment of her imagination. That she'd finally thought about him being there, wished and hoped so much that he would come and be here with her, that finally her mind just took over and let it happen.

Then she felt those warm calloused hands settle around her upper arms, and the hard comfort of his chest press into her back. Her eyes stayed on the sink, her head dipping down so that her chin practically rested on her chest.

"I thought," she shook her head, her damp hair slapping into her face. "I wasn't expecting you until the morning. I—"

"You're a stubborn-," Daryl said cutting her off, but unable to finish his own statement as his voice cracked. His hands slipped from their grip a bit and he turned her around to face him. His eyes locked onto the sink basin and the small smear of blood from her left hand. "Honest to fuckin' God woman. Why do you have to take it all on you?" Callie didn't lift her eyes, because she knew the instant she actually met his gaze she would completely burst. Just feeling his hands on her was already breaking her will.

She was done crying. At least she wanted to be.

"Glenn said you were staying with the kids-" her brow furrowed and before she could even utter the question he cut her off.

"Ben and Gracie are still with Andrea and Dale at the highway." Daryl said quietly, she lifted her eyes then and watched a myriad of emotions fly over his face as his gaze settled, staring at the scant space between them. "Figured you needed a bit of time," his mouth twitched to the side and his gaze tipped up to hers. He left the rest of whatever he'd been planning to say to echo around in the confines of his own mind and simply watched her face fall, weighed down with such emotion that he had a hard time actually looking at her.

"I thought you were staying with them? Staying for Sophia." Callie said quietly.

"Wasn't any point," Daryl said as he lifted one hand to the side of her face, his thumb wiping the tears from her cheeks. Her eyes snapped up to his, those beautiful red-rimmed hazel eyes twinkling with the wetness she was struggling to keep in check. "My body was on that fuckin' highway, but everythin' else, everythin' that counted was here." Callie tilted her head into the warmth of his hand, unable to keep the tiny smile from her lips and watched as his face scrunched a bit as insecurity threatened to take over his actions. She felt his hand twitch as if he wanted to remove it from her face, but he fought for control and simply stared at the small bit of space between them as he collected his thoughts.

"Dale and Andrea are gonna leave a bunch of supplies there for Sophia, in case she makes it back there. Gonna leave a note for her telling her we'll be back to check. Every day. Andrea's gonna bring the wagon, since it's got Carl's stuff. Figure the kid's gonna want it," Callie smiled just a bit at the man as he uncomfortably explained a plan he no doubt came up with. His eyes were darting around, flitting to hers briefly before moving again. "Then Glenn and T-Dog can head back for the Jeep. Figure we can head up the search from here once everythin's settled." He shook his head as if confused. As if, even though it sounded like the right way to do things, the fact simple fact that it was his plan, and his alone, made it difficult to accept.

"That sounds like a good plan," Callie said idly, falling into the feel of his hand on her face. Offering what little bit of comfort she could to the man before her. He nodded once and let out a grunt of acceptance.

The simple solid presence of his body so close to hers was still so surreal that she couldn't resist lifting her fingers and curling them into the rough fabric of his shirt. She tugged just a bit and he easily closed the distance between them, his hand sliding behind her head and pressing her face into his chest. She breathed him in slowly, feeling his other hand smooth over the silk fabric at the small of her back. His chin rested on the top of her still damp head for a moment before his bristly chin slid down so that his lips were settled at her ear.

"Not sure what the fuck I can do here," his voice was an uncertain whisper against her ear. It gave her chills and she clutched tighter to him. She again felt the tears slide from behind her closed eyes as he said the words she'd been hoping and praying to hear. "But I'm here."

Callie nodded against his chest, and turned so that her cheek was settled against his heart. Daryl's hand tangled a bit more into her hair, rough fingers grazing the back of her neck and pressing into the tight knots there. He didn't seem to care about the tears soaking his shirt. Which was good, because she had apparently lost the fucking battle with crying and fell into her fit for all it was.

They stood that way for a while, Daryl's body rigid against her as he usually was when forced to do something so against his norm. He slowly relaxed into her, pulling her tighter to him as she cried. He pulled her so close that it seemed like he was trying to pull her into him. That protective cocoon of-whatever it was between them calming Callie's sobs until they were nothing more than sniffs.

His arms relaxed a bit, and he nuzzled his stubble-covered chin against her hair working to move it away from her skin so that he could have the contact he craved. His lips settled against her cheek briefly before sliding to her ear again.

"Rick said you gave blood to Carl," Daryl said idly, his voice that low dulcet tone it had been that night he comforted her on the highway. She nodded against his chest and waited for him to continue. "Fuckin' stupid." She smiled against him and tightened her grip in his shirt. "Got 'nough to be worryin' 'bout without bleedin' yourself dry."

"He needed it," Callie said in return. Her voice sounding so foreign, the soreness of her constricted throat killing the usual sounds of her voice and delivering a rasp of grief.

"Yeah," Daryl said slightly annoyed. "You an' this fuckin' helpful streak you got, gonna be the deatha both of us." His hands slid from their positions and once again landed at her upper arms, holding her out at arm's length. "No more."

"Hershel's already put a stop to mine and Rick's blood-giving," Callie said smiling slightly and he grimaced. She knew that wasn't what he was talking about, but that's what she was giving him. She couldn't promise him not to try and save someone if she could. He stared at her and she saw him growl when he finally begrudgingly accepted that.

Callie suddenly felt the tug of exhaustion and her legs stumbled just a bit beneath her. Daryl's hands tightened, his brow furrowing as he pulled her a bit towards him. His gaze slipped over her shoulder and he pushed her back until her calves hit the toilet. He pushed a bit more and made her sit, following her down and settling himself on one knee between her legs. His hands slipped to her hips, holding her in place there as if he knew she was going to try and get up the second the next question left his lips.

"How is she?" Daryl's voice was quiet, and damn if he didn't know her well because she was squirming to get away. His hands held tight, fingers pressing into her in a comforting but unrelenting way. She looked into his eyes and felt her lip again start with that fucking bit of quivering.

"Bad," Callie said, that single word so filled with pain and despair that he actually flinched as it scraped out of her dry constricted throat. "The infection," she shook her head lifting her hands to wipe at her eyes in anger. "At first I thought we'd be able to amputate," she caught his eye, the way his brow twitched and she smiled sadly. "But she's too far gone. I don't know if it's the running and adrenaline that pumped in her for so long , or if it's that this fuckin' disease is just that unpredictable, but," Callie again wiped angrily at her face and Daryl's hands shot off her hips to grab them.

He held both hands in his left hand and then bent slightly to grab for the discarded towel she'd used after her shower. She stared at him in wonder as he lifted it to her face and gently wiped, her eyes going a bit wide at the sight of red staining the fabric. Her eyes went to her left hand, and she shook her head at herself. He didn't say anything as he cleaned off the bit of blood on her face, and remained quiet as he flipped over her left hand and dabbed gently at the slice there.

"She make any decisions?" Daryl asked quietly, not looking up at her. He couldn't really take the pain etched into her eyes anymore. Cuts, scrapes, bruises and blood-that he could handle. The deep seeded pain in this woman's eyes as she talked about the dying girl down stairs. He wasn't fuckin' prepared for that.

"She knows it's bad," Callie said in return, her throat again threatening to close up. "She knows it's gonna be sooner rather than later. She's starting to get confused," Callie said furrowing her brow and causing Daryl's eyes to lift to hers in confusion. "Keeps asking if we found Sophia yet, forgetting that she had asked it only moments before." The words stuck into Daryl hard and Callie slipped her right hand around his wrist squeezing once. "Daryl—"

He shook his head and shook off her hand continuing to put a bit of pressure to her sliced palm. "Gonna find her tomorrow," Daryl said quietly, his eyes slipping up to hers. "She'll be able to rest easy on that."

"Yeah," Callie said in return, taking a deep breath as he waited patiently for her to continue. "Jenna doesn't want to wait to turn. She wants to-" Callie stuttered out a breath and looked away towards the sink with that small stain of red. She broke her hands away from his and grabbed the towel inching forward on her perch to try and clean it off.

"You want me to," Daryl said and her she stopped her cleaning as she slipped her eyes back to him. He was staring at his hands dangling between his raised knee and the one on the floor. He looked at her and hardened his face. "I promised I'd take care of you, 'cause you said you couldn't. If you can't do this, if Danny can't…"

Daryl let the offer hang out in the air between them and Callie was left staring into his eyes again. Those straightforward eyes unable to hide his discomfort with what he was offering, but the steeliness in those depths told Callie that he'd follow through with it. That he'd take that hit for her. Instantly the towel dropped from her hands and she raised both to his face, her left pulling back slightly so as not to put blood on him. He lifted his hand and pulled her left hand against his cheek not giving a fuck about the blood, only caring about her touch.

Callie's mouth opened, words sitting on the tip of her tongue begging to come out. Words that once said, could never be taken back. She stared into his eyes for a long time, losing herself to the feel of his thumb working over the back of the knuckles on her wounded left hand. Her mouth opened, and closed, then opened again.

"I -" she stopped and closed her eyes, shaking her head and putting her forehead to his. "Thank you," she pressed her lips to his very softly and felt his move slightly against hers. Breaking the sweet feel of that tender kiss she shook her head against his. "She doesn't want us to," Callie said quietly a sad smile tilting her lips. "Doesn't want that to be our last memory of her. She wants to take care of it herself."

"Yeah, well we saw how that worked with Jim," Daryl snapped, and almost instantly he flinched and pulled Callie back as she pulled away. "Jesus, I'm—"

"It's okay," Callie said shaking her head as she pulled slightly away from him. Tears were again shining in her eyes and Daryl snarled at himself for having caused them. "You're right." He furrowed his brow in anger and she waved a hand in the air, her other hand falling from his face. "You are."

"So what's the plan?" Daryl asked quietly. "What are we doin'?" The simplicity of the fact that he said 'we' that he hadn't for one instant even imagined her doing this on her own. The fact that she knew he wasn't going to let her do it alone, no matter how much she tried, settled over her. She looked at him and searched his sad blue eyes for a sign at how he was feeling. And for once she came up short, completely unable to read the man before her.

"I have to talk to Rick, to Hershel." Callie said shaking her head and pushing against his shoulder to get shakily to her feet. He stood before her and let her slip towards the sink and run the water, splashing her face a few times. Her left hand clenching and unclenching at the sting of the water on her cut. "Hershel's not quite pleased with the idea of this happening here."

"Then we take her somewhere else." Daryl spat angrily and she watched him stare at her in the mirror. She turned to face him and he nodded. "You and me. We'll find her a nice spot." Callie felt the tears threaten again and shook her head as she began to walk past him towards the door.

Daryl reached out and grabbed her arm, shocking her when he pulled her back into a firm embrace. His lips pressed to her forehead and she closed her eyes and wrapped herself around him.

"Thank you," Callie said quietly as he trailed his lips over the side of her face and pressed his cheek to hers. "Thank you for not telling me that it would be 'okay', for just being - Thank you."

"Why the fuck would I say it's gonna be okay?" Daryl said in a confused whisper against her ear. "It ain't. It's gonna be hard, and it's gonna hurt like hell. But I'm here," Daryl scoffed a little. "For whatever that's fuckin' worth."

"It's worth a lot," Callie whispered as she lifted her head and looked at him. "More than anything else." He pressed her lips into his and he kissed her, really kissed her. His tongue slipped into her mouth as his hands tightened around her pulling her against his warm solid body. His hand snaked into her hair, fingers tangling almost painfully as he tilted her so that he could deepen the kiss more. Callie fell into that kiss with everything she had, letting it wash over her and kill the remaining despair that had settled so strongly over her throughout this day.

That kiss gave her back her strength, and readied her for whatever was to come. The simple knowledge that he was there, and would be no matter what, taking a hold of her heart and soul.

_I hope that you see right through my walls_

_I hope that you catch me, 'cause I'm already falling_

_I'll never let a love get so close_

_You put your arms around me and I'm home_

_~Arms/ Christina Perri_

_AN: A little bit (OKAY A LOTTA BIT) of sap for everyone. YAY Daryl came to the farm. Aren't we happy! _

_I can only hope this whole chapter, Jenna/ Miles and Daryl/Callie made y'all as happy as it made me to write. _

_Now as I stated with the last chap, I will be heading to the lake…but I really wanted to get this out before hand. So I may not have a chap for a while…bear with me and know I haven't forgotten 'bout ya! So y'all know...next chapter the crews gonna be all back together. YAY! _

_Much love_

_See ya next chapter!_


	24. Lies

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_I'm back and more exciting…EVERYONE'S AT THE FARM! If there is no other happy-happy received from this chapter… then so be it. Hope y'all enjoy. _

_As always, read, review and most of all enjoy!_

_~michelle_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Lies**

The sun was barely breaking over the horizon, the yellow hues of morning not even strong enough to light the sky fully, and yet the farm was abuzz with activity. Not the normal activity of the early morning hours. Good Lord, it was still too early for even that to be taking place. No this was a different type of activity, a strange sort of activity that left a slight buzzing of unease throughout the air around the entire house.

Barely past five in the morning and already the house was unsettled. Maggie settled her arms across her chest, her usual posture when trying to hold off the unease of an unavoidable situation, and let her eyes roam over her family's land. Her father was on the outskirts near the fencing, his slightly imposing silhouette easily discernible to her eyes. Beside him stood a lean figure, both hands resting on his hips as he looked out over the slowly lighting fields beyond.

Rick Grimes.

It had to be Rick. She'd heard him in speaking in muffled tones with her father just before they moved away from the porch and her eagerly listening ears and headed out towards the fence. Maggie bit at the inside of her cheek and wished that she could hear just what it was they were talking about so early. But the way her father's eyes had caught hers as she peered through the back doorway of the dining room at him just before he ushered Rick away told her that the conversation was not one open to the public.

The public.

Maggie's gaze slid over from her perch towards where the newly arrived 'public' lay. Rick and Callie's ragtag group was working in an odd sort of harmony to set up a camp area along the roadway into the property. The way they worked it was easy to see that the motions of setting up a camp this way was something they had done many a time in the past. From her vantage point she couldn't quite see what they were doing, and she felt herself walking along the large wraparound porch of the house to get a better view.

Maggie slowly walked, her eyes picking up more and more of the activity of the people settling in not far from her home. A part of her was wary at having so many strangers around, but another part couldn't help but feel a hum of excitement. It had been so long since they'd actually seen another person, at least one that wasn't sick with this disease. Maggie bit at her bottom lip and tightened her arms around her chest feeling an almost overwhelming sense of guilt wash over her. Guilt for even thinking about how nice it was to have other people around again, especially with the horror afflicting this group being the sole cause for them being there in the first place. Guilt for just standing there and staring at them as if it were the circus movin' into town, instead of helping them to set themselves up.

Maggie squinted her eyes as she looked at the odd assortment of people and vehicles littering her yard. The large orange Hummer had been the only one she'd known of. Now the Hummer was gone and a battered old RV, with an umbrella and a couple of chairs on the roof, was settled in with a station wagon being maneuvered nearer to the fence area. A man stood atop the RV, his body turned in such a way that she could swear his eyes were on her. Maggie tucked her arms a bit tighter around herself and continued walking, her eyes on the unconventional activity fluttering about that had her so on edge.

"The rest of the group came," Beth said startling Maggie and sending her back a few steps. Maggie's eyes flew to where her younger sister was perched on the railing of the porch, chin in her hands just staring openly at the newcomers. "'Bout half an hour ago," Beth continued, not moving her eyes from the group. "Little before first light, just like the Asian boy said."

"Glenn," Maggie said quietly, finally earning an interested raised brow from her sister as she peeked over her shoulder at her. Maggie looked away and out towards the group shrugging a bit and playing off the small hint of a blush she could feel rising on her cheeks. "If they're gonna be here a while, we may as well learn their names, Beth."

"Whatever," Beth said quietly her eyes returning to the group setting up tents in the grass. "So the last few were interesting. There was the old guy, he's up on the RV," Beth started again and Maggie shifted her eyes to the roof of the RV. "Not really sure what he's doing. I think he's overseeing the set up or somethin'. Then there was the blonde," Beth's face scrunched. "I think she's maybe the old guy's daughter, or something. I know your Asian boy,"

"Glenn," Maggie huffed earning a sly smile from her sister.

"Glenn," Beth said in that tone that had Maggie rolling her eyes and wishing bodily harm upon her younger sibling. "He seems pretty close to the old guy and the blonde," Maggie's head perked a bit and her eyes searched for this blonde woman. But she didn't see her. To that fact, she didn't see Glenn either, or the black man with the cut on his arm. Maggie's brow twitched a bit as she worked her arms tighter around herself, barely registering Beth's continued speaking. "But as far as I can tell the blonde and that guy with the crutch have something going on. I'm not too sure though, just a passing glance had me thinking…" Maggie's eyes cut back to her sister, watching as the younger girl shrugged. Maggie narrowed her brow, but before she could question her sister's apparent unending knowledge of the newcomers in the yard, Beth continued on in a strangely excited tone. "Then there were the kids," Beth pointed a bit and Maggie's eyes followed, widening a bit at the sight of two tiny specks of people.

Maggie watched as Callie's unmistakable lithe form picked up what she could see was a very small little girl and balanced her on her hip. The low light of the slow dawning morning helped her to make out the form of a young boy settled in on the ground not far away from Callie at the base of a newly assembled tent. Maggie felt her lip twitch in a bit of a snarl as she watched the also unmistakable form of the sleeveless, hillbilly asshole that had arrived last night. Her snarl faded just a bit when she saw the man put a hand to the boy's head and ruffle his hair a bit before bending to snatch up a tent pole. The man turned towards Callie and the girl and Maggie felt her head tilting to the side in wonder as she watched them.

"I'm pretty sure that the kids are theirs," Beth said in an almost excited tone. "Callie and that guy's, the one that showed up on the motorcycle last night." Beth looked over at Maggie and raised her brow. "They look like 'em. The boy and his dusty colored hair and the girl with those dark curls," Maggie shifted her attention back to them and found Callie's eyes now on her and Beth. An instant sense of embarrassment flooded her and she felt the rush of blood to her cheeks that immediately had her looking away again. "Cute little family. Pretty sure I heard Callie call him Daryl." Maggie's brow's again raised and Beth tossed out an exaggerated hand at her sister's apparent lack of understanding. "Her husband. Motorcycle man. Think she called him Daryl."

"How long have you been-"

"Miles throws me a bit. He's a bit too old to be theirs," Beth began again, ignoring Maggie's disgruntled sigh at her sister's obvious lack of attention to her. Instead, Maggie's lip twitched just a bit as she sidled closer to her sister.

"Miles, huh?" Maggie said with a bit of a smile. Beth rolled her eyes at her sister as if in annoyance, but the slight ducking of her head and slump to her shoulders told Maggie she was embarrassed.

"The way Callie treats him though, I'm not so sure. I mean, I guess they could have had him young," Beth continued as if Maggie hadn't said a word. The girl was on a roll now not even paying attention to Maggie, just fully engrossed in watching the young boy as he directed the newly returned Hummer and a Jeep into place near their camp. Maggie spotted Glenn slip out of the Hummer, watching with a keen sort of interest as he stopped and spoke with the boy. The mythical blonde woman finally came into view then offering a smile and a hand to Glenn's shoulder before she worked towards where Carol stood near the RV opening cans. Glenn then turned towards her and she swore his eyes latched right on to hers, a fact that was completely absurd considering the distance between them.

"Beth," Maggie said shaking her head at the heat of the blush she could feel and her own gawking, and instead trying to get her sister's attention.

"I know that the redhead isn't theirs," Beth continued idly, slim fingers tapping along her chin as if she were deep in thought. "But I guess Miles could be," Beth was biting on her fingernails now and Maggie was becoming a bit angered by her sister's seemingly inappropriate actions. "I think the guy with the crutch is Rick's brother, and maybe Callie's too." Beth furrowed her brow a bit and tilted her head towards where their father and Rick were standing. "They could be siblings, I mean at first I thought Callie and Rick were-"

"Beth!" Maggie finally elbowed her sister and got the girl to stop. "Good Lord, they aren't some traveling road show soap opera here for your amusement. Seriously, how long have ya been out here starin' at them?"

"A while I guess. I couldn't sleep," Beth said quietly her eyes sliding beyond Maggie towards the house. "That girl," Beth's mouth twitched to the side and she looked up at her sister with fearful blue eyes. "I guess. You know," she looked back at the group and Maggie put a hand to her shoulder.

Yeah, she knew. She hadn't really been able to sleep either.

"C'mon," Maggie said quietly giving a small tug to Beth's sweater. "Stop starin' it's impolite." Beth scoffed a little and hopped off the railing to follow her sister back inside.

"They're setting up camp in our front lawn, Mags. I think the barrier of impolite was passed long ago." Beth said sliding her eyes behind her as she let the screen door close. After a deep breath that had Maggie again looking over her shoulder at her younger sister Beth continued on in a sad tone. "I don't think any of them slept at all."

"Yeah," Maggie said, watching Beth's gaze slip back to her. She inclined her head towards the kitchen and Beth followed in a bit of a huff. "I don't think they've slept much in a long time."

"Is it really that bad out there?" Beth asked quietly as she leaned on the island in the kitchen and watched Maggie settle in near the sink. Maggie placed her hands on the edge of the sink and stared down the drain. Maggie had seen the wreckage of the town that she and Otis had raided a couple of times for supplies. So the question from Beth wasn't so strange, the girl had been drillin' her for information for weeks. Information that her dad would have killed her for sharin' with the 'young and impressionable children' aka Beth and Jimmy. "I mean they look so," Beth shrugged and let her eyes slip back towards the front door. "I mean did you see how dirty they all were."

"How would you expect to look living on the road," Maggie snapped at her sister, her mind slipping back from the wreckage of that town to the people setting up camp in their front lawn. People that had lived and survived in that horror for months. She turned and watched as Beth rose up from her slumped position. "Honestly, Beth, the world ain't what it used to be."

"I know that!" Beth snapped back, her fine blonde brows narrowing at her sister. "I was just sayin'-"

"I know what you were sayin'," Maggie shook her head and let out a long ragged sigh as she worked towards the refrigerator. She opened the door and stared inside at the food, her mind instantly flashing back to the bedraggled state of the group camping on her lawn. The small fire near the RV, and cans lined up and being opened by Carol and the blonde woman that she didn't yet know the name of. Maggie bit at the inside of her cheek for a few seconds before shaking her head and grabbing at the leftovers settled inside.

There really wasn't any rhyme or reason to what she pulled out. She merely felt this unyielding need to feed these people. To clothe them. To help them. Beth stood back and watched her sister madly pull food out of the fridge, eyes wide and expression confused.

"What are you doing?" Beth asked quietly sliding herself around to where Maggie was now moving to the breadbox and tossing the loaves onto the island.

"What does it look like?" Maggie said quickly her eyes slipping to her confused and anxious sister. "You sat there for how long just starin' at them Beth, but did you _see_ them? Did you see what they were plannin' on eatin'?" Maggie shook her head and continued to the next cupboard grabbing the preserves and peanut butter and then plates.

"But daddy said," Beth started and Maggie whirled around cutting her off.

"Jesus Christ, Beth!" Maggie practically screamed. The slack-jawed awe showing on her sister's face immediately had Maggie regretting her use of the Lord's name in vain. But she shook it off. "He can ground me." Maggie seethed out in a tone dripping with sarcasm. "I will not sit in here and feast on all of this, while those people, those children, settle themselves in the yard and eat beans and canned fruit. Now are you gonna go cryin' off and tellin' dad or are you gonna act like an adult for once and help."

A slight shuffling sound behind them had whatever Beth's response was dying on her lips. Both girls turned to the doorway and saw the red-rimmed eyes of Patricia staring at them. The older woman's sweater was drawn tight over her slim shoulders, while her light blonde hair flew around her head in a wild state. Maggie cringed and let the jar of preserves she held clatter loudly to the kitchen island.

"Patricia—"

"Your sister's right, Beth." Patricia said in a hoarse voice. She sniffed a bit and then uncrossed her arms from around her body, sliding forward and around the island until her cold fingers touched to Maggie's arm. Maggie smiled just a bit at the grieving woman and placed a hand over hers. "Your father has his reasons for keeping those people at a distance, reasons I know you are both old enough to understand. But even I find it hard to believe that he would stand by and allow them to starve on his land. We'll set up the food outside," Patricia said looking at Beth.

"What should I take?" Beth said finally sending a small smile to her sister.

"Anything. Everything," Maggie said looking at the assortment of food she'd tossed haphazardly onto the counter. "Whatever you can. I'll start the eggs."

* * *

Danny lifted a hand against the sun in his eyes and stared sadly at the people slowly milling about the picnic table near the Greene family home. Usually sun-dappled late summer picnics were happy occasions. At least all the ones he'd ever been to. But this, this was something completely different.

Uncomfortable seemed like a fuckin' understatement for the feel of the air around the two distinct groups settled near the house. The air was thick with whatever that feeling was. That unspoken tension that lingered on the shoulders of Hershel as he watched his family intermix, albeit in a very reserved way, with the group that had taken up residence on his lawn was palpable to everyone.

And it was the exact reason that Danny had taken his ass for a little walk.

His own discomfort had finally become a bit too much. The girls, Maggie and Beth, had probably expected the meal to go over better. Like the fuckin' first Thanksgiving or something, the locals sharing their wealth and food with the invading pilgrims. But the tone had been set, and it was a solemn and apprehensive one. One on the heels of a funeral service for a man he'd never met.

Otis, the man who accidentally shot Carl and then sacrificed his life so that it could be saved.

Danny's mouth twitched a bit, his eyes sliding from where the rest of the group was quietly thanking their hosts and over towards the fence at the edge of the property, and the figure standing there. Danny wasn't the only one feeling the uneasiness in the atmosphere, and as he hobbled slowly along the grass towards the figure he felt the slight twinge of a growing headache behind his eyes.

Miles. That poor fuckin' kid. Danny watched the boy-the young man- as he settled a foot up against the fence, his forearms resting on the top crossbar. The kid had been through a shit-storm as of late. First finding the bedraggled Jenna. Then seeing Carl shot. Then heading into droves of Walkers, almost getting his ass torn up on more than one occasion, to get the equipment needed to save his friend. Witnessing the death of a man trying to aid them. And then finally being met with the news that even though they may have saved Carl; Jenna was going to die.

Yeah, the kid had every right to be moping around and exiling himself from the group. And if it had been anyone other than Miles doing it, he'd have been just fine and dandy to let them sit and sulk in peace. But it wasn't anyone else. It was fuckin' Miles Grant.

The kid he'd seen take the death of his entire family in stride. The kid who had become a new person in order to survive in this hellhole of a world that they existed in. Yeah, Jenna was hittin' him hard. That whole fucked up mess was gonna hit them all hard. But that wasn't what had Miles shying away from everyone.

Danny'd seen it when he first arrived, the look that passed over the kid's face when Maggie had mentioned her man Otis not making it back from the supply raid. It had been quick, and the kid had worked really hard to mask it, but it had been there. Guilt and something else Callie had obviously noticed too. The look on her face when he mentioned it to her, the nod of her head as he made his way away from the group only moments ago.

Yeah, she knew something was up.

After their first great mistake in this new world, the one that had cost a few lives and had their sense of safety and security to come crashing down around them in a heap of unrelenting fear and distrust, he and Callie had made set up a few ground rules. Rules that they both lived and breathed by now.

Never judge a book by its cover. Never let that slight feeling of unease in a person to dwindle after a few acts of kindness. And never stop paying attention to the people and the world around them.

And while Callie boasted an almost uncanny ability to read a person and a situation in a damn blink of the eye, Danny had been a bit slower on the uptake. He was slightly proud of the fact that he'd been able to pick up on Miles' agitation; knowing that he'd apparently read the situation right. But his pride was short-lived when he figured out what had caused it.

A fact that apparently his fuckin' almost psychic female counterpart had already guessed.

So while Callie was working hard to avoid a chit-chat with the Greene family patriarch-her mind more involved in keeping Jenna comfortable, and worrying as Daryl, T-Dog and Glenn left to go search for Sophia—Danny was heading over to have a bit of a chat with Miles. A chat well out of ear shot of the man with the newly shaved head that had been eyeing the boy throughout the entire funeral service.

"You didn't eat much, man." Danny said as he came to within ear shot of Miles at his perch on the fence. Miles jumped a bit, apparently too lost in his thoughts to have heard the loud-ass approach of the be-crutched wonder that was Danny. Miles stared at him for a moment and Danny raised a brow. "Pretty amazin'. You're a fuckin' Hoover when its canned goods and squirrel meat, but give you actual food and you act like a fuckin' supermodel worryin' 'bout a bikini shoot."

Miles cracked a small grin and Danny felt his own lips twitch. Shaking his head a bit Miles looked away from Danny and back out to the open fields beyond the fence. Danny shuffled forward, wincing slightly at the uneven ground and then propped himself next to the kid at the fence.

"Wasn't hungry," Miles said quietly.

"Yeah, well, by the looks of it those two girls are obviously gonna catch some flack for that spread they put out," Danny said tossing his head over his shoulder. "Make sure you at least say thank you."

Miles grunted and nodded his head before letting his chin slip down to his chest. Danny turned his body to face towards the fields, but kept his gaze on the boy beside him. The angry bruised flesh around the cut in his brow and the newly worked splint that replaced the cast on his left arm causing Danny's hands to clench a bit. The warm early afternoon sun was beating down on his head, and that headache was just growing and growing the more he stared at the wounds. He knew the kid was bruised on his chest from the two car wrecks he'd been in at that FEMA station, Danny had watched him wince and push through the pain as he helped to set up camp.

Danny's gaze slipped behind him to where he could see Shane limping slightly towards Rick. The tiny little limp, over exaggerated in Danny's opinion, and that fucking scratch on the top of his bald-ass head causing Danny's blood to fuckin' boil. Danny slipped his eyes back to Miles, shocked to find the kid peering at him from over his shoulder. Miles slipped his eyes back to the grass and Danny let out a sigh.

"You wanna talk 'bout it?" Danny asked, leaving it open-ended just like he'd learned to do watching Master Callie at work. He watched from the corner of his eye as the kid's face scrunched up for a moment before he schooled it. Oh yeah, Miles was good. He was learning his own tricks from the master herself. But he wasn't anywhere near good enough to fool someone who cared to really look.

And so Danny settled in and patiently waited for the kid to answer. He watched him shift uncomfortably a few times, watched him pick at a string on the ace bandage wrapped around his broken wrist, and finally watched him scowl. All of that happened in probably five or ten seconds, and it was quite possibly the longest fuckin' couple of seconds in Danny's life.

"'Bout what?" Miles said after that small moment and Danny's brows rose as he watched the kid's profile. This wasn't exactly what he foresaw happening. Then again, this whole covert operation type of shit had never been his style. Probably why he just wasn't as good at it as Callie was.

Danny drummed the fingers of his right hand along the fence as he continued to stare, hoping that it would somehow spark the kid into talking. And there was something brewing there, Danny could see it each and every time the kid slipped his eyes over to him. He wanted to talk. He just needed the right sort of prodding to do it.

Too bad it was Danny standing there and not Callie. Danny Murdock didn't do fuckin' subtlety.

"Let's see," Danny said finally lifting his fingers so he could tick off items. Miles' gaze slipped completely to him a brow raised expectantly as he waited. Danny grinned. "We could talk 'bout Jenna. Or 'bout how you been walkin' 'round with your spine so stiff I'm half expecting you to snap in half if you bend wrong. 'Bout the way a certain shaved-headed former sheriff's deputy has been dogging your steps. Or maybe 'bout how you pretty much ignored a grievin' widow when she asked you 'bout her husband's last moments." Danny watched the kid flinch and turn away and Danny nodded as he snapped his fingers. "There we go, that's the one."

"Ain't nothin' to talk about," Miles mumbled to his chest as he again began picking at the string on his bandaged hand. "Shane said it all, didn't he?" Danny shook his head, the look on the kid's face irking him that last little bit.

"Oh, fuck it, man." Danny slid closer and gave Miles a quick hit to his good arm. "What really happened out there Miles?" Miles went to open his mouth and Danny held up a hand. "And don't you pull that shit about you not seein' anything, and Shane already tellin' it like it was. I know you," Danny said quietly his face only an inch from the wide eyed stare of the kid beside him. "And unlike the lovely and yet oh-so-oblivious members of the Greene family, I know when you're lyin' boy."

Miles took in a deep breath in through his nose, his tongue darting out to wet his lip and Danny stepped back a bit. He watched Miles slip his eyes over the fence and then back over his shoulder towards the little memorial of rocks that they'd created for Otis. The kid's hands both began to clench and unclench as his shoulders lifted and fell with each breath, and Danny instantly felt bad for making him delve into something that he was obviously working hard to get past.

"Miles, you know I wouldn't normally press you on this." Danny said quietly, using whatever reserves of 'fatherly –tone' he had left. "I know you're old enough to handle your own shit in your own way. But somethin's eatin' at you. And that sort of shit can fog your brain and get you killed." Danny took a breath and ran his hand through is hair. "What happened?"

Another been of silence and Danny watched as the kid's shoulders slumped. Defeat was written across his features as he lowered his gaze to the wooden fence he had a white knuckle grip on.

"Shane," Miles started his voice barely above a whisper. Danny moved back in and put a hand to the kid's stiff shoulders.

"It's alright, man," Danny said quietly nodding his head, hoping that the kid _wasn't_ about to tell him what he'd already half figured out. He really didn't want him and Callie to be right on this one.

"Hey there you are," Shane's voice slid over them like an ice bath on a hot day, the effect of it causing Miles to turn so fast he damn near knocked Danny to the ground. Danny grabbed onto the fence and turned from the wide eyed kid to where Shane stood behind them. Shane's hands were resting idly on Ben's shoulders, and Danny had the almost ridiculous urge to pull Ben away. "You were right, kid." Shane said as Ben tipped a smiling face up to him, obviously proud he was able to help. Shane returned the smile a bit and then instantly returned his gaze to the stiffened form of Miles. "We were lookin' for you. Lori said Carl was up, and me and Ben were gonna go see how he was doin' maybe play some cards if he was up for it. At least for a bit. Figured you'd wanna come," Shane slipped his eyes quickly over to Danny and then back to Miles. "I know Carl's gonna wanna see you. Seein' as you saved his life."

"I didn't-" Miles began his head shaking and eyes wide as he stared at the now grinning Shane. Idly, Danny was transported back in time to the first time he had seen Alice In Wonderland with Jake years and years ago and his instant unease when he saw the large grin of the Cheshire Cat.

Fuck, the way Shane was grinnin', Danny half expected his head to pop off and float around Miles' body while he continued talking.

"Sure you did," Shane said immediately bringing Danny back to the conversation and leaving his trippy dream of headless talking Shane far behind. "I wouldn't have made it without you man." Shane patted Ben's shoulders, the boy looking on proudly at Miles. Miles slipped his eyes down to Ben, and then back up to Shane. "You and me man. In the thick of it together."

"Ain't that somethin'," Danny muttered earning a quick bit of a glare from Shane. The moment was fleeting and Shane was instantly lookin' back at Miles just waiting for him to bite onto what he was throwing out. Danny almost snarled as he put a hand to Miles' arm. "You don't have to go in." The comment again had Shane shifting his attention to Danny, but this time Danny ignored him completely. "You and me can go somewhere and finish our talk, if you want."

"No I should go," Miles said stepping away and towards Shane and Ben. "I wanted to see Jen anyway," Miles said almost angrily. He reached out and grabbed Ben's arm dragging the boy in front of him and away from the stoic form of Shane.

Danny watched Miles stalk off with Ben, catching Shane half-turn to watch as well. When Miles made it far enough away, Danny slumped back against the fence, his crutch settled in tight to his body keeping him upright, while his hand idly rubbed at the bride of his nose. Closing his eyes Danny took a few breaths to try and steady his nerves.

"Everything okay, there, Danny-boy?" Shane's voice split into Danny's brain and had his eyes opening. "Miles a'right?"

"Yeah, he's just fuckin' peachy. Dealing with all this shit and Jenna. He's fan-fuckin-tastic."

"Just askin', Danny," Shane said tossing his hands up in surrender a slight smile riding his lips. "He saved my ass. I owe him. Wanted to know if there was anything I could do to help. Maybe talk to him," Danny didn't say anything just shook his head. He knew he was glaring when he saw Shane's grin slip to a scowl before he masked it again, this time with a mocking sort of concern riding his features. Shane stepped closer to Danny and Danny let his hand fall to his crutch. "You doin' okay, man?" Shane asked, putting his hand to Danny's tight shoulder. "Pain buggin' you? You need me to get you somethin'?"

Danny chuckled, he couldn't help it. He fuckin' chuckled loudly and shook his head as he stood up to his full height effectively dislodging Shane's unwelcome hand in the process.

"I'm good man," Danny waved his hand in the air in a dismissive manner and Shane smiled. "I just got this headache that won't go away, ya know?"

"Yeah," Shane said turning away from Danny and starting towards the house. "Better watch, those things can kill ya."

* * *

It was amazing how the words of a complete stranger could ring truer than those of the people you love and trusted most in the world.

_You shouldn't be here. _

Jenna's heart was hammering in her chest as she slipped her unsteady legs off of the edge of the bed and settled her bare feet to the ground. The pain in her wounded and infected leg was intense as she lifted just a bit to put pressure on her feet and she found herself easing her butt quickly back down to the mattress. Tears flooded her vision as the headache, which was at more of a debilitating migraine status now than simple headache level, pounded behind her eyes and deep in her temples.

_You're a danger to everyone here. You shouldn't be here._

Angrily, Jenna pushed past the pain and once again got to her feet. She stood on her shaky legs for a moment assessing the situation. Her body was on fire; muscles burning with just the tiny bit of use they were getting keeping her upright. Her head was swimming and felt as if it were weighted down as she struggled to keep her eyes open and her chin from falling to her chest. Her throat was sore and each breath burned up and out in a stuttering rush; quick and painful. And worst of it, her entire body felt frail, as if her bones themselves had burnt to nothing more than ash and would break if she even tried to take a step.

It was unsettling to feel so dead on her feet. Jenna cracked a grin at her own oddly morbid pun.

"Jeeze Jenna," she muttered to herself. "That's not even a _little_ funny."

_You shouldn't be here. _

Jenna shook her head slightly and ran her fingers through her sweat-damped hair, wincing at the feel of the strands pulling. When she felt a tangle of knots pull free and brought her hand back to look at her fingers she shuddered at the clump of loose red hair settled in her grip. Another blazing exhale sputtered out of her lips and she felt the burn of the tears streaking down her cheeks.

She shook her hand wildly for a moment, closing her eyes to the sight of the bunch of hair falling from her hands to the floor below. Her resolve renewed in that moment, her brittle spine stiffened as much as it could and her legs began to move in slow, painful steps turning her around. She smoothed her hands over the bedspread, and resettled the small note that she'd written upon the pillows.

Her eyes slipped to the stack of notebooks that Callie, Ben and Gracie had brought into her earlier. Thoughts of those two kids staring at her, both unable to hide the sadness that had been so clearly written on their faces broke into her foggy memory. She felt her hand begin to shake wildly as emotions coursed through her.

_You're a danger to everyone here. _

Memories of her friends, people she considered her family now, wavered in the depths of her brain and gave way to the image of the boy who had said those words to her. His lanky frame taking up the entire field of her vision as he stood a good two feet away from the edge of the bed and stared down at her. The door was ajar, letting in a bit of the sounds of the house, but her entire focus had been on the stranger who had crept into her room.

"You shouldn't be here," he said quietly his eyes not leaving her as she settled her notebook to her lap. "I know you're smart enough to know that. You're a danger to everyone here. You really think your people are gonna have the heart to take care of you when it happens," he paused and slipped his eyes to the doorway quickly before stepping closer. "You shouldn't be here when it happens. What if they can't do it? You wanna take out one of them too?" Jenna had just stared at him while he took a few stuttering steps towards her, as if he was afraid to get too close. "You shouldn't be here."

Jenna had opened her mouth to retort, but before she could Carol had come back with the glass of water she'd gone to fetch.

"You shouldn't be in here," Carol said immediately her tone icy and firm. Her words echoed the boy's and caused Jenna's eyes to snap to her. The older woman was glaring at the boy whose eyes had widened to an almost saucer-like size at being caught. "You," Carol pointed a finger at the boy and advanced. "You need to leave. Now."

With that the boy had pushed past Carol in a rush of embarrassment and left Jenna to stare after him. Carol had sat down with her at that point, asking questions of if she was okay, and what the boy had wanted. And even though Jenna had wanted to tell the woman, the way Carol's hand had hesitated before she placed in on Jenna's arm had her shaking her head and saying nothing.

Jenna shook her head at the memory and pushed herself up to stand painfully beside the bed. She turned away from her stack of notebooks and the note on the pillow and made her way slowly towards the window. Her fingers trailed along the sill for a moment as she stared out into the slowly creeping evening, the low hues of dusk had settled around them leaving the back of the house bathed in an odd shadows that stretched for miles.

Pushing her fear aside Jenna opened the window, wincing in pain at the movement and seething between her teeth at the sound of the slow creaking hinges. Her eyes skipped over her shoulder to the shut door, and hoped that her feigned sleep would keep Callie or whoever else was on 'death watch' away long enough for her to follow through with what she had planned.

The boy's words had sparked something inside of her, the thought of what would happen if she turned and it was Miles sitting with her. What if he couldn't do what needed to be done? Then she thought about Callie and her poor spirit, already broken down from the numerous people she'd had to put down to this disease. Why give her one more face to haunt her night after night? Then she thought about herself, how she'd left Sophia behind at that church. How she had planned to run herself far enough into the woods, away from the girl and their friends, so that when she turned they would hopefully never see her wandering lifeless corpse.

That had been her plan. And that would stay her plan.

Jenna slipped her head out the window, closing her eyes and relishing the cool feel of the early autumn air hitting her fevered skin. That cool breeze helped to focus her mind, and readied her for what needed to be done. Looking down Jenna took a deep breath and then worked her legs painfully and slowly out the window. As she went, she turned so that her feet dangled just above the ground, and her eyes again roamed the room.

"Thank you," she said to the room as if the house would relay the message to its owners. She smiled one last time at her notebooks sitting in the pool of yellow light provided by that small desk lamp, the silver gleam of Callie's Fat Lady settled right on top like a sick little paperweight.

Jenna let go of the sill and landed hard on the ground. Her legs instantly crumbled beneath her as pain laced through her body. Sheer force of will and her hand clasped over her mouth muffled the piercing sound of her pained scream.

Her fingers shook wildly over her trembling lips as she stared at the grass in front of her in her crouched position, her brain registering only one thing. Her foot. An incredulous stuttering laugh escaped between her fingers. She'd been right about her bones. The foot of her infected right leg had crunched in so sickening a manner when she hit the ground that the meager contents of her stomach had lurched into her throat in protest. The pain of that brake-the shattering really- of so many small bones, added to everything else going on in her body almost had her falling to the ground and crying.

Almost.

A shuffling noise caught her attention and had her sliding wild eyes up to the edge of the house at her right. The boy stood there bathed in the shadows created by the slowly descending sun. His mouth twitched to the side as he bit at the inside of his cheek and regarded her with a look she couldn't read. Her hand fell from her lips to push herself up from the ground, but she had no strength and merely slumped forward as he watched.

"Ya ain't gonna make it far on your own," he said quietly obviously trying to keep his presence a secret from the rest of the house. "I can help you. Know a good place; a nice place you could go." He stepped forward and Jenna felt a bit of apprehension slide over her sickened body; chills that had nothing to do with the infection shivering up the base of her spine with each step he took. "My family," he stopped a couple of feet from her and blinked a few times, his eyes heading towards the outstretched land behind the house. "It's the place they all went. I'll take ya if you want."

Jenna stared for a bit, but then let her head nod once and watched in mild awe as he closed the distance between them and reached down to help her up.

Jenna had often dreamed of sneaking out of her room and meeting some boy for a clandestine rendezvous. And the irony of this situation was not lost on her as she felt his hand grab roughly at her arm and pull her up to her feet. He gave no mind to her whimpers of pain as he pulled her arm over his shoulder and walked steadily at almost too fast a pace towards the waiting blue pickup. She couldn't help but shake her head and wonder at what her father would think of how this all turned out. As the boy quietly opened the passenger door for her and pushed her towards it, she stopped him and finally caught his eyes with hers. She was simply unable to let this go any further without knowing.

"What's your name?" she asked quietly, staring up into his eyes. Searching them for the real reason behind his actions.

"Jimmy."

* * *

Callie settled her aching body into the soft well-worn cushion of the chair and let out a long sigh. Her fingers of her right hand drummed along her thigh while her left worked at a frayed edge of the red rag hanging out of the pocket of her jeans. A small smirk rode her lips as she looked down at that rag and remembered finding it hours upon hours ago.

She'd been grabbing Jenna's notebooks and had started up the Hummer to try and get a feel for how the gas level was. She knew it should be about half full still, even with all the back and forth on the highway that Glenn had done, and she'd been surprised when the vehicle had started and then sputtered to a stop. She repeated the action, twice catching the gage lift barely above the first line. That's when Miles had called for her and she'd stuck her head out the window to see the boy propped by the gas cap, or where the gas cap should have been. She'd exited the Hummer and just stared at that fucking red rag as it blew slightly in the wind. Pulling out the rag she'd clenched it in her fist and shifted her eyes to Miles as he kicked a suspiciously full gas can sitting not so far off near Merle's bike.

"I was wonderin' what he was doin'," Miles said watching as Callie pocketed the rag. She put her hands into her back pockets and rocked back on her heels as she continued to stare at the gas can at the kid's feet. "Guess this is his not so subtle way of tellin' you to stay put, huh?"

"Yeah, something like that." Callie said nodding. It wasn't as if she couldn't just fill it back up; the man wasn't stupid enough to make it so she couldn't make an escape if she needed to. But the message was loud and clear. He didn't trust her ass as far as he could throw her. "Smart-ass motherfucker."

At that point she'd walked away, figuring she'd have a few choice words for Mr. Dixon when his ass got back.

Callie's fingers drummed on her leg a bit more as she stared out the window into the darkness that had fallen almost too quickly around them. And even though she knew she shouldn't be worrying, she couldn't help it. But honestly, worrying about Daryl fucking Dixon traipsing around the woods was like worrying about a fish drowning in water. It was just that the way things had been going for them all lately had her expecting the worst.

Waiting for the worst.

Shaking her head, Callie tried to forget about her inane worry and get her mind back into the present, and the much avoided conversation she was about to enter into. Her eyes roamed around the simple home office of Dr. Hershel Greene, D.V.M., and she couldn't help but smile. Her brother had an office like this back at his little house in Savannah. Her eyes slipped around the dark wood furniture, the oddly upholstered chairs and small couch. She took in the dusty placards and frames holding awards, accreditations and degrees and couldn't help but smile. The accomplished Dr. Hershel Greene, D.V.M, apparently.

On the desk her eyes caught on a framed photo, half turned towards her. She leaned forward and pushed the photo so that she could look at it. It looked to be a few years old, but she was instantly able to pick out the smiling faces of Beth and Maggie. The girls were settled on the front steps of the porch here, and squished between them was a smiling boy with dirty blonde hair like Beth's. He looked to be a few years older than Beth, but at that point of adolescence it was really hard to figure age for sure. Standing behind them was Hershel; Callie almost didn't recognize the man. The smile on his face seemed so relaxed and easy, but the sight of it was so foreign to Callie that she did a bit of a double take at it. His large arm was around a woman, her hair a slightly darker tone than Beth's and the boy settled beside her.

Their mother? His wife?

Idly Callie wondered where the woman and the boy were now. A flash of memory had her brow narrowing. The image of Beth's horror-stricken features when she walked in and saw that Jenna was infected. The moment of realization that these people had in fact lived through some of the horror of the world around them. Callie tapped her finger on the desk in front of the photo and bit at the inside of her cheek.

The sound of the office door creaking open had Callie slipping back into her seat and her eyes sliding over her shoulder.

"But dad," Beth's voice echoed around in the room and Callie worked to suppress her smirk. She knew that whining tone well. "He's just—" the girl's voice cut off and Callie could just make out Hershel's elbow popping around the door. "You can't be angry with him. He's tryin' so hard. He just needs time to process-"

"I well understand that Beth," Hershel's powerful voice, embedded with that deep Southern gentleman charm boomed out. "But he needs to learn that he can't just go off on his own without tellin' anyone. That is not something I will tolerate in this house, especially now."

"But," Beth started again and by this time Hershel had worked his way fully into the office and his hard, heavily browed eyes settled right on Callie's smiling face. Turning slightly to his daughter who had worked in after him but hadn't yet noticed Callie's presence, he spoke in a low authoritative tone. "We can discuss this later."

"He was tryin' to apologize, daddy," Beth's little whining tone had Callie smiling again and Hershel gave a very fatherly sigh of frustration and exhaustion.

"Elizabeth. Later." Hershel's eyes skipped from his daughter to the guest in his office and finally Beth seemed to get the picture. Her eyes slipped from her father's face to where Callie was sitting and Callie couldn't help waving a single finger at her.

"Oh," Beth said quietly, her mouth hitching in an embarrassed half-smile. "Hi Callie."

"Beth," Callie nodded and smiled at the girl. She watched as Beth handed over the plate and cup she'd apparently been holding hostage in order to talk to her father and gave one more apologetic look to her slightly amused looking father. Callie shifted in her seat and watched as Hershel closed the door with a sigh. The man stared at the door for a moment, his hands gripping the plate of food and glass of water, before he turned with a wide eyed sort of flabbergasted expression that had Callie smiling and watching him expectantly.

"I had Maggie fix you a plate," Hershel said letting out another sigh as he worked his way towards his desk. He set the plate on the desk and skipped his eyes to the photo that Callie had turned. Callie raised her hand and tried to wave off the plate, only to have the man wave her off and settle his hand at the back of his neck, his eyes skimming over the gun settled in her jeans. "I will not have you passin' out on me again. I'm a bit tired. So indulge me in this if you please."

Callie sighed and grabbed a biscuit off of the plate holding it up to the now smirking Hershel. She tore off a piece and let it melt in her mouth before chewing a bit. Hershel gave her a small smile and nodded as he moved around to sit at the chair behind his desk. His body slumped and as Callie worked on her biscuit she realized just how tired the man actually looked. Running around fixing up all the broken people of her group, performing surgery on a boy in his house, losing one of his own, and taking in a dying girl.

Honestly she was surprised the poor fucking guy was holding up as well as he was. Credit where credit was due, she couldn't help but respect the man.

"I want to apologize for," he waved a large hand around in the air, "_That_," Hershel finished tiredly. His brow rose a bit in exasperation that only a parent could really understand. He reached out and fixed the photo that Callie had been looking at, his eyes skipping up to her briefly as he did it. Callie leaned back, leaving her plate on the desk and continued to pick at her biscuit.

"Nothing to apologize for," Callie said quietly, watching his eyes skip up to her over the desk. "You have two very strong-willed girls on your hands. I can relate, from a standpoint of being one myself. If that's as bad as you got it," Callie tossed a thumb towards the door. "Ya got off a bit easy."

"Yes well," Hershel said with slight hitch to his brow as he watched her pick at her biscuit. He leaned forward and tipped the plate towards her and she smirked. "I am well aware of my own downfalls and utter lack of sense when it comes to parenting girls, but I do feel I've come a long way in the twenty-some years I've been doing it." Callie smiles and pops the rest of her biscuit into her mouth, watching Hershel's eyes again skip to the photo on his desk. "However I find myself treading into new territory with a boy so keen to prove himself to me at every turn living under my roof."

"I can see how that'd be difficult," Callie said inching forward and grabbing the cup of water from the desk. "From what I remember, most boys will go to great lengths to prove themselves worthy in the eyes of their girl's daddy. My own ex joined the army to win approval. I can only imagine the lengths a boy will go when he's living under the man's roof, especially in times like these."

"Let's just say that in these times, I'd wish him prove the smarter man rather than the stronger," Hershel said quietly shaking his head slightly. "A fact that has not seemed to have dawned on the boy as of yet."

"'A boy doesn't have to go to war to be a hero; he can say he doesn't like pie when he sees there isn't enough to go 'round'," Callie quoted earning a warm smile from the man across from her. He nodded his head and she smiled widely remembering the many times her aunt Katie had said that to her. "He's young, and fancies himself in love," Callie said smiling at the inane bit of conversation they were having. "Just wait until your little lovebirds realize they aren't."

"God help me then," Hershel said and Callie chuckled. She saluted him with her water and then took a sip, watching as he fidgeted slightly behind his desk. A beat of silence fell around them as they both tried to figure out exactly how to start the conversation that apparently they'd both been avoiding. "About your girl," Hershel began after another beat, and Callie couldn't help but love the man who apparently knowing the value of cutting to the chase. He lifted his eyes to her and let out a long sigh. "I wanted to first apologize for the way my Beth reacted to Jenna's illness."

"No apology necessary," Callie said a bit taken aback by the odd choice of words. She furrowed her brow and settled her cup at her knee. "The world is a scary place now, Hershel. She has every right to be afraid."

"Yes, well, the world today set aside," Hershel began in very firm tone that had Callie straightening just a bit in her chair as she regarded the stoic man. "I feel this disease has been met with enough fear and hatred to last us another ten lifetimes. That is not the way I have brought my girls to act, and it was most assuredly not something you or Jenna needed to be exposed to at the time."

"I appreciate that, Hershel." Callie said quietly, before leaning forward and placing her cup up on the desk. Hershel watched her movements with a slightly wary eye, shaking his head when she pushed the plate out of the way in order to settle her hands on the desk.

"As for Jimmy's intruding upon Jenna's room earlier," Hershel said shaking his head.

"Let's just say I accept your apology and stop filling the room with useless prattle, shall we." Callie said a bit irked. That boy's intrusion had been beyond rude and had left a sour taste in Callie's mouth from the instant Carol told her of it. Especially since Jenna had flat-out refused to tell her what the boy had wanted. Good God then she'd had to bodily hold Miles back from going after the kid. "I don't think either of us the type to beat around the bush. And honestly, I'd like to get back to Jenna and my kids."

"Well," Hershel said leaning back just a bit in his chair and lifting a brow at her. "One parent to another, I can understand that." He slipped forward and interlocked his fingers as he stared at her over the desk. "I want you to understand that I am not tryin' to force my own beliefs upon you. You are free to leave and take care of this as you will. But knowing that your group is planning on stayin' until you find your missing girl and Carl is up on his feet, I will ask that you hear me out."

"I have no problem with your beliefs," Callie said raising a hand to the space between them in surrender. "And I have no problem hearing you out," Callie said smirking just a bit. "In spite of what my avoidance of you may or may not have led you to believe. I do respect your opinion, especially as a doctor. But really, I'm not sure what beliefs or anything really has to do with this. The choice is Jenna's to make. Not yours. Not mine. Not anyone's."

"But has she been given a choice?" Hershel asked quietly raising his own hand to the air. "Or has she just been led to believe that death is the only way."

"I'm sorry," Callie shook her head and blinked her eyes a couple of times, trying to push away the dizziness that the movement caused and refocus on the man, the fucking doctor, sitting across from her. "No offense, Hershel, but unless you and your people have concocted some kind of cure to this disease here," she wiggled her fingers in the air. "Which I don't find hard to believe in this little piece of heaven inside of hell that you've managed to create. Death is the only way I know of."

"That is exactly the type of close-minded, fearful thinking that has brought this upon us," Hershel said with a dismissive and angry wave. Callie's brows rose and her mouth opened and closed a few times as she watched the man shake his head.

"You've talked to Rick," Callie said quietly gaining his attention again, her own confusion causing her voice to stutter a bit. She blinked a few times and shook her head trying to clear it as she watched the man across from her, the fucking doctor across from her, raise a brow. Callie's brow furrowed more and she leaned closer to help physically bridge this apparent gap in understanding that they had with one another. "You know we've been to the CDC right? That there is no one left; no one working on this anymore. That there is no cure. That-"

"Yes, Rick has explained your group's venture into the CDC," Hershel said tiredly his head still shaking. "It does not change how I feel about the choices that the girl lying in that room has been given." He let out a breath.

"What other choice would you have me give her?" Callie said as calmly as she could but she could hear her voice raising to a higher level with each word. "To wander about the world as a Walker?"

"As a _person_," Hershel said in a low tone that Callie almost missed. Almost. Her brow narrowed further and she felt her jaw go slack but before she could form words Hershel was continuing. "Have you asked if that is what she wants? Are you positive, absolutely positive, that she wants to die that way? That she wants to take her own life and deny herself-" he cut himself off and shook his head, apparently losing his own train of thought as his eyes slipped again to the photo on the desk. "Euthanasia is not a practice I can condone. Ever."

"Before," Callie said, her voice regaining a bit of normalcy as she worked to understand the man sitting with her. Worked to figure out what exactly he was saying. "When Rick and Lori were waiting for the equipment necessary to perform the surgery Carl needed," Callie continued watching Hershel's brows raise as he listened attentively to her. "You told them that they had a choice, right? That it was up to them whether they let you try without the equipment or whether they felt it better to let nature run its course. How is their choice to end their son's suffering by allowing him to die any different than what Jenna's choosin' for herself?"

Hershel stared at her for a moment, his brows furrowed so that the heavy patches of hair on his brow shadowed his eyes completely.

"The difference is," Hershel began slowly, that firm tone of his settling over her with each word. She didn't need to see in those shadowy depths to know that she'd hit some kind of chord in the man."Rick was not putting a gun in his boy's hand or to his boy's head. He was allowing, as you yourself said, 'nature to run its course'."

"The end result of this disease is anything but natural, Dr. Greene," Callie said spitefully. "I know you know that." Her hands flew around the room idly indicating the many awards and plaques. "Somewhere in that obviously brilliant mind of yours you _have_ to know that."

He stared at her for a moment, his eyes searching hers as if to read her mind. She stared back, trying to work out his thoughts. It was obvious that both of them failed.

"I believe we have reached an impasse," Hershel said in finally in return, his body sliding back so that his back pressed hard into the leather cushion of the chair he was in. His palms were flat on the desk as he stared at Callie, and Callie couldn't help but stare in wonder at him.

A beat of silence fell over them and finally Callie let out a long low sigh, her eyes holding with Hershel's as she stood.

"I suppose we have," Callie said quietly watching Hershel stand as well. "I'll gather Jenna and-"

A knock at the door cut off Callie and had both of them shifting their attention to the quickly opening door. Maggie stood breathless at the entry, her fingers wrapped around the door as her eyes slipped from Callie to her father in an agitated manner. Instantly Callie's blood ran cold, her worry for Daryl coming to the forefront of her mind. Maggie's eyes slipped from Callie again to her father before she spoke.

"Maggie, I asked for us to not be interrupted," Hershel said sternly, but even Callie could hear the worry in his voice.

"I know," Maggie said almost dismissively as she looked back to Callie. "But—" she licked her lips and shook her head. "It's Jenna." Callie's legs buckled a bit and she was lucky her hands were still planted firmly enough on the desk to hold her up. Hershel must have noticed her slight movement because he made his way quickly around and grabbed a hold of her elbow to steady her on her feet. "She's gone."

Callie's hand went to her gun settled in its usual place at the front of her jeans and Hershel's eyes hardened on her for a moment before slipping back to her daughter.

"No," Maggie said lifting a hand to stay Callie's. "She's not in her room. She's missing."

_I wanna die without pain, yeah_

_I wanna die, oh without pain_

_All this deception, I just can't maintain_

_The sun, moon, stars in the sky_

_It'd hurt me too bad if you said goodbye_

_Lies, lies, lies, ohh, lies_

_~Lies / The Black Keys_

_AN: Yeah, there was a lot of shit all up in this chapter. I hope this turned out well, I've actually been avoiding the confrontation between Callie and Hershel as much as the characters. Jeeze, that was HARD to write. I'm trying to not Hershel get out of character but this whole Jenna thing…shit it's throwing everyone through a loop, huh?_

_So I've decided to do something a bit off the beaten path here with my boy Jimmy…'cause seriously I'm not one to waste a character when I'm tossed one. I can only hope you guys like what I do here. Let me hear it, peeps!_

_So ya know we're gonna do a bit of backtrackin', 'cause it's apparently my favorite form of torture for you guys. Fair warning here. _

_Much love!_

_See ya next chapter!_

*_Oh and for anyone wondering, Callie's quote about boy's not having to go to war is credited to Edgar Watson Howe. ;) _


	25. Famous Last Words

**New Meanings to Old Words: Love**

_HI! I'm working hard to get this rollin' since I left y'all hanging as I VACAY'd it up. This chapter is doing a bit of backtracking, we're catching up with Daryl and the boys as they search for Sophia-some of you may ask, why the fuck do we need that? To that I say…DARYL DARYL DARYL he needs some screen time ya know? _

_As always, read, review and most of all enjoy!_

_~michelle_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Famous Last Words**

Daryl squinted his eyes in the afternoon sun and slid his gaze to the branches overhead. Letting out a long low sigh through his nose he let the strange pattern of bright sunlight that was filtering through the leaves and branches to imprint itself upon his brain. Maybe, just maybe, if he stared long enough at the sun he'd be able to distort the fuckin' image behind him into something more pleasin'.

Closing his eyes he, said a tiny prayer to his good ol' fuckin' boy JC and turned so that he could peek over his shoulder. The growl that emitted in his throat and rumbled through his chest was luckily low enough that the two bumblin' idiots trudging up behind him couldn't hear it.

"So where the fuck we goin', Dixon?" T-Dog's booming voice echoed around the woods and Daryl rolled his head along his shoulders in an effort to douse the anger. Nah, it wasn't anger. It was annoyance, plain and simple; boilin' fuckin' annoyance.

"What you think I got a map or somethin' that has a little star that says 'Sophia is here' that I'm followin'?" Daryl spat back sliding his eyes to the kid picking his way along beside T-Dog. He watched Glenn snicker at his response and he shook his head. "We're combin' the woods, lookin' for a trail. Ain't got not 'where' to it, _Dog_."

"You do know where we are though, right?" Glenn's voice sounded causing Daryl to once again shift his attention over his shoulder. He raised a brow and watched Glenn's eyes widen a bit as he shifted to look behind them. "I mean you know how to get back to the farm right?"

Daryl's mouth opened in response but he snapped it shut and turned his back on the pair of fuckin' idiots behind him. He shook his head and moved forward leaving them to catch up. Kind of fuckin' question was that? Did he know how to get back to the farm? They'd only fuckin' left two hours ago, and they hadn't really done nothin' but go straight back towards that fuckin' church ground.

Daryl shook his head again a little part of him was tempted to get them 'lost'. Make the two dumbfucks behind him really live off the land with him for a couple days. They thought life at the Quarry was _roughin' it_, he'd be happy to fuckin' show them what roughin' it really was. He was so tempted that his feet began leading him off of the pathway up to that church and off into the woods a bit.

Daryl squinted his eyes, and looked back over his shoulder his steps immediately coming to a stop at the sight of T-Dog and Glenn picking their path around the woods to where he stood. He was tempted, but there was no way he would or could do that. Not with Jenna on death's door and Callie sitting on the precipice of falling apart at the seams.

Daryl's hand went to his back pocket and he pulled out the black plastic gas cap that he'd stolen from the Hummer. She'd probably stumbled upon her newly gas-free vehicle by now, and the thought of her face at the moment of discovery had him wishin' he'da told Ben to snap a fuckin' picture for him.

She'd be pissed, and that tiny little line woulda formed between her slim dark brows as she furrowed them at him. That line he always wanted to reach out and smooth with his thumb, but never had. Those pretty hazel eyes would have been twinklin' with anger and amusement and that sexy little bit of mischief that always seemed to linger just under the surface. And no matter how hard she woulda been workin' to glare at him, he'd still have been able to see the slight tilting of her lips into that little bit of a smirk. That smirk that always popped up when he did something she didn't like, but still made her laugh.

Fuck, the only time he'd ever seen her really growlin' stompin' mad at him had been in Atlanta when he'd gone off without her to check Merle's bloodtrail before everyone else had gotten up.

Callie Marcus, his little fuckin' hypocrite.

Daryl's thumb worked over the rough edges of the plastic cap so lost in his thoughts that he didn't register Glenn and T-Dog catching up to him until the Chinaman opened his fuckin' mouth.

"I still can't believe you did that," Glenn said a little out of breath. Daryl's eyes snapped to the kid and caught the tilt of his lips as he stared down at the cap in Daryl's hand. Glenn caught Daryl's eye and jutted his chin towards the cap before looping his hands into the straps of the red emergency backpack over his shoulders. "I mean don't you think she's gonna be pissed?" Glenn continued, raising his brows at Daryl. "I'm sure she'll understand the sentiment-"

"Ain't no sentiment to that," T-Dog huffed cutting off Glenn. Daryl's glare slid over to the sweaty black man wiping his bald head with a blue bandana. "That was a gauntlet being thrown."

"Huh?" Glenn said his confused gaze slipping from T-Dog to Daryl and then back. Daryl kept his eyes on T-Dog, honestly a bit amazed and slightly angry that the man had apparently picked up on something he thought to be a private thing between him and Callie.

"It was almost as good as a glove slap to the face," T-Dog said raising his brow at Daryl and smirkin' in a way that almost had Daryl wantin' to return the gesture. Instead he glared and slipped his gaze to the still confused Glenn. T-Dog smacked his large good hand against Glenn's shoulder, keeping his wounded other close to his body. "He ain't tellin' her to stay put, man. He's fuckin' darin' her to try and go." T-Dog chuckled a bit and winced as he moved the hand of his injured arm wrong. Shooting Daryl a raised brow and a humored look he pointed a finger, "You two got a fucked up sorta relationship, man."

There was a beat of silence while Glenn just stared at Daryl, and Daryl really couldn't help but smirk at the younger man.

"Seriously?" Glenn said finally and Daryl rolled his eyes as Glenn shifted his attention from him to T-Dog and back a few times. Daryl growled a bit and shoved the cap back into his pants pocket and rolled his shoulders as embarrassment and anger settled over him. Glenn shifted his attention back to the still shaking head of T-Dog, his eyes wide as he looked at him. "That's just-"

"Fucked up," T-Dog said quietly chuckling. Daryl's shoulders hunched a bit in anger and he glared over his shoulder.

"Will you two shut the fuck up already," Daryl spat earning a shocked look from both men. He turned fully to face them and shot his arm around the woods, marveling a bit at how far from the path up to the church he'd taken them. There wasn't anyway he was gonna turn 'round and make them think any less of him than they already fuckin' did. Snarling he turned and began to trudge further up the incline into the woods. "I'm out here tryin' to find Sophia. You two ladies wanna sit and gossip 'bout shit then you can just turn the fuck 'round and head back to the farm."

Glenn and T-Dog stared after Daryl as he wacked away the defenseless foliage and grumbled until the man disappeared from view. Glenn's eyes slid to T-Dog who was shaking his head and clenching the fist of his wounded arm. T-Dog's eyes slipped to Glenn and he let out a sigh.

"I think we hit a chord there," Glenn said finally grimacing and rubbing at the back of his head. He scratched his hand through his hair.

"Yeah," T-Dog said nodding his head listening to the sound of Daryl's angry hacking not far away. "Much as it fuckin' pains me to say it," T-Dog said sighing again. "He's got a point. We outta focus on finding Sophia."

"Yeah," Glenn said. Both men locked eyes, neither one wanting to voice their growing concern over whether they would ever find the girl. Both minds going to Jenna laid up in a bed at the Farm; and causing them to wonder just what state Sophia would be in when they did find her.

Without another word they started up the slight incline following the sound of Daryl's angry swiping at the branches. They only walked for a few seconds before they both stopped in their tracks. Daryl stood at a tree, cutting small twigs off and putting them into his quiver for later stripping. Daryl stopped his cutting and slid his gaze over his shoulder spearing them with a half-hearted glare. He shook his head and started walking again without a word spoken. Glenn and T-Dog exchanged a humored glance.

"You even think he realizes how much he's changed?" Glenn asked quietly. T-Dog let out a disgruntled grunt and shook his head as he started to follow the angry redneck.

"For the love of fuckin' God, don't let him hear you. Swear that fucker is two seconds from actually leavin' us out here to fend for ourselves." T-Dog responded, earning a wide eyed response from Glenn.

Glenn hefted his backpack a bit higher on his shoulders and shook his head as he followed behind T-Dog. Letting his eyes slide behind him he idly wondered how things were going back at the farm.

* * *

Hours later, Glenn shifted in his seated position on the ground and smoothed his hands over the survey map Maggie had given him of the area again and settled his hands upon his knees. Tilting his head to the side he leaned forward and traced the area she'd showed him to be the farm, then moved towards the church ground.

"You and Callie got this mad obsession with maps," T-Dog said, causing Glenn's eyes to lift over to the tired looking man. He was propped up on a fallen tree, his head dripping sweat that he kept trying to sop up with his already wet bandana. His eyes closed and he winced a bit as his hand moved in an awkward manner.

Glenn shifted around, grabbed for the red backpack settled on the ground next to him and rummaged for the bottle of pain meds he taken out of Merle's stash before they left. Grabbing another rag and a bottle of water he tossed them to the man's feet. T-Dog nodded his thanks and Glenn returned his attention to his map.

"A man is only as good as his map in times like this," Glenn said quietly as he again traced the area around what he knew to be the church grounds. "Callie understands that," Glenn said peeking up at T-Dog watching him down the painkiller. "We've been through this."

"Yeah, yeah," T-Dog waved his arm around and smiled a bit. "Still think y'all are ridiculous 'bout the way ya mark 'em up and keep tracka everything."

Glenn shook his head but smiled knowing that the maps were a bit ridiculous. He and Callie had pretty much bonded over their obsession with their maps of Atlanta back at the Quarry. They each took great care in marking off safe areas and not-so-safe areas. It was tedious, and probably completely unnecessary, but it had kept them safe on their trips into town. And from what Callie had told him one night, her marked up map that he'd helped her with had pretty much saved her ass when they went back into Atlanta for Merle.

So he knew that no matter what, they would both continue to mark up maps until the day they died. Callie's pride and joy was her map of the entire state of Georgia, the one she'd marked with each place she and Danny had traveled. Each spot they had picked up the kids, each spot they had lost someone, every dead town, or ransacked gas station. It was extensive and well maintained and something Glenn envied in a weird sort of way.

He had only just begun to mark up his own map of Georgia.

Glenn's finger trailed along the paper and tapped at the church. Figuring in the distance he estimated they'd walked, along with the length of time they'd been walking, they should have been there by now. As if on cue, a shadow fell over his map and Daryl crouched down in front of him. Glenn lifted his eyes to the redneck and watched him suck in what sounded like a disgusting breath before spitting off to the side. Glenn grimaced and watched as Daryl tapped his finger on the map a bit. Glenn raised a brow as Daryl leaned back and put his elbows to his knees.

"I thought we were headin' to the church?" Glenn said looking up at Daryl and squinting through the glare of sunlight that shafted over the dirty redneck's head.

"We know what's at the church," Daryl said shrugging and Glenn raised his brows. "Figured it'd just be a waste of time."

"Coulda told us you changed the plans, man." T-Dog snapped causing Daryl to look over his shoulder at the man still obviously fatigued from their trek. "I been walkin' round lookin' for that fuckin' church all day."

"Maybe y'all should just develop a better fuckin' sense of direction and stop harpin' on me to lead your asses everywhere," Daryl said snarling just a bit as T-Dog shook his head. Daryl then shifted his eyes to Glenn and shocked the kid when he pulled out a small switchblade and stabbed the area he'd pointed to a moment ago.

"Hey!" Glenn yelled glaring up at Daryl as he got to his feet.

"Maps only good if you can fuckin' use it, Chinaman." Daryl said quietly. Glenn shook his head and pulled the knife out of the map tossing it at Daryl's feet. The kid smoothed his hands lightly over the now sliced portion of his map and let out a long irritated sigh.

Daryl stared down at the kid, instantly feelin' a bit of guilt for his actions. He knew he was gettin' pissed at Glenn for something that the kid. The kid may have been a guru when it came to getting around fuckin' Atlanta but drop the kid in the woods. What the fuck did he expect? At least he was tryin'.

Deep down he knew that stickin' that knife into that map wasn't really a dig on Glenn. It was frustration plain and simple. Daryl was tired. He was tired, sweaty and fuckin' pissed that they hadn't run into any sign of Sophia.

His brain was half into this search and half back at that fuckin' farm house with Callie. He'd honestly figured that showin' up last night, holdin' her kissin' her, woulda helped. Woulda let him focus on what he needed to do.

_Wishful fuckin' thinkin, little brother._

Yeah, he knew that. All that time with that woman did was further cement his want to be with her. Because while he knew she'd be pissed 'bout the Hummer, and that she would take his warnin' of sorts into consideration, it wouldn't stop her from leavin' with Jenna if she felt the need to. The woman had been dreadin' the conversation she was gonna have with the Doc all damn day. She hadn't even eaten she was so upset.

So it wasn't farfetched to think she'd just run off with Jenna before he got back. And that though is what had him walkin' them in fuckin' circles for a half an hour. Lucky for him, Aimless and Clueless were too busy tryin' not to trip over their own damn feet to really notice.

Then there was T-Dog, lookin' like shit warmed up and smoothed thin over a piece of fuckin' toast, and still trudgin' along. He was slowin' them down. And that was pissin' Daryl off. But he found himself growin' this begrudging respect for the man every time he waved off Glenn's helping hands and sped up his steps so that he was in line with Daryl.

Before falling back to the back of the pack again.

Daryl'd found himself starin' over his shoulder more times than he'd been looking forward, just to check that the man hadn't fuckin' fallen over. Which was why Daryl had made them take the break, so that they could all catch their breath. And Daryl could try and school his growin' annoyance.

"Well, now that I know where we are," Glenn said in a smartass tone causing Daryl to glare down at his dark haired head. He shifted a bit and slipped his fingers along an area hand-marked, obviously by Glenn himself, with a few little tiny squares. "From what Maggie said that there are some old farm houses scattered around up here. She said they used to be rented out to tourists in the summer but not for some time," Glenn looked up at Daryl and gave a bit of a snarling smirk. "And 'cause I can read a map," he continued in a snide tone. "I'd say we got about another two hours of hiking before we reach them."

Daryl stared down at the kid for a minute then nodded his head and bent down to retrieve his knife. Staying crouched down he slipped his gaze from the haughty fuckin' Glenn to the map and then back to the kid.

"What you do before all this again, kid?" Daryl asked quietly, tryin' real hard not to gain the attention of the slowly rising T-Dog not far off.

"Delivered pizzas," Glenn said quietly in return a small smirk tugging at his lips as he shook his head. Daryl watched him again slide his eyes to the map and run his fingers over the tear that Daryl had made in it. "I know it doesn't really sound so exciting or dangerous but," he looked up and over towards T-Dog who was now standing next to them also looking down at the map. "Try gettin' a gun pulled on you every other day and beat down a couple of times by a bunch of bangers, hoods or what-have-yous," he slipped his hand into his hair and then pointed a singled finger to the map before him. Daryl watched in idle curiosity as a sort of hardness he'd never really noticed the kid to have before worked its way on to his face. When Glenn looked up he stared hard right at Daryl. "Learning my way around that city, and learning how to read maps," he slipped his gaze up to T-Dog. "Marking my map with safe areas and not-so-safe areas that shit kept me alive back then. So, I figure it isn't such a bad idea to keep doing it now."

Daryl stared at Glenn for a while, the two of them sharing a bit of a fuckin' moment right then that had Daryl smirkin' when he got to his feet. Respect was funny like that; often earned in the strangest of ways. T-Dog was nodding his head slightly at Glenn's words, understanding fully what a danger it could be to walk the streets of Atlanta. Especially with a fuckin' light on the top of your car that said you had money on you. Shit he'd heard enough stories about delivery guys being murdered for less than fuckin' fifty bucks.

"Well," Daryl said getting to his feet and brushing his hands on the knees of his pants. "Least you got some kinda useful skill," he shot a poignant stare at T-Dog before stalking off to grab his shit.

"Oh what?" T-Dog said lifting his arms and following the redneck's departure with his eyes. "You sayin' I ain't got no skills?" Daryl shrugged and smirked over his shoulder and Glenn chuckled a bit as he started to fold up his map. "Laugh it up, _Chinaman_," T-Dog said pushing Glenn a bit as the kid got to his feet and stuffed his map back into his backpack.

"C'mon, it's Daryl," Glenn said waving a hand at the back of the man who was too busy staring off into the woods to be paying attention to them. "I think something's aren't ever going to change."

"What's that supposed to mean?" T-Dog said shoving the bottle of water and pain killers angrily back into Glenn's chest.

"That you're always gonna be 'useless', and I'm always gonna be 'Chinaman'," Glenn shrugged and smiled. "At least one of them is true," he gave T-Dog a wicked smile and the black man started shakin' his head.

"You know what?" T-Dog pointed a finger at the quickly retreating Glenn. Glenn turned around and half walked-half skipped backwards as he smiled at T-Dog. "You're 'bout to be reminded what it was like gettin' a fuckin' beat down every day, man."

"Bring it on," Glenn said as he slipped his arms through his backpack and spread his arms wide. The grin on his face had T-Dog snarling, but it was half hearted. He shook his head instead and got an evil grin on his face as he continued slowly after the two men.

"So," T-Dog said in a happy tone that had Glenn's smile immediately fading. "That Maggie-girl show you anything else you wanna share?"

Glenn's eyes went wide for a second before they narrowed and his head began to shake. He slipped his gaze over his shoulder and looked at Daryl for a second before returning his pleading expression to the now full on grinning bear of a man approaching him, mouthing the word 'don't' over and over. T-Dog tossed his arm around Glenn's shoulders and turned him around as he raised his voice a bit.

"What you don't want the redneck to know 'bout your little crush on the farmer's daughter?" T-Dog said grinning wildly as Daryl shifted his attention behind and directly onto Glenn. The now red-faced Glenn had his chin against his chest and a hand settled in the dark waves of his hair.

"That right, Chinaman?" Daryl drawled out in a sly tone that had Glenn cringing as he looked up. Just as the kid was starting to shake his head in the negative Daryl shifted his eyes to the smiling T-Dog. "Which one?"

"Jesus, dude, the older one!" Glenn yelled his eyes narrowed at the ridiculous question. Daryl smirked wider and Glenn realized that he'd pretty much walked straight into that one. "Aw man," Glenn muttered as Daryl just nodded and turned his attention back to the woods. Glenn looked to T-Dog and shook his head. "You are cruel."

"Just get this clear now," T-Dog said squeezing his hand on Glenn's shoulder before pointing a finger in his face. "There ain't nothin' useless 'bout knowin' how to read people, and when to keep your mouth shut."

"Right," Glenn said shaking his head and taking in a deep breath. "You do realize he's gonna make my life a living hell now right?"

"Daryl?" T-Dog said in mock shock as his eyes went wide. "Nah, man. He's _changed_."

"You suck," Glenn said breaking T-Dog's arm from around his shoulders and stalking off after Daryl.

Up ahead Daryl listened as the two men at his back continued to talk, and he really couldn't help the tiny bit of a smile that rode his lips. He sometimes enjoyed that most people thought he was too 'in-tune with nature' and 'into his own shit' to be payin' attention to them. It let him sit and listen and learn without havin' to worry 'bout people noticin' him doin' it. Only person who ever caught on to him was Callie.

Daryl again rubbed at the bridge of his nose as the image of the woman invaded his brain. Growling and snarlin' at the fact that he couldn't seem to go fuckin' five minutes without it happenin' he again took out his frustration on the idiots bringin' up the rear.

"C'mon, girls," Daryl shouted back over his shoulder instantly causing the two to stop their continued mumbled talk. "Quit your yappin' and keep up! Ain't gonna keep stoppin' to wait for your asses. We're wastin' fuckin' daylight out here." He smiled a bit wickedly and shot Glenn a look. "Gotta get Chinaman back to his little farmer's daughter." Glenn's mumbled 'son of a bitch' caused T-Dog to let out a loud boisterous laugh and Daryl to give a chuckle.

They continued on, and just like the little smartass map readin' sum'bitch said, after about two hours they came into a small clearing. A rundown shack of a house that probably could have been described at one time as a cute little farmhouse stood surrounded by the overgrown trees and grass. The area was obviously untended for quite some time, just as Glenn's girl had told him. Daryl's footsteps came to a slow stop as his eyes slipped over the area and then behind him to where Glenn and T-Dog were slowly making their way towards him, their eyes squinting in the almost blinding glare of the straight on overhead sun.

Daryl held up his hand and they slowed to a stop, allowing him to listen more clearly to the sounds around them. The whole place probably coulda been described as 'picturesque' or 'serene' in some long ago world, but right now that house sat there loomin' in the bright sunshine and all Daryl could think of was the horror they'd found in that church.

"Whole place could be crawlin' with geeks," T-Dog said quietly from behind him and Daryl snarled a bit as he looked over his shoulder.

"Think I don't know that?" Daryl snapped back, he shifted his eyes to where Glenn was working his way further into the grass and shook his head. Following behind the kid he easily overtook him and worked his way towards the house.

Biting his cheek, Daryl stopped at the bottom of the porch steps and stared up at the door just as Glenn and T-Dog settled beside him. Lifting his thumbnail to his mouth he rubbed it along the stubble underneath and then tapped it a few times. Shifting his eyes to his fuckin' 'back-up', he rolled his eyes. As much as he hated to admit it, he was wishin' Rick was with him. The two of them had this shit worked out.

Grumblin' his distaste for fuckin' everything he popped his crossbow off his shoulder and notched a bolt. Beside him he saw Glenn and T-Dog pull their guns and he spun to face them, narrowing an angry brow.

"I'm goin' in alone," Daryl spat his eyes holding hard to them as they looked up at him in shock.

"What?" Glenn said in a surprised tone, his eyes going wide as he stared at Daryl. "No," he shook his head and looked up at the house and then back to Daryl. "That's a big house, there could be a lot of-"

"Your girl said ain't no one been up here for a long time, right?" Daryl said almost angrily as he held the kid's still surprised stare.

"That don't mean nothin' nowadays, man." T-Dog added in quietly watching with a bit of a frown. "Anyone coulda found this and thought it would be a nice safe little place to hole up 'till shit had blown over."

"Well, I guess I'll just have to be _real_ careful then," Daryl said in a mocking tone that had T-Dog shakin' his head. Daryl held his gaze for a minute and T-Dog finally scoffed.

"You just don't trust us to have your back," T-Dog said in a sort of amazed tone that had Daryl just about ready to fuckin' snap.

"I don't see a point in the three of us workin' our way through a fuckin' house, when one can do it." Daryl said shortly pointing a finger into T-Dog's chest and then over to Glenn. "Now quit your fuckin' belly achin', ain't like either of ya are gonna be mournin' my loss if somethin' happens. Not with Maps here to lead y'all back home." Daryl shook his head and turned away starting up the stairs. He tossed a look over his shoulder and glared. "Check the perimeter and keep your fuckin' eyes open for geeks." He turned fully and shot them both a look. "And for fuck's sake if you find one take it out quietly. Call a whole fuckin' horde down on us if you two decide to go Rambo."

The last thing he heard was T-Dog's scoffing before he faced the door and pushed it open. Daryl took a long breath in through his nose and let it out slow through his mouth as he worked past the door. He repeated that action two more times as he let his eyes roam the dimly lit interior of the probably once nice house. His eyes skimmed the random open doorways, hallways and stairwell and his wish for Rick at his back came back full force. Again swallowing it he snarled and pressed his back to one wall before sliding around the first doorway, crossbow raised and ready.

His ears should have been able to pick up the sounds of Glenn and T-Dog stumblin' about like the loud fuckers they were, but he was so intently focused on the house all he could hear was the low moan of the wind hitting the side of the house and the creaking of floorboards under his feet.

He worked his way slowly around the house, his boots shifting in what he felt too loud a manner along the dirt and debris covered floors. Daryl's nose twitched as a sound from upstairs had him his heart beating at an almost erratic pace and his head angling a bit to check the stairwell as he passed. He found himself looking over his shoulder for Rick, and then shaking his head hard knocking it purposefully on the doorjamb beside him to clear it.

"_Head outta your ass, boy_." Daryl's mind repeated. "_Ain't no one gon' have your back all the fuckin' time. Don't get used to that shit." _His brother's words, echoing from a long ago lesson that had earned him a few of the scars that littered his back. The feel of Merle pulling each tiny shard of glass outta him was still so potent a memory that he actually fuckin' shivered a bit. Smacking his head again against the wooden beam beside him he blinked hard and made his way into the tattered remains of the kitchen.

His eyes scanned the kitchen quickly, working through the shadowed corners and over the dirt covered surfaces as he moved. He sidestepped a couple of broken and knocked over chairs heading for the doorway to the next room. His eyes skimmed over the counters and cabinets wondering if there was anything in there to scavenge. Just as he was about to exit his eyes caught on the trashcan, and he felt his brow draw tight in confusion.

Biting at his cheek he bent a bit and retrieved the empty can of tuna, turning it sideways a bit to let the water run out. Slowly he lowered his nose and sniffed at the can, and was surprised to find that the while the smell wasn't one of his favorites it wasn't yet tinged with the repugnant stench of rot that this place would have led him to expect. Nah, this can was fresh.

Daryl's eyes lifted, that tingling, familiar sensation of fear ran up his spine. His crossbow snapped up and his shoulders stiffened anchoring its weight as he stared at the small cracked door of what he figured was a pantry. He felt the bead of sweat slip its way down the side of his face and tucked his bottom lip in between his teeth as he slowly worked towards that cabinet. He was spookin' himself, he knew it. That fuckin' pantry wasn't big enough to hide anything that could hurt him.

His nose twitched to the side before his nostrils flared as one thought coursed through him. He rushed the door and flung it open, his crossbow still raised 'cause he wasn't a fuckin' fool. His eyes swept the shelves and the miscellaneous canned food still housed within. His crossbow lowered as slowly as his eyes until both came to rest sighted on the floor.

And a bundle of blankets with a dirty little pillow pressed up in the corner.

He wasn't even able to control the flash of memory that flared to life. The numb feel his own legs had taken on when he'd crammed his body into a cupboard smaller than that seemed to tingle over his legs again. The way his head kept hitting off of the top of the shelf each time he jumped with fright with the sound of his daddy's voice or the thump of the man's fist hittin' off of one thing or another. How tightly he'd held his arms 'round his shakin' legs and shoved his face into his knees desperate to keep from makin' a sound and givin' him away.

How the bastard found him anyway.

"Daryl," Glenn's voice startled Daryl out of the memory causing his head to shake violently as he shifted his glare towards the doorway. He met Glenn's gaze and knew something musta been showin' on his face, cause the kid's brow furrowed a bit and his mouth opened to say something. Daryl snarled and turned away wiping his forearm angrily over his eyes before jutting his chin towards the cabinet.

Daryl moved away and let Glenn sidle into take a look. The kid shifted his eyes to Daryl as he backed away and then back to the cabinet. Daryl settled his backend against the dirty counter and ran the back of his hand over his mouth and continued to stare at the blankets until Glenn's body blocked them from his view. T-Dog slid into the room sparing a glance at Daryl before slipping beside Glenn.

"You think Sophia -" Glenn looked over his shoulder at Daryl unable to finish his own question. Apparently in his mind it was unthinkable that a child would have to suffer so. Daryl felt his lips rise in a mirthless smirk and he pushed off of the counter.

"Yeah," Daryl said walking a few steps and kicking his foot into the trash can. "Fresh can of tuna sittin' on top of all this shit. Bundle of blankets, nice safe little place. She's a smart kid." Daryl looked up and let his eyes slide to both men.

"So we're close," Glenn said hopefully his eyes slipping from T-Dog to Daryl and then back. "Right? This is good? This is a good sign?"

"Y'all check outside," Daryl asked over his shoulder as he moved towards the open back door. T-Dog was moving fast behind him, he could hear the fucker's labored breathin' almost at his back as he exited.

"Clear," T-Dog said in a hushed tone. "No sign of Walkers." Daryl sniffed and pushed through the broken screen door out onto the back porch. He bounded down the steps and looked around the fuckin' _picturesque_ clearing.

"Sophia!" Daryl yelled his head moving around as he looked around. "Sophia!" Darkness was falling faster than he'd expected it to; the sky above was tinged now with the duller hues of dusk. "Sophia!" He looked over his shoulder watching T-Dog and Glenn stare at him from the porch and he shook his head. Sliding his hand into his hair he spared another glance up at the sun and then back at the two men staring at him. "Hey, Chinaman," Glenn perked and Daryl caught his eye. "You got extra water and food in that pretty lil' backpack?"

"Yeah?" Glenn said shifting his attention to T-Dog beside him.

"Go put it in the cupboard," Daryl said scratching his hand through his dirty hair and then running it down his face. He didn't hear any movement so he turned to look at them. "We're gonna lose the sun. Figure we got 'bout 'nough time to do a quick sweep of the area, see if I can find her trail, before we have to head back." Daryl shrugged at their blank expressions and grimaced. "She might come back."

Glenn nodded then and immediately turned to head into the house again. T-Dog stood there staring at Daryl for a moment before nodding and following the kid inside. Daryl cupped his hand over his mouth and stared at that house for a minute before shaking his head. He began to walk a bit aimlessly through the tall yellow-green grass, his mind's eye still settled on that cupboard.

Daryl's eyes caught a flash of white ahead of him and he felt himself drawn to a shaded spot under a tree not far off. He squinted at that bit of white until finally he was right in front of it. He crouched down and looked at the simple white flower in awe.

A Cherokee rose.

He stared at that rose for he didn't know how long, his crossbow finding a place on the ground at his side as he let his fingers glide over its soft petals. He let out a huff that was more of a chuckle than anything else and plucked the flower. He spun the thing in between his dirty fingers a few times before opening his own satchel and placing it inside as carefully as he could.

A distant sound caught his ears, and had his head perking up and out towards the forest they'd just come from. His eyes squinted hard and his jaw clenched tight as he stared. The sound repeated less than a full minute later, but he couldn't be sure just what he was hearing. It was too far off in the distance to really be sure, but he swore those sounds were gunshots. Daryl's hand slid towards his crossbow, his fingers grazing over the weapon as he continued to strain against the distance to see if he could hear the sounds again. But there was nothing.

Nothing but the deathly silence that had surrounded them before. Daryl sat there for another few moments just staring off into that slowly darkening forest trying to figure out what the fuck he heard.

"Everything a'right?" T-Dog's voice called from a ways back and had Daryl's attention shifting over his shoulder to the two slowly approaching men. "You find somethin'?"

"Nah," Daryl said letting his fingers curl around the crossbow. "Just thought-"

The growl had his head snapping forward, just in time to lock eyes with the dead man lunging through the overgrown brush before him. Daryl's hand gripped tight to his crossbow but he let go as the Walker's hand collided with his shoulder. His body fell hard to the ground, the breath instantly knocking from his lungs as the full weight of the Walker descended upon his now prone form.

Daryl's arms pushed hard against the clawing, monster growling and snapping on top of him. The once man's dead putrid breath fanned across his cheek and neck as he turned his head to avoid its snarling frothing mouth.

"Holy shit!" "Jesus!" "Oh God!" the mingled voices of Glenn and T-Dog could be heard, as well as their rushed footsteps through the grass as they made their way towards him.

"Fuck," Daryl said in a huffed breath. Daryl was working to get his right hand settled into a good spot at the throat of the Walker, his fingers digging and clawing into its decaying flesh as he slid his hand over the protruding shoulder bone. He felt the bone crack under his hand and the thing fell forward a bit. "Fuck!"

Daryl's other hand, which had been clawing for his crossbow that was just a finger's length out of reach gave up and joined the press. His legs were bent at an odd angel but he had the leverage needed now that he just had to shift his hips and flip the fucker and then-

The sound of two closely fired gunshots was unmistakable this time. The firearm going off so fuckin' close that the sound rang in his ears for a few seconds. The Walker's head exploded, brains and other gore flying onto the remaining Cherokee rose buds. Daryl growled as the dead weight the Walker suddenly slumped onto him. Rolling his hips, as he'd fuckin' planned on doin', he was able to come up on his knees and glare at T-Dog and that fuckin' smokin' gun held out in his hand.

Silence fell for a beat before Daryl let out a rush of breath he'd apparently been holdin'.

"Thought you fuckin' said it was clear?" Daryl huffed out breathlessly. Settling his hands on his knees he shook his head and took in a steadying breath.

"Yeah, well," T-Dog said lowering his weapon his eyes still on the now dead Walker. Shaking his head the black man shifted his eyes to the winded man on his knees beside the undead fucker. "That's before you came out here screamin' 'Sophia'," T-Dog finished, earning a stiff middle finger and a glare from the redneck.

"You okay man?" Glenn's voice sounded from Daryl's side and Daryl turned a bit to look at the kid hunched over near him. The kid was obviously hesitant to reach out and touch him and Daryl waved off his concern but grabbed onto his shoulder. Glenn, shocked by the fact that Daryl was reaching out for help, hesitated a moment before steeling his legs and actually working to get the man to his feet. "Did it get you?"

"No it didn't fuckin' get me," Daryl spat as he pushed fully to his feet and then away from Glenn. "Dumbass."

Glenn rolled his eyes over to T-Dog who closed his and then shook his head a tiny smile on his lips as he put his gun back in its place at the small of his back. Daryl angrily snatched his satchel and crossbow from the ground and then turned a snarling face towards the two men.

His gaze slipped from Glenn who was still watching him with a slightly worried eye, over to T-Dog who was smirking as he bit at the inside of his cheek. He held the black man's gaze for a minute, his eyes slipping down to the large bandage covering most of his forearm. Daryl's eyes slipped back up to T-Dog's and he watched the black man give a tiny, almost imperceptible nod. Daryl ran his thumbnail over his bottom lip twice before dropping his hand and returning the nod.

Life for a life.

At that point both men smirked at one another. Daryl and Glenn made their way towards the waiting T-Dog.

"Thought I said to do shit quietly?" Daryl said glaring at T-Dog half-heartedly as he passed him by and headed towards the woods that would lead them back to the farm.

"Thought you said you could handle shit on your own?" T-Dog shot back as he and Glenn fell into step behind him. Daryl gave a gruff grunt and shook his head, all the while mumbling something that sounded like 'had it under fuckin' control'. T-Dog shifted his humored gaze to Glenn and furrowed his brow to see that the kid had stopped walking and was just staring at them. "What's up?"

Daryl shifted around at T-Dog's question and narrowed his eyes at Glenn who was staring at him.

"I thought," Glenn lifted a hand to the area around them. "I thought we were gonna look around a bit." T-Dog's eyes shifted back to Daryl and Daryl bit at the inside of his cheek as he regarded them both. Daryl stared hard at the two men for a few moments before finally letting out a low sigh.

"We're losin' the light," Daryl said finally earning raised brows from both men. "With you two hopeless fucks, I'd rather not risk being stuck out in the woods in full dark." Daryl began walking then waving a single hand over his shoulder. "Far back as ya both fall you'd be lost in no time. Then I'd be worryin' 'bout lookin' for you two idiots and that girl."

T-Dog rolled his eyes and Glenn shook his head, the both of them sharing and exaggerated look of exasperation with the redneck's attitude. But instead of grimacing they both followed behind with small smiles and a bit of a quicker step.

Daryl heard them coming up on him and he slowed his gait a bit to let the gap lessen. His eyes searched around the woods as they exited the clearing, searching for any sign of Sophia. T-Dog and Glenn settled in beside him and he shifted his attention from one to the other.

"Figure we can head back here tomorrow," Daryl said quietly, both men nodding and smiling just a bit that he'd assumed that they'd be alright with coming out with him again. "More light. Who knows, maybe she'll have come back."

"Maybe," Glenn said nodding as they continued on. "I left the emergency blanket that was in the pack too." Daryl shifted his eyes over to Glenn and the kid blushed a bit under his scrutiny. "It's getting colder at night now, so I figured-" Glenn lifted a hand and Daryl nodded.

Daryl settled his crossbow a bit more comfortably on his shoulder and worked his way easily along the brush, Glenn and T-Dog working to keep in line with him this time. The darkness that had already settled into the forest was unsettling to all three of them, but for Daryl it bore a bit more of a foreboding feel than it ever had before.

The muffled sounds in the distance were still echoing around in his brain. There was no way he could be sure that they were gunshots. But there really wasn't anything else he could think of that made that sort of sound. And it was those muffled sounds that had been the real reason he'd decided to cut their search short for the day. And the racing thoughts in his head that had him almost involuntarily speeding their progress back towards the Greene's farmhouse.

Thoughts of Walker bodies littered throughout a field of green surrounding a church flew to his mind. The words 'target practice' and 'still in these woods' chilling his blood faster than the cool breeze of fast coming Fall season.

Gunshots in these woods had already dished out harm to one member of their group; he'd be a fuckin' fool to ignore them again. Daryl pressed his hand into the pocket of his cargo pants, the one that bulged with the black plastic gas cap from the Hummer and that fuckin' lucky gold badge of Gracie's. He pressed it hard into his thigh until he winced from the pressure he applied.

That woman better not have done something stupid.

Again.

_I am not afraid to keep on living_

_I am not afraid to walk this world alone_

_Honey if you stay, I'll be forgiven_

_Nothing you can say can stop me going home_

_These bright lights have always blinded me_

_These bright lights have always blinded me_

_I say_

_I see you lying next to me_

_With words I thought I'd never speak_

_Awake and unafraid_

_Asleep or dead_

_~Famous Last Words / My Chemical Romance_

_AN: Okay, so there was a bit of a mash-up in here. I had the Daryl asking Glenn what he did for a living scene added WAY LATER than in original series. And we've got some action of Cherokee Rose fitting in, while we won't see the rest until later… _

_Side Note: I just really had to add this in, 'cause really it came to a shock to me… but recently I was watching Season 2 ON DEMAND and well… I realized that I had apparently never seen Cherokee Rose. WTF people…how the hell am I writing this shit? HONEST TO GOD. Bless you guys for dealin' with my ignorant ass. (So ya know, I watched it. ) _

_Mystery Guest Reviewer: Honeyconcha is that you? That closing line…that sounds like you… Anyway…. OMG OMG OMG yeah buddy I update like the crazy person that I am! Thank you so much for your super kind words. I'm so glad that everyone is enjoying where I'm taking our minor characters, and can only hope that y'all really keep liking what I'm dishing out. I LOVE YOU ALL! _

_Much love_

_See ya next chapter!_

_Forewarning: Next chapter is going to backtrack again…and explore those muffled sounds. Were they gunshots? Wait and see! _


	26. Vignette - Fade To Black

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_As a warning…. This may jerk some tears. _

_As always read, review and most of all enjoy (only you may not really get to that point with this one…) _

_~michelle_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Vignette - Fade To Black**

"_Jenna," Callie said settling down on her haunches. She dipped her head just enough to catch Jenna's eyes, lifting a single brow as her lip quirked in a small smile. "Honey, I'm gonna explain something to you. Life is short." Jenna snorted and rolled her eyes. Callie firmed her lips against her own chuckle and rolled her eyes a bit but caught them on Jenna's before continuing. "I know, 'd'uh', but really, it's short. Always has been, and now it is more than ever." Callie took a breath and settled her forearms along her knees. "Honey, in the world we're in now, there isn't any time for shoulda, coulda, woulda's. No time to second guess your decisions, and no time to linger on the 'what might have been'. You may not understand that now, but someday, you're gonna come to realize just what I'm talkin' 'bout. And you're gonna feel better about all of this. Not good. By no means good. But better."_

That was the first real 'adult' conversation that Jenna had ever had with someone. Ever. And as she stared out the window of the beat up pickup truck, watching the sky slowly darken and feeling the burn of the tears running down her face, she finally did understand what Callie had been trying to tell her that day.

No time for shoulda, coulda, woulda's.

Jenna shoulda said a proper goodbye to everyone. She shoulda hugged Danny and Callie and thanked them for everything they did for her and Mike and Nina. She shoulda told Miles that she loved him. She shoulda taken one final silly photo with Ben, and shoulda braided Gracie's hair like the little girl always begged her to do.

But she didn't. She'd chosen to leave a note and accept the 'help' of a stranger who was taking her to a place as yet unknown.

She coulda waited for Callie to come back to the room. She coulda asked the woman to take her away from the house; just the two of them. She coulda had the comfort of a woman that had become as close as family in this world at the end.

But she didn't. Instead she had the harsh glare of a boy who kept sliding his eyes to her every few seconds. A boy who had _dragged_ her to his waiting car. A boy who hadn't said word to her since he started driving.

She woulda had Callie with her at the end. She woulda had someone to tell her that she loved her, and that she would take care of her. She woulda been able to close her eyes and sit easy, finding comfort in her last moments as Callie rode her off into her final sunset; instead of dreading each and every bump in the dark rocky dirt road, fearing another of her ribs was going to crack under the pressure of her arms as they crossed tighter over her aching stomach.

She woulda left Callie with nothing but more blood on her hands. Woulda left nothing but her dead body as the final image burned into that woman's brain for all eternity.

And that's when it finally clicked.

No time for shoulda, coulda, woulda's. Jenna had made her choice, and she'd left her seemingly juvenile note on a bed that wasn't hers. She'd climbed out that window. She'd let that boy grab her and drag her to his car. She'd put up with the glares and the holes in the road that she couldn't help but think he was purposefully hitting.

And she'd made sure that her last act wasn't to leave the woman who saved her life months ago the task of taking it.

As the familiar sight of that church steeple came into view Jenna blinked away the tears that had created an almost permanent haze on her vision and sat up as straight as she could in the seat. Her stomach rolled a bit as she shifted her eyes to the boy who was now staring intently at the little white church. Jenna swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat, wincing as the old truck jostled a bit more roughly as they closed in on the church.

Jenna's breathing became a bit panicked as she watched that church, its white washed exterior a dull gray in the fading light of the early evening hours, get closer and closer until finally they came to a stop directly at the rear of it. They sat in that small parking area made of the same gravel that seemed to line the exterior of the church building for only seconds, but to Jenna's rapidly beating heart and aching, feverish body it felt like hours.

"Is this-" Jenna's voice was not strong, it was weak and wobbly and showed every bit of fear she had in her. She felt her chin tremble and a fresh cascade of searing tears flow down her cheeks. Her eyes felt like they were on fire now, burning with each and every desperate blink she made to try and clear her vision.

He didn't respond, just sat there with his hands on the wheel staring at the little back door of the church. Jenna sniffed and it seemed to wake him from his stupor. Jimmy shook his head and blinked a few times before shifting his gaze to her.

Jenna stared at him and couldn't help but feel that maybe this was what she deserved. To be taken to the place where she'd left Sophia, and left here to rot forever for her crime. Had she only kept the girl with her for a few hours more then she'd be safe and at that farm with her momma, instead of being still lost out in the forest. But Jenna had been scared. Scared of what was happening to her. Scared that she'd end up killing the girl, that she'd- Jenna broke her staring contest with the boy and put her shaking hand to the door handle wincing and seething through the pain as she opened it and worked to swing her slowly deteriorating body out. She wasn't going to make it far before the pain completely floored her, but she hoped that she could at least find a nice spot in the grass.

Preferably away from the other bodies that littered the grounds.

She heard the sound of his door opening and the crunch of his fast steps on the gravel as he made his way around the bed of the truck and to her. She had closed her eyes and waited for him. She winced as he again roughly grabbed her arm and pulled her out of the truck to the gravel lot below. She had tried to hide the pain before but she couldn't hold back the yelp of pain and the fresh wash of tears this time. The foot that had shattered as she escaped through the window felt like she was walking on a bag of broken glass, which was only further escalated by the coarse gravel below it.

Jimmy shook his head and again pulled her arm over his shoulder, effectively lifting that injured foot from the ground with his height difference. There were no words spoken between them as he worked his way around to the grassy area along the side of the building, heading towards the front doors.

As they passed, and her eyes picked out the dark shapes of the bodies of the Walkers she'd seen before, she couldn't help but wonder. He'd said that his family was here. Was that them in the grass? She heard him sniff and angled her eyes away from the bodies, away from her soon to be fate, and up to his face.

The youthful curves of his face were cast in shadow by the waning light of day and made him look as harsh as he acted. Made him look older and far more imposing than any seventeen-year-old ever should. Then again, maybe that was the effects of living in the world as it was now.

"They're inside the church," Jimmy said simply his eyes slipping down to hers. Her brow narrowed a bit, wondering if she'd voiced the question out loud. He stared at her long and hard for a moment, his eyes searching hers before he continued in a clipped tone. "I couldn't-" his chin trembled a bit, killing that imposing look from before, and suddenly he was a kid again and she felt herself feeling so sorry for him.

Then his jaw clenched tight and he snapped his eyes away from hers. He dropped her arm from his shoulders and pressed her roughly to the area beside the slightly ajar front door. The look on his face as he stared at that door was the closest she'd come to seeing any kind of real emotion on his face.

He was surprised.

Jenna pressed her back hard into the wall of the church and watched him stare at that door. He wasn't shocked. He wasn't appalled. He wasn't angry. No. The only word she could think to describe his current state was, surprised.

He moved towards the door, and it was at that point that she noticed the rifle.

She shoulda taken more notice of it, because if she had she never woulda turned and began to slowly migrate towards the grassy area at side of the little white church where those bodies lay. She never woulda turned her back on him as she let her bare broken feet work to keep her standing in the slightly damp lawn.

She shoulda watched him with that rifle.

Because if she had, she woulda noticed that he wasn't holding it in a manner that said he was watching his back, or worried about a threat. She woulda noticed that he hadn't pointed it into that church at all when he finally shoved the door open and stared into the shadowy depths.

And she wouldn't have been so shocked when she heard his voice echo out to her in the darkness and the sound of that rifle being shifted and cocked.

"I owe them," Jimmy said quietly. "I owe them for this."

The sound of the bullet leaving the gun was so loud, and she really would have thought she had more time before she would feel the impact of the bullet. But it happened almost simultaneously. The pain, even more blinding and intense than the infection coursing through her body sent her sprawling forward onto her hands and knees in the grass. Her breath caught in her throat, the pain of the shot causing her entire body to tense. She was able to spare a single glance down to her abdomen, the red explosion of her midsection from where the bullet had torn its exit from her body a horrifying final sight. Finally her arms gave out, a whimpering moan of fear and pain escaping her before her face fell into the lawn.

Pain like nothing she'd felt before. Fear so overpowering she felt her entire body convulsing with it. Tears rolled from her face like a waterfall drenching the ground below her as she worked to turn her face from the dirt. She wasn't crying, she was sobbing. Sobbing out her fear and pain and just so scared and so alone.

This was not what she wanted. She didn't want this pain and this fear to be her last memory of life. She didn't want this.

"Callie," she finally got the name out through her constricting throat, mumbled uselessly into the wet grass.

It was only seconds after the first shot that she began to move. She could feel her chest rapidly working to pull air into her dying body, and through the haze of all the pain she pushed her head up. She had half turned her head, knowing that she wanted to face the boy when he finished her. He deserved that image burned into his eyes. Her head only made it a quarter of the way before another shot rang out, her head snapped to the side with the impact.

And Jenna's world went black.

* * *

Twelve was not her year.

It had started out okay; she'd gotten to have a birthday party this year. Her daddy had of course ended up ruining any reminder of a happy day when he'd openly leered at her friends as they sat around the table singing happy birthday to her.

And it had pretty much gone downhill from there.

Daddy got laid off. Momma had offered to get a part-time job to help. Daddy had put mom in the hospital. The social workers had come, and momma had yet again given that same sad excuse of her being just so 'darned clumsy'. Daddy drank and watched TV. Daddy became obsessed with what was happening in with this sickness and in Atlanta at the CDC.

Daddy made sure that she and momma thanked him every day for being a good strong man who knew how to prepare for the end of the world. For knowing better than to fall for the shit they'd shown on the TV. He'd kept them safe from whatever this was.

Then, Mrs. Ketter next door got sick and ate both of her kids on the front lawn. And almost caught Daddy on his way back in from the cellar.

Okay, so the look on daddy's face that day had kinda been a good moment, but fleeting and not really something she wanted to admit to. Momma woulda been mad at that.

They packed up and left that day, Daddy using momma as a shield as he ran past the small forms of Billy and Trish who had come back from their mom's mauling and were working their way towards them. He'd left her to fend for herself; stating she was quick and that if she was as smart as her momma always said she'd be fine.

They'd headed towards Atlanta, and the refugee center. They got caught in a road block and really that was the first _real_ good thing that had happened so far. She met Carl, and his momma Lori. Then the military had bombed Atlanta before they could get in.

So they went to the Quarry.

And twelve continued to suck.

Sophia settled her back against a tree and wiped her nose with the back of her hand. She hated doing that, it felt disgusting. But her clothes were a mess and she really didn't want to put them to her face. She didn't want to inhale the smell that was so deeply embedded in them.

Looking around at the bits and pieces of the slowly darkening sky filtering through the leaves of the trees overhead Sophia tightened her arms around her shivering frame and tried to hold in the coughs she could feel tickling at the back of her throat. Tightening her grip around the tree branch she'd been using as her first and only line of defense she let herself take a bit of a breather and settled into the tree for a moment.

Sophia was no stranger to running and hiding. She was no stranger to fear, and no stranger to surviving horrible things. Her daddy had made sure of that, and she felt herself giving a slight snarl as a sarcastic 'thank you' rolled around in her dry, ill-tasting mouth.

No, Sophia was no stranger to any of this. But she was a stranger to feeling hopeless. And sadly that's what she was beginning to feel. It was the end of day three out here in the woods; a day and a half of which had been completely on her own since Jenna left her.

Sophia sighed and bowed her head, her hand idly reaching to the small of her back where Jenna had tucked Eliza's doll for her before she left her. Tucked it in tight so that she wouldn't lose it. She bowed her head and remembered the look Jenna's eyes when she held her at arm's length and told her to be safe and strong. She ran her fingers over that doll and tried to think about all it had been through and all that it had brought her through. And she used that doll to find strength again as she felt the need to cry become almost too powerful to contain.

Sophia knew why the older girl had left her. She'd seen the jagged cut on the other girl's leg, realized what had happened as early on as Jenna herself had come to the horrifying conclusion. It broke her heart to think that Jenna was, most likely, a Walker now.

Every sound she heard she wondered if she'd come across the girl. The red-head's undead body searching her out in some hunger-filled trance. Her nightmares were filled with visions of it. They mixed with the ones of her father, his own battering fists replaced by the clawing hands of what had been left of his corpse at the Quarry.

She knew that her lack of sleep, or anything substantial to eat was the reason for her current illness. She'd been luckier than Jenna in that department. Her illness was the fleeting kind, that with care would clear up and be nothing in no time.

So she didn't linger on it long, and kept herself focused on staying safe, and alive. Sophia's upbringing had made her smart in a way that other kid's in this world lacked. She'd grown up constantly on guard and it wasn't until now that she realized what a life-saving trait that was.

"Daryl was right," Sophia mused idly as she tapped her freezing cold fingers along her tree branch bashing stick.

Sophia blinked hard and took in a deep breath before slowly sliding back up to her feet. There was one thing that she knew she couldn't do if she planned on surviving. She couldn't stay out in the open.

That's why she'd stopped at that house. Because any smart kid knew that if you wanted to be found you simply had to stay put and let the people looking for you come and find you. The only reason she'd left her safe place this morning had been because of the Walkers that had stumbled into the grassy lawn of the clearing. And then apparently smelling her breakfast, that disgusting can of tuna, they had worked their way into the old house.

And Sophia knew better than to stay put at that point. So she'd ran. She'd ran hard and fast, and ended up bashing the head of a third Walker on her way out the back door, leaving it to rot in the grass near that tree. That tree that in hindsight she probably should have climbed up and waited out the Walkers in. But climbing wasn't really her strong suit, and if it hadn't been for Jenna helping her all those other times she probably never would have made it up any of those trees.

Hiding was Sophia's strong suit. Running and hiding.

It had been hours now since she'd been at that house. Hours of running and hiding. And she was ready to go back. She only hoped that the little marks on the trees she'd made with her bashing stick would be easily read in the low filtered light from above. She didn't really want to think about what would happen if she couldn't find her way back.

And didn't want to think about what she might find in her little broken down house when she got there.

The only thing she was thinking was that she needed to get out of the open and back to somewhere safe, where she could close her eyes and ebb away the disorientation and thrum of the ache in her head. They were close to finding her. She was sure of it. Three days was a long time. They had to be on her trail. Daryl had to be on it.

According to Ben and Gracie, back at the Quarry, Daryl could find anything in the woods. No matter what.

Sophia spared a glance around her, listening intently to the sounds of the woods for any sign of moaning and groaning or snapping twigs, she held her bashing stick tight and turned around. She was exhausted, and hungry, and cold, and scared, and -well, really she was a lot of things. But she wasn't going to give up.

She continued on for a few minutes happy that she was able to pick up her marks on the trees and she began to nod her head as she walked. She could do this. She could get back to that house and she could get back into her cupboard and sleep. And she could wait out the rest of however long it took for them to find her at that little safe place.

She could do this. Her momma told her she could when this first began. Daryl told her she could at that gas station a week and a half ago. Jenna told her she could before she left her.

She could do this.

She could, because twelve had been a bad year, but thirteen was right around the corner.

Sophia again nodded her head and settled her eyes upon a marker on a tree a few paces off from where she was. She wasn't really paying as much attention as she should have been to her surroundings; she was so intent on finding her markers and getting back to that house.

It didn't really dawn in her twelve-year-old mind that she'd been running aimlessly for hours upon hours into the woods. And that it would take her that same amount of time, if not longer, to reach the house again. Which meant she'd be looking for those markers in the dark in no time flat.

But she wasn't really thinking about that.

She was thinking of all the grand possibilities that thirteen held. With this group that had become a sort of extended family for her; something she'd never had before. With Momma, who was finally starting to find herself again and laugh and smile and just be momma again. With -

A sound off in the distance caught her attention and had her feet stumbling to a stop near a large tree. Her eyes twitched in the low light and her head whipped around, her short blonde hair catching slightly in her mouth. Her breath hitched just a bit when another muffled sound reached her ears. She couldn't make out what it was, or where it was coming from but for some reason the entire air around her seemed to chill and the sense of dread that she'd been so adamant about staving off with thoughts of a grand thirteen came rushing back.

And she should have been paying closer attention to her surroundings as she'd walked. She really should have. Because the instant she took that step backwards her foot caught in the large tree root, and instead of hitting the ground Sophia's body was met with the strange and horrifying sensation of falling.

She screamed then. She knew she did, it wasn't loud or strong because of how dry her throat was from how long she'd been silent and without water, but she did it. Over and over she screamed. Her arms flailed out, her bashing stick flying off to the shadowed depths below. Her hands sought purchase on something anything, but she didn't have the strength to hold onto the steep rocky ridge she'd apparently fallen off of.

Her screams ended at the first impact of the ridge against her frail frame. Pain laced into her entire body as it bounced and tumbled and rolled down the incline. One thought echoed in her brain the entire time; she was sure gonna miss twelve, and the promise of thirteen.

And momma. She was gonna miss her momma.

Her head hit off of another peak. And the pain, the sound and feel her bones breaking and crunching with each impact that followed was the last thing she knew before her world went black.

_No one but me can save myself_

_But it's too late_

_Now I can't think_

_Think why I should even try_

_Yesterday seems as though_

_It never existed_

_Death greets me warm_

_Now I will just say goodbye_

_~Fade To Black / Metallica _

_AN: I'm expecting well… I don't know what I'm expecting….so let me have it. _

_To try and clear up a few things for you in case you got a bit lost in the backtracking. For those that haven't quite figured it out, the two muffled shots that Daryl (and Sophia) heard was Jimmy shooting Jenna. So at the same time that Daryl, Glenn and T-Dog are at the little house that Sophia was sleeping in-Sophia was making her way back (a trek that would have taken hours because that's how long it took to get away...) _

_I know a lot of you were guessing that Jimmy was gonna take Jenna to the barn, and that the shots had come from the camp…but if we're playing by my timeline of events you'll remember that Callie didn't get told about Jenna's disappearance until well into the evening (after her convo with Hershel) at which point our boy Jimmy had already come back and began to beg forgiveness for his disappearing act from Beth's father (which we hear Beth pleading with her father to accept and not to be too upset at the boy for doing)._

_I really hope this didn't get to confusing and I hope I'm not making a stranger of too many of you with where this last installment took us. There is still more planned that you can hate me for. So seriously, don't waste the hate now. _

_I promise to try and update very soon so that you don't all completely hate me for too long. _

_See ya next chapter!_


	27. State Of Love And Trust

**New Meanings to Old Words: Love**

Coming on the heels of the last chapter of SADS, this chapter can best be described as 'filler' but to me, all 'filler' is necessary. So to those of you that may not enjoy such things… DEAL !

Oh and Big UPS to AlabastR for helping with the song choice. YOU ROCK!

As always, read, review and most of all enjoy!

~michelle

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**State Of Love And Trust**

"I'm serious, you guys are reading way too much into it," Glenn's slightly out-of-breath voice yet again sounded, and once again Daryl and T-Dog exchanged humored glances. A disgruntled sort of sigh left Glenn as he trekked along in line with the two men and he shook his head.

"C'mon now, man," T-Dog said with a chuckle as he smacked his large paw of a hand against the younger man's shoulder. "Ain't no one gonna begrudge you a bit of fun while we're here."

Daryl lifted a brow at that, thinkin' that he could name a very particular old man with a stony face that would probably more than begrudge the Chinaman havin' 'a bit of fun' with his eldest daughter. But fuck, that wasn't his concern. Honestly, it was kinda fun to think 'bout what that old codger would do to the kid when and if he even tried it.

Almost as much fun as thinkin' 'bout all the fun _he_ was gonna have when the kid tried to make his move. Comeuppance is bitter sweet.

"No," Glenn said emphatically, this time catching Daryl's gaze meaningfully when the redneck lifted it to regard him with another humored glance. Daryl raised a brow at Glenn and the kid frowned. "Look, I'm not really interested in any kind of fling," Glenn continued, rolling his eyes over T-Dog's scoffing and maintaining eye contact with Daryl. "It's the end of the world," Glenn said in a matter-of-fact tone that had Daryl's brow furrowing a bit. "What's the point in starting something when you don't know if-" Glenn looked away before Daryl did and shook his head. "Figured with you guys bein' older and wise you'd understand that."

Daryl finally tore his eyes away from Glenn and looked out upon the stretch of land that they had to travel in order to get back to the group. It wasn't too far now, but the darkness had fallen much quicker than he'd been expecting, making their progress slower. The low light of Glenn's flashlight beam slid out in front of them and Daryl shifted his attention to the kid. His words were echoing low in the back of Daryl's head, and he couldn't help but take the words as a warning.

Glenn's eyes flickered over to Daryl and away again so fast that Daryl wondered if the kid had even done it.

_What's the point in starting something when you don't know if you'll get to finish it?_ The question had been unfinished by the kid, but it was one that Daryl had said often enough to himself at the Quarry. Well not so much the question as much as the statement: _Ain't no point in startin' something you don't know you'll get to finish_. Fuck, that had been an almost daily affirmation that he'd chant in his head every morning right after he'd see her. He'd even started sayin' it out loud on occasion, 'causing Merle to crack the fuck up each and every time he caught him. And then after the fucker was done laughin' he'd slap Daryl in the dick and tell him to say it one more time for good measure.

Days he'd said that to himself. Weeks upon weeks. Fuckin' months. And yet now, Daryl couldn't even remember the last time he'd said it.

Again Daryl let his eyes roll to the right to regard the younger man walking beside him. The usually jovial and wisecracking kid looked completely lost in thought, and it was at that point that Daryl realized something. Those looks the kid was shooting him when he spoke those words. The way the kid had clammed up afterwards.

Fuck.

That kid wasn't sayin' that shit just to be a smartass, or to get him and T-Dog off his ass, 'bout his crush on Calamity Jane.

That kid was seriously asking the question.

Not only that. He was fuckin' askin' Daryl.

"Sum'bitch," Daryl muttered shaking his head and sending a glare over at the still lowered head of Glenn.

"Something up?" T-Dog's voice echoed out and Daryl shook his head and snarled just a bit before picking up his pace a bit. T-Dog let out a sigh and looked to Glenn who was watching Daryl stalk off. "The fuck got up his ass now?" Glenn shrugged and just as he was about to open his mouth Daryl snarled over his shoulder.

"C'mon!" Daryl's voice echoed out and both T-Dog and Glenn let out matching sighs as they worked to follow the seemingly always disgruntled redneck.

Silence fell over the trio as they continued on, and Daryl slipped his eyes up towards the farm house that he could see in the distance. They were a good bit away still, but the lights of the house were on making it a strangely inviting scene to reenter the world too.

"Home sweet home," T-Dog said tiredly from Daryl's left. Daryl grunted an affirmative acknowledgement of the other man's obviously sarcastic statement. This wasn't home, and they all damn well knew it.

This was just-what had Dale always said to Callie 'bout the Quarry that always made her laugh? Another pit stop on the road to hell. Daryl scoffed a bit at that and rolled his head along his shoulders as they trekked through the grass towards the RV. It didn't take long before a spike of something settled low in the back of Daryl's neck. That simple twinge had his footsteps slowing and his eyes narrowing through the dark at the farm.

"A'right, c'mon man," T-Dog said obviously frustrated as he came to a stop next to Daryl. "Stop fuckin' around and tell us what's wrong. And don't get all holier than though redneck bitch on us I'm fuckin' tired as hell-"

"No one's on the RV," Daryl said succinctly, stopping T-Dog's tirade cold with that simple statement.

There had been quite the dust-up before Daryl, T-Dog and Glenn had left. The Doc had requested, well not really requested so much as laid down the fuckin' law, that they not carry weapons on his land. There had been quite a bit of dissidence over that, most of it strangely coming from Danny with regards to Callie.

"No way," Danny had said rather emphatically as Callie shifted on her feet, her attention swinging from Danny to Rick and then to Hershel. "We got rules—"

"Danny," Callie said with a roll of her eyes and a slightly exhausted sigh. "It's alright."

"No," Danny started moving in close to her and pointing a single finger into her chest. His voice lowered as he spoke the next words, but it wasn't low enough to keep any of the people who were truly listening from hearing. "We have rules. You don't go anywhere without your gun. You fuckin' remember what happened the last time you were unarmed on a farm."

"I'm not going to be unarmed," Callie said quietly back, her eyes flicking over to where she could see Rick, Shane and Daryl staring at her. Daryl caught her eye and she looked away. "I'll have my knife."

"Yeah, I remember how much that fuckin' helped the last time," Danny muttered raking his hands through his hair.

That one statement, muttered in that low tone of such harsh anger had caught the attention of the entire group. Daryl's eyes had slipped rather quickly from Danny to Callie, watching her shoulders roll with agitation at the bearded man. A memory of that time so long ago now, when Callie had recalled her and Danny's meeting slid into his mind. The anger that had boiled through him as she told them, in as few words as possible, of a run-in with a bunch of rapists rekindled in him as he watched Danny limp about near the RV. Her tired and haunted voice as it said, 'Apparently to those boys, no didn't mean no anymore', echoed loudly in his memory. Daryl's eyes had collided with Callie's for only a moment, which was really all it took for him to realize that she had left something out of that telling. Something he didn't really want to push at, but couldn't help but wonder about.

"This isn't like the last time," Callie finally shot back, catching Danny's eye as she pointed an angry finger at him. "I don't have time to be dealin' with your guilt issues, Danny. We aren't on our own anymore and we aren't in a group that would-" Callie firmed her lips and shook her head swinging her eyes past Daryl's gaze to Hershel. "I'm fine with whatever you say. It's like Rick said, we're guests here."

"I'll allow you and Rick to carry," Hershel said after a heartbeat, his eyes sliding over Callie in a very forward manner. Shane had damn near blown a gasket at that point, harping on about how he was a fuckin' lawman like Rick and should be allowed to carry if fuckin' Callie was. Statin' that she was just a fuckin' bartender. Hershel had put his foot down though, stating very simply and very firmly. "I feel I can trust Rick and Callie's judgment. When I feel that way about you, I'll let you know."

In an effort to try and appease the still fuming Shane, Rick had made a point to request the sentry on the RV. That armed rifleman on top of the hulking vehicle had been non-negotiable as far as Rick was concerned. Not only was it something that he knew would help alleviate the tension that had grown in the group as soon as Hershel had made his request about the weapons, but also it was a good practice. Whether the good ol' Doc believed it or not, nowhere was fuckin' safe.

So now, to see that the much fought for position vacant, left an ill taste in the back of Daryl's throat.

An ill taste that apparently settled over the other two men as they stared towards Dale's vehicle in the distance.

"What?" Glenn sidled up next to them and squinted in the darkness. He shifted his flashlight's beam uselessly towards the dark area where he could make out the white RV against the skyline, frowning when it had little to no effect. "You sure? Dale's not up there? He's always up there. I mean, he wouldn't come down unless—"

"Somethin's wrong," Daryl said and without another word to the two men beside him he took off at a run towards the farm house. He didn't give a fuck if Glenn and T-Dog were following or not, the only thing he cared about was finding out what was so damned important that Dale fuckin' Horvath had finally abandoned his post.

* * *

Callie's mind was moving a mile a minute as she listened to Rick's worried voice bark out orders to their assembled group. She'd been dragged from looking into Jenna's room by the worried rush of Rick as he came to meet her, Hershel and Maggie at the office. And it seemed like forever had passed since Maggie had broken the news that the girl was missing, when in reality it had only been a few minutes.

A few minutes of fucking frenzied motions by everyone.

Flashlights were being passed around now, and Callie was still watching in a bit of a haze. Hershel had kept his hand at her arm, apparently noting the slightly pale tinge to her skin and the unsteady motions of her legs as they desperately worked to hold up the weight of her body.

"A'right people," Rick's voice echoed along the fringe of the large wrap around front porch of the Greene's house. Callie's eyes slipped from where she'd been staring out into the dark edges of the farm, her eyes moving over the barn and the farther off outer buildings. "We're gonna split up," Rick said, nodding his head at Dale as he grabbed the last of the flashlights from older man's outstretched hands. Rick wavered a bit on his feet and Callie finally broke free from Hershel's hold and started towards him.

"How long?" Callie asked, her eyes going to Carol who was beside herself with worry. The other woman looked up with tears shining in her eyes and shook her head.

"A little over an hour," Carol said shaking her head and reaching out. "God, Callie I'm so sorry. I just," Carol took in a shaking breath and shook her head. "She had said she was going to lie down, and had been huffing about the apparent 'death watch' we had her on. I know you said to stay with her, but—" Carol shook her head again and Callie squeezed her arm.

"It's alright," Callie said quietly. "It's alright."

"She can't have gone far," Danny's voice broke in, and Callie turned to where he stood at the bottom of the stairs. He was using the railing as his crutch for now, his body slightly slumped towards the railing to take the pressure off of his still healing leg. He shifted his gaze from Callie to the nodding Rick. "She wasn't in any condition to be doing much of anything, let alone fuckin' runnin' off. She's gotta be close."

"Right," Rick said idly nodding his head as he ran a tired hand through his hair. Callie stepped up beside him and put her hand to his shoulder gaining his attention. Rick looked at her for a moment. Sadness. Fear. Empathy. It was all playing over his face in probably the same sort of shocked way that it was filtering over hers.

One thought prevailing over all the others. When would they catch a break?

"What's that?" Miles' voice broke out and Callie watched as the boy lifted his broken left hand to point towards the grassy field just beyond. In the bare light of the moon three dark silhouettes could be seen running towards the farm, a single flashlight beam erratically moving with the hurried steps of one figure. Callie squeezed Rick's shoulder and caught his eyes.

"Daryl," Callie said on what she could only describe as a relieved sigh.

"Why are they running? You think something's wrong?" Miles asked sidling along the porch railing. His brows knit into a confused stare as he looked at Callie and Rick.

"Not sure," Callie's eyes slipped down to Dale who was already nodding his head and waving his hand.

"I've got them," Dale said quietly as he turned to face the oncoming trio. "I'll explain what's happened. You all work on the search plans."

Rick and Callie watched Dale walk off at a quick trot to meet up with the still rushing forms of Daryl, T-Dog and Glenn. Silence stretched out a bit as they waited for some kind of signal that the trio was actually okay. Miles slipped behind Callie, his hand brushing her arms as he worked his way towards something and she spared him a quick fleeting smile. The poor kid was beside himself with worry, and this whole standing around doing nothing thing was starting to grate on his nerves. Callie reached back with her hand steadying him a bit and squeezing as she looked down to Danny.

"A'right," Rick's voice boomed out again followed by a long sigh. Callie looked up to see Dale waving at them and the trio now slowly bounding up to the house. "Let's -"

"Hey!" Miles' voice boomed out causing the rest of the group to turn towards him. "Hey!" Miles pushed at Jimmy's back a bit which earned a bit of a startled scream from Beth who was standing nearby. "The fuck you think you're going?" Jimmy stared at Miles as he turned and braced himself as Miles delivered yet another hard push against the other kid's chest.

Jimmy had height on Miles, but Miles had bulk, which evened the odds quite nicely.

"Miles," Callie started forward but Shane and Rick moved in first followed closely by Hershel who had posted up down at the bottom of the stairs beside Danny.

"The fuck you think you're goin'?" Miles yelled and pushed again, before he grabbed some of Jimmy's shirt and pulled the boy's face close to his. Beth was scratching at Miles' arm and Shane and Rick were working to pull the boys apart. "The fuck did you say to her? Huh?" Miles was tugging at Jimmy as Shane pulled on his arms and tried to get him away. Rick was pulling at Beth slightly moving her towards her father, and using his other arm to pull the stoic and shocked Jimmy away from the seething Miles. "The fuck did you say to her?"

"Miles that's enough," Callie was saying as she advanced on the scuffle. Shane shot her a glance before wrapping his arms under Miles' and pulling hard. He succeeded in pulling Miles off of Jimmy, who was then escorted away and into the house by Beth and Patricia. Hershel's hard eyes skimmed over both Rick and Callie, his head shaking in that manner that told them he was more than a little pissed off by the boy's actions.

Shane was still holding tight to the slightly thrashing form of Miles as he backed up. Callie put a hand to Shane's shoulder but the man just shrugged her off as he backtracked with the seething boy.

"Let me go!" Miles was yelling, fighting a bit too hard for Callie's liking with his battered body. "Get off me!" Miles thrashed and caught Shane soundly in the gut with his elbow, Rick was near enough to work to get Shane to let go of Miles but not before almost getting thwacked by one of Miles' flailing limbs as he turned and vehemently glared at the slightly shocked Shane. "Don't you fuckin' touch me."

Everyone stared as Miles glared at Shane, the disgust clear on the boy's face as he backed away. Callie held out a hand to the boy but he shrugged her off and took the porch stairs two at a time as he worked to quickly get away. Danny followed Miles with his eyes and shifted a glance up to Callie. They shared a nod as Callie worked her tired fingers through her tangled hair, she watched Danny slowly limp off after the fast retreating form of Miles heading for the RV.

As Danny passed them, Glenn broke off and fell into step with him following Miles as well. Callie shifted her eyes to catch Daryl's, a good distance still separated them but that didn't matter. His heated stare could march across any distance where she was concerned.

"We'll split up, teams of two," Rick was saying and Callie's eyes snapped over to him as he tiredly recited his plan. His eyes slipped over her offering a small smile before he nodded his welcome back to Daryl and T-Dog. "I don't want anyone goin' off alone-"

"Yeah, we all know why," Shane spat out and shook his head. His comment earned a glare from Rick and a shocked sort of expression from Callie. Shane shook his head and ran his hand over his shaved head as he stared off in the direction of the RV, after a moment his eyes slipped back to Rick and he let out an exasperated sigh. "I don't see what the point of this is, Rick."

"Don't," Rick said in a firm tone as he lifted a single hand towards Shane. From her position between the two men Callie could almost feel the tension rippling over her and she shifted her eyes between them. When her gaze landed on Shane she saw the slight tilt of his lips into a snarling smirk and met his cold gaze as it landed on her.

"No," Shane said lifting an angry finger and pointing it at Rick, his eyes slipping to his former partner quickly before pinning her again. "No, this is ridiculous," He stepped closer to Callie and she stood her ground just shaking her head in wonder. Her eyes slipped down to Daryl who had taken up Danny's spot at the bottom of the stairs, his one foot placed on a stair and both hands resting out at the railings. "If no one else has the balls to say it then I will." Callie's eyes settled back on Shane a single brow rising in expectation. "Callie," he began his voice tinged with that calming tone, the one that came so naturally to Rick, and sounded phony as it came from Shane's throat. "I understand that you care about that girl. Well all do," he tossed his hand around to the group watching the two of them in silence. "But honestly, this is a fuckin' waste of time. The girl's dead, why waste more time, more energy-"

It was probably a combination of stress, exhaustion, and a heady dose of fresh anger that made it happen. A lethal combination in any scenario, but more so now because it was really just adding fuel to the fire for Callie. She and Shane had never really agreed on much in the time that they'd known each other. Bumping heads more often than not over one thing or another at the Quarry. About her taking watch. About her going on runs with Glenn. About Ed Peletier. But no matter how many times they disagreed they still shared a bit of respect for one another, a bit of respect that had kept both of them from snapping completely.

But that respect, which had been hanging by a thin little thread since his outburst against Daryl on the highway days ago, finally just fucking snapped. And if anyone, including Shane had been prepared for it, she probably wouldn't have been able to land that punch to his jaw.

Shane stumbled back as Callie lunged, her brain on overdrive as she tried to grab for his shirt –Otis' fucking shirt. None of the background noise made it in as she grabbed into that fabric and pulled back her hand. Thoughts of Miles ran through her mind, and the pain that boy was feeling. Pain that she knew, she just fucking _knew, _Shane was at the root of. Jenna and her scared eyes, her pain-wracked body, her fevered delirium, floated into her head as she tightened her hold in the fabric of Shane's shirt and pulled her hand back.

That first hit was barely a glancing blow, so she was gonna make the second one count.

She knew that first shot was lucky when it hit his jaw. Knew it had to have been, because Shane was trained. He was trained to deter attackers and he was trained to use force when necessary. And somewhere in the far off recesses of her mind she understood that he wasn't trying to hurt her. That he was just acting on years of training and just plain learned behavior.

Just as Rick's arm had circled around her waist to pull her off, Shane's hand lifted and he grabbed at Callie's hand that was fisted into the fabric of his shirt. The searing pain that shot through her hand as his thumb pressed hard, and knowingly into the palm of her injured left hand, caused her knees to buckle. Rick's arm around her was the only thing holding her up as Shane twisted her hand away from his body and lifted his other hand to block off her right hand as it careened towards him. But her punch had lost its steam as the pain in her other hand took hold, so her fingers just slid over his raised forearm and went to try and extract her other hand from his painful grasp.

Time sped back up, the pain lacing through the haze of her anger and clearing her head as she let Rick pull her back and away. She watched in awe as Daryl, who had apparently vaulted up the stairs in a single bound as she initially lunged for Shane, was rushing past her and Rick. Rick left Callie in the capable and waiting hands of Hershel who was trying to get a look at her hand as she cradled it to her chest.

"Motherfucker," Daryl seethed as his large fist swung out and cracked hard into Shane's shoulder sending the man sprawling into the set of chairs next to him. Daryl, obviously pissed off that Rick's reaching hand had taken his punch off target, worked quickly out of Rick's grip and made another go. His fist connected this time with Shane's jaw, hitting off the same place that Callie's smaller fist had just barely glanced off of moments ago. Shane fell in a heap, his body half settled against the large wooden rocking chair and half on the ground, his left hand rising to cradle his now bleeding split lip.

Rick had wedged himself in between the snarling and lunging Daryl at this point, his hands pressing against Daryl's chest as the man tried to move in again. Shane was staring at Daryl, hate and anger in his eyes as he worked to get to his feet. Daryl stepped up onto his toes and threw his arm over Rick's shoulder, a single finger pointing harshly at the slow moving Shane.

"Fuckin' touch her again, bitch. I dare you," Daryl seethed, as he pointed his finger and practically danced on his toes. He was pressing his chest against Rick's hold, his fidgeting steps trying to get past so that he could get to Shane.

"Daryl, enough," Rick was trying to settle the incensed redneck, but his words were having little effect. Rick maintained his position between the two men, his hands still pressing against Daryl's chest to stave off another attack. Rick's eyes slipped over Daryl's bouncing form to where Hershel stood with Callie and the newly arrived Maggie.

Hershel lifted his eyes from the inspection of Callie's hand, his head shaking back and forth as his lips firmed into a straight line. Callie's face contorted in pain as Hershel pressed into the wound that was obviously bleeding again, her attention slipped to Maggie who was saying something in a hushed tone as she held out a white slip of paper. Rick's eyes shifted to Daryl quickly, watching as the redneck finally settled onto his feet and wiped the back of his hand at his mouth. Daryl's eyes were still riveted to the spot where Shane had collapse and Rick followed his line of sight.

Shane was wiping the back of his left hand along his bleeding lip, but the motion stopped as he lifted his right hand. Even in the dim light provided by the porch light Rick could see the bit of red that marred Shane's hand. Blood, but not his blood. Shane's eyes lifted at that point and met Callie's angered gaze head on, he opened his mouth as he shifted to stand but Callie beat him to it.

"No one deserves to die alone, Shane." Callie seethed, wincing as Hershel pressed into her wounded palm. She shook her head, catching Daryl's eyes. The redneck visibly calmed a bit more and ran his hand through his hair as he shifted his eyes from her to the floor and then to Rick. Callie stared hard at Shane as she continued. "No one. Especially not a child, you dumb, selfish fuck."

"Callie—" Shane got to his feet and made a move to go towards her, but Daryl got in his way. Rick again in the middle of things as Daryl shoved his finger into Shane's chest and pressed him back.

"You even fuckin' look at her right now, I'll tear your head off," Daryl seethed as he pressed harder. Rick pressed at Daryl's shoulder and nodded his head a bit.

"Enough. It's done," Rick said pushing against both men. Shane's shocked and angered glance shifted from Daryl, to Callie who was being led inside by Hershel and Maggie. He caught sight of Lori as she came out and confusedly stared at the scene playing out, her worried eyes following Callie inside. She shook her head at Shane and disappeared from his sight. Shane's eyes landed on Rick, only half listening as the man continued on in that same calming tone. "It's done. Walk away, Shane."

Shane stepped back, his hand again going to his bleeding lip. Again he spotted the blood, Callie's blood, on his hands and he angrily lowered his hand. He lifted his gaze to where Rick and Daryl were both staring at him, and then to the surrounding remainder of the people outside. Snarling a bit he backed up another step and then pushed past Andrea as he worked towards the other end of the porch and slipped out into the darkness heading towards their camp.

Rick let out a long sigh and put his hands to his hips as he lowered his head. His eyes slipped back towards the house where Callie had disappeared and he lifted his hand to cup his dry mouth. His thoughts trailed back to his earlier private conversation with Hershel regarding the group staying on at the farm. The older man had made it clear that he wanted them gone, and with that little scuffle, Rick couldn't help but feel they had just put the last nail into the coffin so-to-speak with regards to that subject.

Rick listened as the rest of the group slowly dispersed from the porch area, his gaze lifting as he caught Daryl's movement in his periphery. Before the redneck could make it to the door Rick cleared his throat and spoke up.

"Daryl," Rick said quietly, watching as the man's shoulders stiffened before he turned his still angered glare to him. Rick shifted on his feet and met that glare head on; jutting his head off to the side he grimaced. "A word."

Daryl grunted, his eyes slipping away from Rick and back towards the door. Shaking his head Daryl turned and crossed his arms as he stared at Rick, waiting for him to make a move. Rick cupped his hand to his chin once more before nodding and heading down the stairs. He could feel Daryl at his back, the man's anger palpable as they worked through the darkness around the house. Shifting his eyes over his shoulder Rick watched Daryl's eyes rove the area.

"Did y'all find anything?" Rick started quietly, choosing to step around the anger Daryl was projecting. At least for the moment. They'd address that later, when the redneck had a chance to cool off a bit. Shit, when Rick had a chance to cool off.

Daryl's eyes snapped up to Rick and held them as they continued around to the back of the house. Shaking his head Daryl watched as Rick pulled out his flashlight and slowed his steps.

"Found this house," Daryl said quietly his eyes following the beam of Rick's flashlight as it slowly illuminated the area. "Something that used to be rented out to tourists or something. Worn and abandoned, but still in pretty good shape. Looks like she had holed up there," Rick's eyes slipped over his shoulder again as he knelt down, a glimmer of hope kindling there that had Daryl snarling a bit. "Tiny bit of bedding in pantry cabinet, and a fresh can of tuna in the trash said she was probably there only a few hours 'fore we stumbled on it." Daryl shook his head at that point and Rick narrowed his gaze at the man. "Gonna head back tomorrow see if we can pick up a trail. Left some supplies there for her, just in case."

Daryl watched Rick's head nod and then knelt down with the man.

"Sounds good," Rick said quietly, Daryl a bit shocked to see that the man left the subject at that. Trusting in the fact that Daryl had the search for Sophia well in hand, he moved on to the next problem. Leaving Daryl to just stare in wonder at the man for a moment.

Looking up Rick jutted his chin to the window over their heads and slipped the flashlight up the white washed exterior of the house. The window was at least a half a foot over their heads when standing, and looking up the length of the drop down to the ground made Daryl cringe just a bit at the memory of the pain that had been lacing that girl's features when he'd stepped in to see her after his arrival. The little trail of red that slipped off that window ledge and down the side of the house, made Daryl's nose twitch and he lifted his thumbnail to his lips, scratching it along the stubble under his lip.

"She went out there," Rick said on a sigh. "Landed hard here," Rick said angling his flashlight down to the grassy area in front of them. The blood staining that bit of grass settled ill in both men's stomachs and had Daryl snatching the flashlight from Rick's hand as he stood.

Daryl backed up a bit, and let the beam of light slip back the way they'd come. His eyes narrowed as he walked a few steps and Rick stayed in his crouched position, his forearms resting on his knees. Daryl skipped his eyes along the grass, the beam of light working this way and that for a few seconds before he headed back over towards Rick.

"She would have needed help," Rick said quietly, causing Daryl's eyes to lift. Daryl stared for a minute before nodding slowly.

"Yeah," Daryl said angling Rick's flashlight away from them and out into the darkness. Rick got to his feet and wiping both hands on his pants before coming to stand next to Daryl. "And it looks like she got it," Daryl's eyes skipped behind them again, glancing over the obvious trail of the second person and the back out into the darkness beyond. "Question is, who?"

Rick nodded, the flicker of a light from the window they stood near had both of them turning and glancing up. Daryl's eyes caught and held onto the sight of the dark silhouette that stared out the window past them. Rick's eyes flicked from that window to Daryl and he let out a sigh as he settled his hands to his hips.

"Daryl," Rick's voice had the man snapping his gaze away from the figure and to him. He took a step closer and reached out a placating hand as he worked to broach a subject he didn't really want to. "About Shane—"

"You just keep him the fuck outta my sight, Deputy Do-Right," Daryl seethed pulling away from Rick's raised hand and raising one of his own. He pointed an angered finger. "Your boy crossed a line there ain't no stepping back over," Daryl said as calmly as he could. "You keep him the fuck outta my way."

"He didn't mean to hurt her," Rick said quietly, and Daryl scoffed and shook his head. "He didn't." Rick let out a sigh and shook his head and practically whispered his last statement. "I really hope he didn't."

"Hope's for fools, Rick. Tol' you that before," Daryl said angrily and Rick simply nodded his head. He couldn't really wrap his head around Shane intentionally hurting Callie, but then again. Rick had been partners with Shane for a long enough time to have seen the man use the 'necessary force' entitlement that he thought they had to one extreme or another. It wasn't out of the question, but still…

"I'll keep him outta your way," Rick said raising a hand and nodding his head, he pointed a finger and raised a tired brow. "But you gotta stay outta his." Daryl waved an angry and dismissive hand at Rick as he turned his back.

"I ain't gonna go lookin' for trouble," Daryl said flippantly smirking at Rick. "But I ain't gonna turn away if it comes lookin' for me."

Rick nodded, knowing that was really as good as he could hope to get and moved to follow Daryl back towards the front of the house. His eyes skipped back over his shoulder into the darkness that Jenna fled into. With her mysterious helper. The question of who was a big one, and as his eyes slipped up to the window above he couldn't help but think that someone in that room now knew the answer to it.

* * *

Large looping letters, written by a hand that had obviously been shaking were burned into Callie's brain.

She held the small slip of paper in her own hands; hands that were shaking so bad she feared she was going to rip it. And she didn't want to rip it. It was all she had left.

The first three words on the page had driven the knife in Callie's heart deeper than it had been before: _I'm so sorry_. They were the same words that the girl had repeated to her over and over when Callie had first found her in those woods. The same words she repeated again and again as Callie discovered her wounded leg; her death sentence.

The words that Callie should have been saying to her. Repeating them over and over again.

_I owe you my life._

_I can't let your final memory of me be my death. _

_Please understand. Tell everyone I'm sorry, and that I love them. Tell Miles, _a few heavily scratched out words that Callie couldn't read followed by a simple _that it'll be okay. _

And then the closing line, simple and sweet.

_I love you. _

It was a short note. And Callie wasn't sure if it was short because the girl ran out of time; or because her mind wasn't all there. But really, Callie wondered what else there was to write. What more was really left to be said.

Callie felt the tear slide down her cheek and her left hand gave a jolt when she tightened her grip on the paper. She'd been sitting in the small room that Jenna had occupied in the Greene home for what felt like hours. Callie could hear Maggie's sighs as she moved from her position by the window where she'd been staring out into the darkness beyond. The girl had stayed with her after having put a handful of small stitches into the cut on Callie's palm, stating that it was the only way to ensure that it would stay closed long enough to heal properly.

Callie had sat silently through the pain as Maggie's hands shook while she placed the sutures. The girl was cleaning up her supplies now, barely making any noise as she did it. But the way her eyes kept landing on Callie's shoulders was heavy enough to make it feel as though a boisterous conversation was going on.

A shadow fell over the room as a body blocked out the light filtering in through the open doorway, and Callie shifted her eyes very slightly to see the larger form of Hershel there. Callie said nothing to the older man as he stared at her, and simply slid her eyes back to the bed. The sound of shuffling as Maggie worked her way towards the door had Callie's eyes closing.

"I put in about five stitches to reclose it," Maggie said quietly to her father as she slipped towards the door. "I think it's infected," Maggie shifted her eyes over to Callie. "She said she's allergic to Penicillin. So I'm gonna go see what we have to give her. Even with the bunch of stuff that they brought with them, we're running really low. I may need to make a run into town."

"We can discuss that in the morning," Hershel said quietly.

"I was gonna try and help look—"

"I'd rather you didn't," Hershel said in a more forceful tone, one that had a tiny smirk playing on Callie's lips. Finally Callie lifted her head and shifted her attention towards where Hershel stood staring at her, his hand settled on his daughter's arm. "If you could check in on Beth. She was a bit upset. I'll be in soon."

"Sure," Maggie said, her eyes shifting to Callie. She gave a small nod and smile before ducking out of the room leaving Callie to stare at Hershel in the doorway. A heavy silence seemed to linger in the air between Callie and Hershel, until finally the older man moved just a bit inside.

"You were right," Callie said idly lifting the note in her right hand while her sore left remained dangling between her knees. She let out a breath and then folded the letter, slipping it into her back pocket as she pushed to her feet. Her eyes skipped over to the gleaming sight of the Fat Lady settled upon the stack of notebooks on the nightstand and Callie felt the older man's gaze land on that object as well. Callie sniffed almost angrily before reaching forward and snatching the gun from the nightstand. She stared at it for a moment before looking up to him. "That wasn't how she wanted-You were right." Hershel let out a long frustrated sounding sigh beside her as she stuck the gun into place at the small of her back.

Her eyes shifted to watch him, his eyes skimming over the floor where a clump of Jenna's red hair sat and then up to the blood stained sheets that adorned the bed. Callie watched his face contort with an emotion she didn't know the man well enough to place and with another sigh she fidgeted a bit on her feet.

"I was going to clear the bed sheets, and finish gathering Jenna's things," Callie said raking her fingers through her hair. "Then I'll –"

"I am not here to kick you from my home," Hershel said in that same forceful tone as he cut her off. Callie shifted her confused eyes to the man and met his straight on. "I am here to offer my deepest sympathies to you," he stopped and took in a deep breath. "As a father, as a man who has outlived," he shook his head and stared at her with eyes that shone brightly in the dim light with unshed tears. "I understand the devastation of outliving a child."

Callie swallowed hard, her mind going back to that photo in Hershel's office. That picture of the happy family, two girls and a boy sitting on the stairs of this porch. Callie's jaw clenched and she nodded her head slightly in silent thanks to his words. Reaching forward Callie began to pull at the bedding but was stopped by Hershel's strong hand falling over top of hers. Her attention shifted to him, and he squeezed her good right hand lightly before moving her so that she stood straight before him. They stared at each other for a good while before Callie gave a sad smile and extracted her hand from his.

"I want to apologize for what happened on the porch," Callie said calmly, her eyes slipping to her sore left hand. "What happened with Miles. What happened with me and Shane. That was," she stopped and lifted her eyes to the man waiting patiently for her to continue. "That's not usually how I deal with things, and not how I expect one of mine to. I just—"

"I understand," Hershel said quietly raising a hand to stave off any further explanation. The older man shifted his eyes around the room a bit, his eyes lingering on the blood staining the bed sheets. Raking his own hand over his thinning hair he looked to Callie and tried to work out what he wanted to say. Or maybe how he wanted to say it. "I've given my permission for Jimmy to assist you tomorrow in your search." Hershel said shocking Callie completely. She stayed quiet and raised a brow as he lifted one of his. "The boy has shown an interest that I can't ignore."

There was a moment of silence, where Callie and Hershel simply stared at one another. No words were really needed, and she knew that no others were going to be given. Callie nodded finally and gave a small smile to the man standing with her.

"I appreciate the help, Hershel." Callie said simply.

Shuffling in the hallway had both of them turning towards the door, spotting Rick and Daryl coming to a stop at the doorway and staring in silently. Callie took in a deep breath and Rick ran a tired hand down his face as he shifted a quick glance at Daryl before sliding into the room. Daryl followed, and both men's eyes instantly slanted to the bloodstained bedding before slipping up to her. Another sigh fell from Rick's lips as he put a hand to her shoulder.

"Are you alright?" Rick asked his hand sliding down her arm towards her injured hand. Callie snaked her hand away before he could reach it and nodded, waving off his concern with a flippant twist of her fingers and a smile. He grimaced and exchanged a quick look with Hershel. "We didn't see anything," Rick said finally his eyes skipping from person to person in the room and lingering on Callie's. "We'll keep looking-"

"No," Callie said quietly lifting her hand and squeezing Rick's arm, he looked at her with a mix of awe and confusion and she smiled. She stared back at him and his brow narrowed as he tried to read what was going through her mind.

"We'll find her," Daryl said not catching the look that passed between Rick and Callie, his eyes riveted to the clump of hair on the floor and the blood stained sheets on the bed. "She's gotta-"

"She doesn't want to be found," Callie said simply her eyes finally sliding over to Daryl's. She held his gaze for a long moment, her hand falling from Rick's arm.

Callie looked to Hershel and gave a nod before working her way towards the door. Her hand moved out a bit and she trailed her cold fingers over Daryl's arm and down to his hand. His fingers curled around hers for a brief moment before letting her slide them slowly out. She left the room and the three men stood staring at the doorway after her, listening as the screen door opened and closed indicating she'd left the house entirely.

* * *

Daryl watched Rick shift on his feet for a moment before turning away from the open back tailgate of the Hummer. The former Sheriff's deputy looked exhausted, and his feet barely lifted as he trudged back towards the house. His hand was scratching idly at the back of his head, a wince settled into his features as he no doubt knocked his fingers into the split sore skin of the wound back there.

The fuckin' man couldn't seem to just let the thing be.

Daryl chewed idly on the piece of straw he'd picked up and let his eyes follow Rick's slow going progress across the space between the house and their little camp. Daryl's feet were moving before he really even registered it, and as he passed by Rick the other man's eyes slipped up from their inspection of the grass and held on to his. No words passed between them, just a simple nod of the head as Rick continued on into the house and Daryl worked his way towards that orange fuckin' beast of a car.

Daryl let his eyes slide over the gas can on the ground and the open fuel line at the back end before sliding around and coming to a stop at the open tailgate. Callie's feet were swinging idly back and forth, her boot laces hanging loose around her feet, as if she'd just given up on the rest of the motion of removing them. Which was good. That way she wouldn't have to walk across the cool grass in her bare feet.

Daryl continued to chew on the long piece of straw and let his eyes slid over the seemingly oblivious woman before him. Her hands were in her lap, the dull gleam of that fuckin' little silver handgun catching his eye. There was just something about the way that woman was holding that gun that made him shiver as anger boiled in his gut. The thought that she'd put that gun to her own head before, and been unable to pull the trigger came rushing back in a heartbeat.

Daryl fuckin' hated that gun.

Spitting out the piece of hay from his mouth he reached forward and grabbed it from her hand. The action had her lifting her shocked eyes from her now empty hands to him as he tucked the gun into the small of his back. He stared hard at her, and she opened her mouth to say something but he cut her off.

"C'mon," He grabbed her hand and pulled her off the tailgate and turned his back pulling her behind him as he stalked off. She winced just a bit and he slid his hand up from the injured portion of her hand to her wrist. The feel of the tiny little welt like scars that were settled there did nothing to soothe his frazzled nerves.

Callie silently followed behind him, letting Daryl pull her along towards his tent. Her brow furrowed just as he opened the flap, her eyes catching his in rare moment of amusement as he pulled her inside with him. As he turned to zip the flap closed, Callie shifted and let her eyes roam the interior of the large tent. Her brow furrowed a bit, as she took in the large space and she suddenly realized that this wasn't his tent. Not the one from the Quarry. That had been a smaller tent, two-person if that.

This was one of hers, a nice spacious four-person size, one of the ones she and the girls or Danny and the boys had shared. Callie's eyes took in the small lantern settled off to one side, sitting on top of one of the large totes that had been settled onto the top of the Hummer. She took in the strange sight of her belongings settled neatly along one side of the tent, sitting next to Daryl's own bags. Oddly she didn't see any of the single sleeper cots set up, instead a mass of bedding, no doubt a mix of his and hers was situated in the middle of the tent near the back end. Callie's brows lifted in amusement as she shot her eyes over her shoulder to where Daryl was standing.

His hand was lifted to his mouth, teeth nibbling at that thumbnail as he watched her. She ran a tired hand over her head and couldn't help but give him a very tiny smile.

"Am I allowed to ask about the meaning behind this," she waved her hand around and he grumbled something before dropping his hand from his mouth. His eyes held hers as he stepped forward and he waved his hand around.

"Wasn't like you and me weren't sharin' sleepin' arrangements before," Daryl said in a sarcastic tone. "Ain't no different." She stared at him for a moment and it honestly shocked her to discover he was right. Since the CDC, well, more specifically since their time at that little gas station she and Daryl had slept in the back of the Hummer. They never went together usually Callie would just wake up to find him there.

"Well, shit," Callie mumbled looking around and shaking her head. "When you're right, you're right. What about-"

"Ben and Gracie are sleeping in the tent with Miles and Danny." Daryl tossed his thumb over his shoulder. "Danny didn't want the kid to wander off, and figured with the little ones there Miles would be less inclined to do something stupid."

"You're a good babysitter," Callie said idly letting her eyes slide around the tent again and waving a finger in the air. "I should really pay you more." Daryl scoffed out a little laugh and then stepped towards her.

His warm calloused hands settled at her arms, and it was at that moment she realized just how cold it had been outside. How cold she was from sitting in that cool evening breeze in nothing more than a camisole. She shivered and lifted her hands to start rubbing her arms, but Daryl's hands beat her to it and began to rub furiously along her skin.

"Fuck woman," Daryl said turning her around and continuing to rub. His eyes settled on her shoulders, then ran the length of her arms as he rubbed. "You got some warm clothes?" Callie nodded not really trusting her voice as Daryl continued to rub her freezing cold arms. "Then start fuckin' wearin' them."

"Says the man perpetually dressed in sleeveless shirts," Callie shot back. He lifted his annoyed gaze to her and shook his head.

"I got long sleeved ones for the cooler weather," Daryl said snidely adding a half-assed 'smart-ass' to the end that he didn't think she'd catch. "Plus, I got more meat on my bones than you, girl. Gonna take more than a cool breeze to get my ass this cold." He rubbed her arms a bit more and Callie chuckled. His hands continued to rub her arms, losing the furiousness of the movement and slowing into more of a gentle caress that had her shivering for a completely different reason.

Callie lifted her eyes and stared hard at his face watching as a tension formed in his jaw as he slid his finger tips over her now goose-bump covered flesh. She watched him slip his tongue out to wet his bottom lip and felt heat coil low in her stomach before radiating over her whole body. She was definitely feeling warmer now. Much, much warmer.

Her hands lifted from her sides just as Daryl's eyes hooded a bit. He leaned closer and his lips had just brushed over hers when her hands hit off of the front of his button up sleeveless flannel. Her eyes went wide and her head tilted back from his, eyes instantly going to where her fingers splayed over the fabric of his shirt. The damp, gore-covered fabric at the front of his shirt.

"What happened?" Callie asked, sliding her fingers over the threadbare fabric, her pointer finger sliding through a rip and pulling at the fabric. In the dim light of the little lantern she could make out what looked to be long dark marks staining the fabric. The warmth she had been feeling instantly gave way to an icy chill that she couldn't control. Daryl must have felt the chill because his hands tightened around her arms and he pulled her a bit closer.

"Bit of a close call," Daryl said in an off-hand manner. "No big deal." Callie shook her head and muttered the words 'fucking close call' as she began to almost frantically unbutton his shirt to get a look at the skin underneath. Daryl made a half-assed attempt at stopping her, his head shaking but his body almost aching for her hands to settle on his bare skin.

"No big deal," Callie muttered again as she finished with his buttons, her fingers sliding over his chest as she opened the shirt to inspect his chest. A low relieved sigh left her as she discovered no scratch marks, well no new ones. "You could have been—"

"Wasn't," Daryl said lifting his hands to her wrists and stilling her hands, pressing them tight into his chest. "Ain't no worse for wear. Except for the fact that I fuckin' owe T-Dog one." Daryl grimaced and Callie lifted her eyes from where her hands were splayed on his strong chest up to his eyes. She couldn't help but smile at him and let the chuckle fall from her lips.

"Technically, I'd say you're probably even now," Callie said letting her fingers slide over the familiar planes of his chest. Daryl sniffed and twitched his nose as he shook his head.

"I don't do evens," Daryl said succinctly and Callie nodded her head. Of course he didn't.

Callie let her hands slide over his chest, relishing the feel of his skin under her fingers. The slight twinge of pain in her left hand became nothing more than a dull little ache as Daryl's thumbs worked along the insides of her wrists. They stood there for a few moments before his hands tightened and brought her attention back up to his face.

"I ain't fool 'nough to believe that you're just gonna let this whole Jenna thing go," Daryl said quietly, his voice a low rumble that ran through her body as he pulled her just a bit closer. She stared at his eyes as they searched hers for an answer, and all she could do was smile. "Just tell me ya ain't planning on going alone."

"Rick's coming with me," Callie said quietly that little smile of hers faltering just a bit as she thought back to the conversation she'd just had with the former deputy.

"Fuck," Daryl said shaking his head a bit. "Usually that wouldn't bother me. But considering you two are about as up for action as a newborn fawn-"

"We'll be fine," Callie said quietly tapping her fingers on his chest. "I'm not expecting any action. Just a few answers."

"Yeah, well I wasn't expecting any action either," Daryl let his hands drop from her wrists and held his arms out wide. He raised his brows in a 'see what that got me' motion and she trailed her fingers up his chest and over his collar bone.

"We'll be fine," Callie repeated letting her fingers glide under his shirt and over his shoulders. "You're not going out alone tomorrow are you?"

"T-Dog's comin," Daryl said with a bit of a sneer that made Callie smile as she slipped his shirt off of his shoulders and let it fall to the floor. Daryl's hands went to her hips, fingers hooking into the belt loops of her jeans and pulling her closer. "And Carol," he continued causing Callie's eyes to lift from the wonderful sight of his bare upper torso as she raised a surprised brow at him. He shrugged and slipped his fingers up a bit under her shirt barely touching them off of her sides. "She wanted to see where the girl was sleepin'. Figured it wouldn't hurt. Plus if we find her there in the mornin'," he shrugged again and left the statement hang.

Callie's eyes met his, and he slipped his hands higher along her sides under her shirt. Again she shivered, and again that heat coiled in low in her stomach rolling out along her nerves, sensitizing her entire body as his fingers roved higher and higher. The silk fabric of her borrowed top slipped easily over her and her breath released in a stutter of desire, fanning over his chin as he leaned forward.

Daryl's lips pressed into hers, his tongue slipping out to lick across her full bottom lip demanding entrance as gently as it could. She opened to him and her body sagged against him for a moment before his hands were tightening in their grip on her ribs, fingers pressing tight around her for a moment and then pulling her away so that he could look into her eyes.

"You gotta tell me now if you wanna stop this," Daryl said, his voice hoarse with desire as his hot breath puffed onto her waiting lips. "I ain't gonna be able to stop this time," Daryl said, his mind obviously back to last night, or was it earlier this morning, when they'd kissed in Greene's steamy bathroom. Thoughts of his body pressing tight into hers as he'd shoved her up against the wall and attacked her with his lips. The quickened fever pitch of whatever it was between them taking that comforting kiss to an extreme that Callie's exhausted and drained body hadn't been able to handle.

Not then. But now-

"Don't," Callie managed to get out as she pressed closer to him, her lips pressing to his slightly. She sucked in his bottom lip just a bit and he groaned against her, his hands tightening in their hold on her body. She finished her statement against his slightly parted lips. "Don't ever stop."

His hands slipped the rest of the way up and Callie's arms lifted to allow him to remove her shirt. Callie watched the silken fabric release from his fingers and flutter to the ground before she melted back into him. His lips crashed into hers. Strangely, the kiss which she'd expected to be rough and needy simmered into a slow heart stopping one. His hands molded along her spine, fingers kneading into her muscles and pressing her chest into his.

In that moment she was amazed. Simply and irrevocably amazed at how much she needed this. God, how much she needed him. His strength. His support. His -whatever this was-, she wasn't going to put the label to it. Not yet. God she needed him to take away that pain of losing Jenna, even if this momentary bit of bliss was a short-lived release from that horror, she needed it. And he understood that.

And she felt like he needed it to. The way he pressed her so hard into his body, like he wanted to make her a part of him. He needed this closeness just as bad as she did. But for reasons that were all his own.

Daryl's lips trailed from hers and down her jaw line. He let out a shaking breath of heat into her ear and then moved that bristled chin and cheek of his down her neck, settling his lips to her shoulders. Wet open-mouthed kiss after wet open-mouthed kiss tantalizing her senses. One hand was working at her bra clasp, while the other was tangled into the mass of her curling hair tilting her head to the side to allow his lips more access to her skin.

Callie's fingers pressed hard into his shoulders, sliding up into his hair and pressing his lips harder into her shoulder. Pressing him hard into her. Her bra went slack against her breasts and in a movement that was almost too quick for words the item was removed and tossed aside.

The moment her bare taut nipples pressed into the coarse hairs of his hard chest Callie was lost. Her back arched in his embrace, her head falling back as he trailed his lips further down her neck and sucked sweetly at the pulse point there. Her hands snaked down his scarred back and stopped abruptly at the feel of the small gun settled at the small of his back.

She'd forgotten that he'd taken it.

She went to curl her left hand around it but his hand stopped her. He grabbed her hand in his causing a hissing sort of pain to shoot through her, while his other hand grabbed the gun. He snarled at that gun and then looked down into her slightly shocked eyes.

"Ya ain't gettin' that back," Daryl said gruffly. "Not unless I'm dead," Daryl's words echoed in Callie's ears as he tossed the gun to the ground by their bags. His hand shifted on her wounded left and he lifted her bandaged palm to his lips. He stared at her over her hand and held her gaze as tightly to his as he'd held her body moments before. "Ya get me?"

Callie nodded, not trusting her voice and losing what little was left of her sanity as he kissed the fingertips of her hand. Daryl dropped her hand down onto his shoulder and returned his hands to the button of her jeans. He pulled her roughly forward as he undid the button and zipper, slipping both of his rough hands in and around her backside. The hand on his shoulder anchored her as he removed her pants and boots. Her eyes closed as his body lowered with the clothing so that he could plant hot wet kisses along her midsection and lower. Her legs buckled at the tender caress of his lips and instantly he was up and his body was once again flush against hers, his mouth pressed to her neck and angled up so that he could speak into her ear.

"You sure you can handle this?" Daryl said, the worry in his voice causing her to smile as she ran her fingers through his hair holding his head in place. She maneuvered her mouth to his ear and spoke.

"It's not the exhaustion causing it this time," she said with a bit of a chuckle, as she felt his muscles tense as she spoke. His fingers roved over her bare backside and squeezed as he worked to get the both of them closer to the waiting little bed he'd made on the floor. "It's you." She breathed the words into his ear and felt the shudder go through him.

The fever hit their blood at the same time. Lust. Need. Want. Desire. Whatever the fuck it was, it all culminated and pressed against them, buckling both of their knees and sending them crashing to the bedding below. Daryl was gone only for a moment, his warmth now a searing heat sliding down her body as he moved to remove his pants and boots.

His naked form covered hers, and when he hooked her leg over his shoulder and pressed himself slowly inside of her she came apart. Her entire body rolled and arched off of the bedding, her head tilting back as the pleasure overwhelmed her. His mouth was still at her shoulder, and she felt her own mouth fall to the coiled bulking mass of muscle in his shoulder. Her teeth sank down as she worked to control the intensity of her moaning, causing him to tense and growl as he pounded deeper into her over and over.

She jolted awake some time later, her body curled on her side and Daryl's bicep working as a pillow beneath her cheek. The warm feel of his strong body against her back, molded so perfectly and protectively around her helping to fight off the remaining vestiges of the nightmare that had woken her.

Fuzzy, hazed memories of the undead Jenna snarling at her as she slowly closed in. The heat of the undead girl's breath on her skin and the feel of Callie's body being pinned down and unable to run, explained now by the man's weighty arm encircling her waist and his lips at her shoulder.

Daryl's hand tightened on her hip, before sliding up and grabbing the wrist of her right hand where it was tucked up under her chin and holding it tight.

"Just a dream," he muttered, his head moving slowly up so that his lips were pressed into her ear. "Go back to sleep," he moved his scruffy chin against her shoulder pushing away her hair. "Ain't nothing gonna get you." His tired mumbling helped to slow the rapid beating of her heart and she let out a shaking breath before snuggling back down into his arms. Callie listened to his breathing steady into a hum of sleep, while her eyes remained wide open and staring into the darkness of the tent. Off in the distance she spotted the Fat Lady still lying where Daryl had tossed it before.

The gun that Jenna had left behind, the girl unable to put the weapon to her head. The fucking gun that seemed to play a role in every one of her nightmares since she had to use it to end Jim's life. Fuck, since she'd placed its barrel to her own temple and thought about pulling the trigger.

It sat there in the shadows of the tent with its single bullet. Taunting her. Reminding her.

Ain't nothing gonna get you, he'd said. Leaving off the end to that statement, one that they both knew.

Ain't nothing gonna get you, but yourself.

_And I listen, yeah, for the voice inside my head_

_Nothin, I'll do this one myself_

_Oh, ah, and the barrel waits, trigger shakes_

_Aimed right at my head, don't won't you help me_

_Help me from myself_

_State of love and trust, and a_

_State of love and trust, and a_

_State of love and trust, and a_

_State of love and yeah, yeah_

_~State of Love and Trust / Pearl Jam_

_AN: This chapter was like pulling fuckin' teeth. Good god. But it was needed…if not for the Daryl/Callie special time…then for the simple forward motion of the plot. So you're not getting lost…we're delving into a bit of original content in the next chapter… and will be working our way through some of the events of Cherokee Rose… (Glenn and Maggie *brown-chicken-brown-cow*) but a whole buncha new territory…Anyhoo… _

_I think that's all for now. I'm excited to move on to the next portion… I've got a good bit of reviews to respond to so keep your eyes peeled!_

_Question for my peeps….would you like me to split up Season 2 into two separate stories…(like the season was)? Or do you want it all in one big lump of crazy. Let me know, I'd be interested to hear what you have to say. _

_Much love!_

_See ya next chapter._


	28. Why Do The Men Stray

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_We're in original content territory here people… but a bit of mix of some stuff you may recognize. Which is just the way I roll, right? So yeah…_

_As always, read, review and enjoy!_

_~michelle_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Why Do The Men Stray**

_Why do the men stray; why do the women pray_

_Why do the men fight; why do the women sympathize._

_Whoa, it was easier before I loved; Before this heart turned to stone_

_Before this blood was stirred and blood was spilled; No one was ever meant to be alone_

Callie watched Carol settle her bag on her stiff shoulders. The other woman spared a glance back towards her giving a meek smile and a nod of her head before falling into step with T-Dog and surprisingly Glenn. The darkening skies had apparently put off the kid and Maggie's trip into town until the next day.

A fact that had left Glenn almost comically relieved. Which had left Callie smirking and Daryl cringing when the kid had shot him a look as he fell into step with T-Dog moments ago.

"We'll be back before nightfall," Daryl said quietly from his spot on the other side of Callie. "Maybe earlier if this sky actually opens up like it looks like it's gonna." His eyes slid from the three people working their way towards the fence area and up to the sky. The dark clouds were moving fast, swirling overhead and killing any vestiges of what had once been a beautiful blue sky. After a beat Daryl slipped his eyes over to Rick, catching the deputy's eye.

"Be careful," Rick said standing up and putting his hands to his hips. "Keep your eyes open. Rain can drown out sound, so be sure to stay on your toes." Rick shifted his eyes to Callie and he let out a sigh as he ran his hand through his hair and looked back to Daryl. "Good luck. We'll see you when you get back."

Daryl gave a stiff nod and then shifted his eyes to Callie. She pushed off of the Hummer and slipped her hands into her back pockets. He bit at the inside of his cheek for a moment, obviously debating what he wanted to do. Finally he just nodded and she cracked a wider smile at him. His eyes rolled over her shoulder and he snarled a bit, causing her to look as well.

Jimmy was slowly making his way towards them, his eyes searching around their little campsite a bit before landing on Rick. Callie shifted her attention back to Daryl put her hand up and tapped her fingers along the strap to his crossbow.

"Better move your ass before they leave you behind, Dixon." Callie said turning half-way to watch Rick steer Jimmy towards them.

"They ain't goin' nowhere, fuckers would be lost in a second," Daryl shot back, his eyes skipping from hers to where Jimmy now stood a bit confusedly waiting. He bit at his cheek again and looked hard at Callie, his eyes shifting to the gun settled in the front of her waistband. He tapped his finger on it, and pulled just a bit at her loose waistband causing her to stumble into him a bit. "Don't be an idiot."

"Sweet talker," Callie said shifting away from his hand and pushing at his chest. "Get the fuck outta here, boy. I got shit to do." Callie said in her best Merle impression. Daryl smiled, really smiled at her, and she waved him off. Shaking his head Daryl moved to meet up with Glenn, T-Dog and Carol who were waiting near the fence for him. Callie watched Daryl walk away, catching him slide his gaze over his shoulder twice before finally shaking his head and picking up his pace.

Callie then turned towards Rick and Jimmy, watching the boy shift awkwardly on his feet as he shifted his gaze between her and the now departing group heading further into the fields. Callie slid her hands further down into her back pockets and stared at the boy.

"Uh," Jimmy shifted his eyes between Callie and Rick as he furrowed his brow. "Doctor Greene said that I should help out with the search," he took a breath and let his eyes slide again over Rick and Callie before pointing a slightly unsteady finger towards the disappearing crew. "Should I go catch up?"

"No, son," Rick said putting a hand to his shoulder and giving him a bit of a smile. "You're not going with them. You're helping us," Rick took a breath and shifted his weight a bit before finishing. "With Jenna."

"I—I don't understand," Jimmy said looking at Rick and then watching warily as Callie gave him a small smile, her teeth bared just a bit causing the smile to take on a slightly intimidating tone. Jimmy swallowed hard, and kept his eyes locked on Callie's. "I thought y'all weren't looking for her." He swallowed and tried to take a step back, but Rick put his hand to the boy's arm and held him in place. "H-how am I supposed to help?"

"Well," Callie said calmly, her eyes shifting to Rick's and then back to Jimmy's confused face. "You're gonna show us where you took her."

* * *

Callie followed slowly behind Jimmy, her eyes riveted to the silent boy leading her and Rick away from the tiny gravel parking lot where he'd parked Otis' truck. She thought the ride along that road had been quiet, but she'd been wrong. Callie had been settled uncomfortably in the front seat of Otis' truck between Rick and the stoic Jimmy as he drove them along the bumpy dirt road. And that anticipatory hush that had settled in the cab was nothing compared to the thick sort of stillness that had settled in that cab when the church came into view.

And it balked in comparison to the deathly silence that clung to the air around them now. Rick's eyes skipped over his shoulder and he slowed his pace just enough to reach out a hand to her and help her along as they passed by the slightly swinging open doors of the church. Callie and Rick stopped briefly, but didn't linger as they watched the kid keep moving. Rick's steps faltered a bit and Callie held his gaze for a moment before he shook his head and kept them moving.

Daryl had been right about one thing. Neither her or Rick were in any real shape to be doing anything. Blood transfusion, after blood transfusion. Sleepless night, after sleepless night. Wounded spirits, wounded bodies. Fuck walking the way they were now, Callie was sure that if that kid wanted to, he'd easily be able to kill both of them and leave them to rot up on this hill.

Like he'd apparently done with Jenna.

Rick must have shared her thoughts, which was why he'd been sure to make remove the kid's –Otis' rifle from the back of the truck before they left.

The growing darkness of the skies overhead bathed the small church in hues of gray, and made the landscape that stretched out from it even more foreboding than before. The dark shapes of bodies scattered about the dull green lawn, causing the wafting smell of decay to settle in Callie's nose. The sound of the wind blowing hard through her ears, as her blood rushed louder and louder with each step drown out Rick's words. His mouth moved and Callie merely stared through him and at the grounds.

"Are you alright?"

Rick's fingertips slid over Callie's right hand and up her arm, leaving a trail of goose-bumps as a chill settled deep into her bones. She nodded. Idly she wished she'd put on something other than a t-shirt. Rick's hand wrapped around her forearm and he held tight as her steps trudged along after him. Rick squeezed his hand around her arm, giving her a single silent nod of understanding.

She wanted to know what happened. But like any sane person, she dreaded seeing it. Rick for his part was keeping his head, treating her like the mother of a victim and working hard to distance himself from whatever they were going to find. But Callie could feel the tension in his hand as he gripped her arm, the slight faltering of his own steps as they watched the boy come to an abrupt halt in the field of dead Walkers.

A few fallen leaves from the trees around them flew in tumultuous loops around their ankles as she and Rick slowed their gait. The loud banging of the red painted church doors matched the hard pounding rhythm of her heart as Callie came to a stop.

"I don't understand," Jimmy's voice was low and confused. His hands lifted to his hair, raking through and pulling at the strands as he lifted wide eyes to look at Rick and then Callie. Callie felt Rick's hand tighten. "I don't-she was here. Right here. I don't understand."

Callie's eyes slipped past the figure of the boy and she sucked in a deep breath, her arm slipping from Rick's grip and grabbing his hand tightly as she stared down at the ground.

Her eyes met nothing but blood-soaked grass. The amount of blood was jarring and instantly caused bile to raise high in the back of her throat. The image of the blood-soaked grass, gore and what looked like vomit burned forever into that deep part of Callie's brain; that place where all her nightmares grew and thrived in this wondrous fucking hell on Earth that they now found themselves a part of.

The only thing missing was the body of the girl from which all of that garish horror originated.

"I don't understand," Jimmy's voice repeated and Callie suddenly felt the pull of her anger reach a point of no return.

She snapped her hand out of Rick's grasp, and grabbed the boy by his arm turning him quickly and forcing his confused and scared eyes to hers. Her anger burned like a raging fire deep in the pit of her stomach, causing her hand to tighten around the boy's arm. Jimmy stared at her, and she snarled at him, her brain so muddled with everything around her that she couldn't even form words. In the haze of the rush of blood in her ears she barely made out the sound of Rick's voice. His calm voice calling out to her as if from a great distance, even though he stood right beside her, his hand working at her shoulder to try and pull her hand from the boy's arm.

That calming effect that Rick's steady voice usually had was lost somewhere in the howling wind of this field of horror. And it wasn't until Callie saw the tears slide down Jimmy's cheeks, and felt the searing path of her own as they blinked past her eyelids that she let her hand fall from his arm like the leaden weight it was.

Callie blinked a few more times and then worked her way back towards the church, and those open swinging red doors. Leaving Rick to call out after her. Another crack of lighting had Callie's entire body jumping, and her shoulders hunching to protect her fragile body as the boom of thunder that followed reverberated up through her weak legs and into her shivering spine.

The wind was so strong that Callie didn't even hear Rick's steps as he followed her. She didn't even register his presence until she found herself pulled away from the open doors of the church. Her back was pulled into his warm front, and her eyes closed as his hands squeezed tight into her chilled upper arms. She waited for him to say something, to somehow make this pain go away.

But he didn't say a word. He simply held her steady to his chest, and it wasn't until she registered the hitch of his breathing that she opened her eyes. She slipped her gaze up and over her shoulder to his face and was shocked to find his wide eyes staring confusedly into the shadowed interior of the church. Callie's eyes flew forward and her own startled gasp was muffled by her hands.

* * *

Daryl watched as Carol slid her delicate hands over the small bit of bedding that was stuffed into the low part of that pantry cabinet. The sound of her low sniffs and mumbled prayers was practically drowned out by the howling of the wind as it blew through the open doors and broken windows. The fluttering fabric of the bedraggled curtains in that small destroyed kitchen sounded like the wings of a bird, a vulture, a crow.

Fuck he didn't know, but it sounded ominous as hell and had him wishing he'd have taken up T-Dog or Glenn's spot outside searching the area.

As it was, he'd stayed with Carol. Stayed to offer some vestige of support as she stared into the small cramped little space that her daughter had found refuge in at least for one night. Stayed with her because that tiny little smile of thanks she'd given him when he'd settled that little slightly crushed Cherokee Rose on the cabinet in the sparkling clean back room of the RV had lingered in his mind.

It sparked the memory of another woman's timid smile; her face marred with bruises and his young brain too slow, too ignorant at the time to comprehend the meaning behind that smile.

A streak of lightning flashed outside followed by the loud boom of thunder and Daryl snarled as Carol jumped and spun to stare at him in wide-eyed fear and unshed tears. Fuck's sake he shoulda made the Chinaman stay with the cryin' woman.

Carol's eyes roved his face for a minute before she took in a deep breath and turned back towards the small cabinet. Daryl turned away from her the minute her back was turned, and settled his hip into the door frame before crossing his arms over his chest and staring out into the windblown clearing around the house. He spotted T-Dog and Glenn not far off near the far tree line obviously on their way back.

The sound of shuffling barely registered in his brain, his eyes half sliding to where he knew Carol was probably getting to her feet. Dusting her hands on her pants and trying to keep that stiff upper lip, but being betrayed by her bruised and diminished spirit. Daryl knew she wouldn't crumble though. He saw it in her eyes. Her body may have held the wear and tear of the life she lived, but her eyes told the story; held the strength.

He understood that. Understood her. S'why he couldn't really look into her eyes for too long.

"You were right about her," Carol's timid voice rang out like a tiny bell tryin' to be heard over the din of the coming storm. Daryl's eyes shifted just a bit catching her movement towards him like a shadow in his periphery. "About her being a survivor." Daryl's brow narrowed and he turned his body so that his back was against the door frame as he regarded the woman standing a few feet away from him. She smiled that little fuckin' smile and he just continued to stare. "Andrea told me what you said to her," Daryl snarled and turned away shaking his head at loud-mouthed fuckin' lawyers.

Carol didn't relent, not that he really expected her to. So when he felt her presence close the gap between them he shifted uncomfortably but didn't move away. 'Cause she'd a just followed.

"She always has been," Carol continued in a wistful tone. "And it gives me a kind of peace-of-mind to know that she's like that. Gives me hope." Carol's voice almost broke and Daryl sniffed and glanced over his shoulder at her. Carol's head was down, her gaze settled upon her slender fingers as they pulled at a small hanging thread on the sweater tied around her slim waist.

Sophia's sweater, which had apparently originally been Carol's. The sweater that he and Rick had found soaked in blood at the bottom of a tree in the forest. The sweater that he'd seen Carol draggin' angrily over an old washboard yesterday, desperate to get it clean. Daryl shifted a bit on his feet, not fully turning towards her but no longer giving the woman his back.

"She's strong 'cause her momma's strong," Daryl said simply, causing the woman's wide-twinkling eyes to fly to his face. He winced at the look on her face and turned his gaze back out to where T-Dog and Glenn were slowly milling about the lawn. The wind was whipping at their clothing now, stuttering their steps as they looked for any signs of Sophia or Walkers.

"No," Carol said quietly, Daryl's gaze falling unbidden over his shoulder and back onto her shaking head. The disgust showing on the woman's face was palpable in the air around them and smacked Daryl in the face when her eyes met his. "She's strong because I was weak. Because I chose to stay, to keep her in an environment where she needed to develop these skills you've so highly praised." Carol flung her hand around the room and Daryl's brows lifted at the usually timid woman's emotional outburst. She took a breath and gathered her thoughts, and Daryl bit at the inside of his cheek waiting for her to continue. "There are things that parents should do for their children," Carol said in an almost defeated tone.

"Yeah," Daryl said, anger making his voice rise above the low whisper. He turned to face her fully now and glared at her, watching shock filter over her features. "Yeah, and there are things that no parent should do," his voice was low and menacing and he knew it. But he couldn't fuckin' control it. "Don't make no fuckin' difference now. You gonna linger on that type of shit, you might as well just check out now. All that's gonna do is weigh you down and keep you from-" he shook his head. "Your girl is a survivor because you taught her to be."

Another flash of lighting followed by a close roll of thunder broke the silence between them, only this time Carol didn't jump. This time her eyes, shining with those fuckin' unshed tears of hers, bored holes into his. Daryl felt his lip twitching with the snarl as he maintained that eye contact. His hand twitched at his side, his bottom lip filtering between his teeth as he fought the urge to lift his thumb and nibble at that nail.

The sound of rain hitting off of the roof, heavy drops plummeting with a steadily increasing force had him blinking. He looked away, out the door, and watched T-Dog and Glenn sprint towards them.

"Why?" Carol's little tinkling bell of a voice sounded, and he was amazed at how clear it sounded through the growing strength of the storm. He didn't turn, simply shifted his eyes over his shoulder and glared at her out of his periphery. "Why are you so intent on finding her?"

He knew what he wanted to say. Could taste the words in his mouth and rolled them along his tongue and over his teeth, before snarling them away in a rush of anger and ill-ease. He wanted to shout out that he wanted to find her because she _deserved_ to be found. She deserved to be safe for once in her short fuckin' life. She deserved the chance to live whatever kind of life she could, for once without the horror and fear of her father dogging her steps.

He wanted to find her because he knew if he didn't it might actually break what little bit of a spirit Carol had left. And he couldn't stand to see another woman in his life so brutally torn asunder by the pain of the world around them.

He wanted to say all of that. But he didn't. Instead he snarled and shook his head, blinking away that bit of wetness that had grown in his eyes. And he repeated the words that he'd heard Rick say over and over again.

"Little girl goes missing, you look for her." Daryl said finally turning to face Carol. Her eyes searched his, moving so rapidly over his that he was sure she could read everything he'd been trying to hide. The sound of heavy footfalls on the porch outside had him turning away from her.

In the next instant Daryl pushed past T-Dog and shifted his crossbow off of his shoulder.

"The fuck you goin' man?" T-Dog called out after Daryl, his eyes shifting from the angered redneck as he pushed his way past Glenn and back to Carol standing just inside the doorway to the tattered kitchen. "Hey! Where you goin'?"

"I'm gonna find the fuckin' girl!" Daryl yelled back, finally turning and walking backwards as he glared at T-Dog. His attention shifted to Glenn, the rain battering down on him as his mouth worked around words he wasn't saying.

"Alone?" Glenn's shouted over the pouring rain, his hand lifting to shield his eyes so that he could get a better look at Daryl. Daryl snarled and turned away, leaving Glenn to rock side to side on his toes in agitation. Glenn shifted his eyes to T-Dog and let out a large sigh as he hiked his backpack higher onto his drenched shoulders. Shaking his head Glenn turned and began to sprint towards Daryl.

* * *

Callie settled herself into the same fucking pew that Carol had sat in only a few days ago and stared at the large crucifix before her. Her eyes shifted down and took in the row of slumped bodies that had been removed from where her group had left them to rot and arranged against the dais. She felt a tear slide out of the corner of her eye, detouring over her cheek towards her nose where it ran down and landed at the corner of her lip. The salty taste caused her tongue to dart out and a sigh of a breath that she didn't know she'd been holding to release.

Prayer seemed like such a silly thing now, but for some reason Callie couldn't help but sit and ask forgiveness. Sit and pray for the souls of the people lined in front of her. She couldn't recall all the words of the Psalm, but her mouth moved with the ones she knew.

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me," Callie's muttered words stopped and she sucked in a breath and shook her head. Rick's hand slipped over hers and he squeezed once. His body shifted a bit in his seated position beside her and she felt his eyes land on her face briefly before returning his own gaze to the bodies.

It wasn't until the moment that she looked in the doors and saw those bodies lined up at the altar that she realized this building wasn't a church anymore.

It was a mausoleum.

The white wash walls no longer housed the voices of the boisterous and loving congregation of its previous years. No. Now it held silence and death, and the rotting bodies of a boy's entire family. Callie swallowed and shook her head, her hand lifting idly to wipe away that stray tear that had fallen from her tight eyes.

"From what Hershel told me," Rick's voice was low those calming tones slightly hitched by his own distaste for what they had unknowingly done. "The man and woman are his parents," Rick continued his eyes closing for a moment. "His father had been the pastor here. The others are his brothers, his sister-in-law, and his nephew." Callie's jaw clenched tight as Rick talked, she felt his hand squeeze against hers and she took in a shuddering breath as her head began to nod.

"He locked them in here," Callie said her voice hoarse and unsure as she skipped her eyes over each decaying corpse. "He locked them in here because he couldn't bear to kill them," Callie shook her head and raised her brows as she shifted her gaze to Rick beside her. "And then we came in and—" Callie shook her head and pointed a shaking finger at Rick. "This world is fucked up. You shoulda stayed in your coma."

Rick huffed out a breath and rubbed at the bridge of his nose. His eyes slipped up to the Walker corpses lined along the altar, his nose twitching as the smell wafted around him in the swirling breeze from outside. They sat there for a few minutes longer, until finally Callie had just had enough. She pushed to her feet, her hands grasping tight to the pew for balance. Rick stood beside her and ran his hands through his hair before exiting the pew and holding out an arm for her to go before him. They both sent fleeting glances back at the bodies before exiting the church.

Jimmy was still standing in the field, his foot idly kicking at the body of a Walker. Callie's brow furrowed as she watched him kick the body and then crouch down as it rolled over onto its back, so that he could inspect it. She felt her mouth open in awe, and then snap shut as a sudden realization hit her.

"Do you see that," Callie asked Rick as she shifted her gaze over to him. She was relieved in some sense, to find that Rick had the same sort of awe and understanding showing on his face. "Rick, you see what he's doing?"

"He's inspectin' it," Rick said shifting his gaze to hers quickly before watching the boy lift a tattered arm and frown at it. Another flash of lightning ignited the air around them and had Jimmy's gaze lifting to the sky above before returning to the body of the Walker.

"Yeah," Callie said nodding. "But only that one. Only the one that Jenna took out."

"The only body not riddled with bullet holes," Rick's eyes slipped down to her and he held her gaze this time.

Realization hit them both at the same time, and had both of them sliding out into the howling wind. They came to a stop at the boy, his attention so riveted by the Walker and the wind blowing so loud around them that he didn't even hear their approach. Callie shifted on her feet and then crouched down across from Jimmy, the dead Walker settled between them.

"Jimmy," Callie said in a low tone that had his eyes snapping up to hers. He shot back from the Walker, his backside falling hard to the grass below and he clenched his jaw. Callie looked up to Rick and watched the former deputy crouch down beside her. "You couldn't do it could you? You couldn't kill them."

Jimmy's eyes slid from Callie to Rick and then back. Callie let out a sigh and looked down at the body of the Walker, letting Rick take the reins.

"You killed all of these Walkers up here," Rick said, shifting a bit and catching the boy's wide-eyed stare. "You came up here, and put on that recording of the bells knowing that it would attract the attention of any Walkers in the area. Then when they came, you shot them."

"You don't understand," Jimmy said waving his hands and shifting his scared glance from Rick to Callie.

"We do." Callie said lifting her gaze back to the church. Daryl's words from when they first stumbled upon this little church ground echoing in her head as she exchanged a glance with Rick. Target practice. "We do. You were practicing. You were trying to get yourself to the point where you could-"

"But you couldn't do it. No matter how many Walkers you killed up here, you just couldn't bring yourself to pull the trigger against your family." Rick finished. Both Callie and Rick watched as the boy stared at them, his mouth moving but no words coming out. Another flash of lightning and another boom of thunder caused the boy to shudder and his head to fall to his chest as he sucked in deep shuddering breath.

"I didn't know y'all came through here," Jimmy said quietly his head down and hands braced on either side of his face as he spoke. "Not until one of your people mentioned it. Then there was the girl, and I saw how much you were strugglin' with everything." Jimmy looked up at that point and caught Callie's eyes. Her jaw clenched tight, and she wanted to grab him and punch him, but Rick's hand on her arm stayed her anger. "I saw how hard it was for you, and how much pain the girl was in. So I—"

"So you brought her up here, to take care of her." Callie said between clenched teeth, her eyes hard as she glared at the boy. He shook his head emphatically and shot a pleading look between her and Rick.

"No," Jimmy said shaking his head. "Not at first. I was gonna leave her here with them. I wasn't-not until—" his eyes slid over their heads towards the church and he let out a shuddering breath. "Not until I saw them," his bottom lip quivered and he again raked his fingers through his hair, pulling as he shook his head slowly. "It was like this strange sort of weight that I didn't even know I was carryin' was lifted off of my shoulders when I looked in there and saw them all. Saw them—"

"Taken care of," Callie supplied shortly, earning a wan grimace of disapproval from Rick. She shook her head at the deputy and then returned her gaze to Jimmy as he nodded slowly.

"I figured, since y'all took care of my problem," Jimmy said lifting a hand towards the church. "That I owed you. That I'd take care of your-"

"I swear to God, boy, you say problem I'm gonna shoot you." Callie spat out as she shot to her feet. She shook off Rick's hand as it reached out this time, and instead gave herself a moment to breathe. Her anger at the boy hadn't really dissipated with the realization of what exactly he was trying to do like she thought it would.

Somewhere deep down she knew that he was just a kid. A kid who had been screwed up by this fucked up world they now lived in. A kid who didn't think he'd done anything wrong, and probably never would. He honestly believed that what he'd done here, the way he'd 'taken care of' Jenna for her, was him repaying a debt to them.

He honestly and truly believed that.

But that didn't change the fact that he'd hadn't taken care of it for her. He didn't seem to understand that there was a difference between a single shot to the head to end a person's suffering, and multiple bullet holes tearing through a person's body. Multiple, painful shots to a body already wracked with pain and fever. Shots that didn't kill her quickly. Shots that probably made those last few moments of that girl's life a living hell.

That. That Callie could _never_ forgive.

Another bolt of lightning sliced the sky and the loud rumble of thunder shot up through her heavy legs as she circled the field. Finally her steps took her to that spot; that bloody spot that Jenna had laid in slowly bleeding to death alone and frightened. Her eyes slipped along the grass, over the obvious trail of gore and blood leading away from that spot. Away from the church and towards the dark wooded area beyond, where Jenna was now wandering.

Rick's familiar presence beside her had her teary eyes lifting from the ground and to his. He lifted his hand as she turned to face him and cupped her face. His tightly clenched jaw told her that he understood the anger she was feeling; that he not only understood it, but was struggling with it himself. She closed her eyes and let her cheek press into his palm for a moment. His fingers pulled her towards him and his lips pressed quickly into her forehead before he looked over her head at the tree line beyond.

The rain began to fall so suddenly and so hard that both Callie and Rick looked up at the dark sky in awe for a moment before lifting their arms to shield their heads. Callie saw Jimmy getting to his feet and rushing towards the church area to find some shelter under the awning.

"You said Hershel knew he came up here?" Callie asked Rick as she watched the boy duck under the awning and slowly turn to stare into the church. Rick nodded his head as they began to slowly walk towards the church. "Do you think he knew exactly what the kid was doing up here?"

"No," Rick said quickly shifting his gaze to her, blinking the rain from his eyes. "But I think he needs to know."

"I'd like to be there when you tell him," Callie said her eyes still on the boy.

"I figured you would," Rick said putting his arm around her shoulders to try and push her forward at a faster pace. They reached the church, at which point the now silent Jimmy fell into step before them and led the way back to the small gravel parking lot and Otis' old truck.

As Callie slid around the truck bed towards the passenger side, her eyes slid to the items settled in the bed. Her steps slowed and finally stopped at the tailgate, her eyes narrowing on the shovels and bags. Her hands dipped inside, and she raised her gaze to Jimmy who was staring at her from his position near the driver's door. The rain was pelting down on them but no one made a move to get into the truck as Callie lifted the bags from the truck bed.

Not just bags. Body bags.

"You were gonna bury them?" Rick asked eyeing the bags that Callie was lifting, his attention shifting from her to the boy. Jimmy nodded, and averted his gaze as Callie separated the bags counting each one in the pouring rain. Her eyes lifted slowly, confusion marring her drenched face.

"There are only six bodies in the church," Callie said quietly her voice barely registering over the thundering sound of the falling rain. Her eyes slammed into Jimmy's as she shook a bag at him. "Who's the seventh bag for?" Jimmy didn't answer he just shifted his eyes back towards the church.

"I didn't want to leave her out there with the rest of them nameless people," Jimmy said finally his eyes slipping back to Callie and then to Rick. "I really thought," he stopped and shook his head. "I shot her in the head the second time. At least I thought I did."

Callie's hands dropped the bags back into the bed of the truck and she turned her back in an effort to spare the boy the sight of utter pain that she knew was showing on her face. Rick was right there, both of his hands on her shoulders now as he looked over her head at the boy. He squeezed her shoulders tight and pulled her closer to his body, shielding her a bit from the rain as she took in three deep breaths, and then three more.

"Obviously you need a bit of target practice," Rick said in a disgusted tone as he shook his head and looked back to the church. He slipped his gaze down to Callie and she caught his eye, knowing in an instant what he was thinking. She let out a sigh and gave a single nod before turning in his grip and snatching the bags and one of the shovels. Rick grabbed the other two and tossed one to the confused Jimmy.

"What-"

"We're gonna bury your dead," Rick said succinctly, cutting off Jimmy's question and reaching forward and grabbing the boy by his shoulder and dragging him along. "They deserve a proper burial. And you deserve your closure." Callie shifted her eyes over her shoulder, squinting through the pouring rain at Rick as he led the boy by his shirtsleeves back to the church. His eyes were hard and his jaw clenched as he trudged through the rain soaked grass behind her, and when he spoke again the tone of his voice left a chill in the air. "Because, God as my witness boy, you're never comin' here again."

* * *

"Hey slow down," Glenn yelled out over the rush of the falling rain. Daryl of course didn't pay him any attention, and simply kept moving at his breakneck pace. "Mind clearin' pace, boy." Glenn muttered to himself remembering Daryl saying something about that when he was leading them through the woods days ago.

Glenn hiked his backpack up a bit more on his shoulders and raked his fingers through his soaked hair. Sliding his eyes up to catch Daryl moving further away he shook his head and started walking. He should have just let the man be. If there was anyone that could survive on their own in the woods, even in a torrential downpour like this, it was Daryl Dixon.

He knew that.

But that didn't mean he was gonna just let the guy kill himself trying to find Sophia. They were all in this together. They all wanted to find her. God, after what happened with Jenna, Glenn wanted to find that Sophia more than ever.

Glenn's eyes slipped around the woods and narrowed at the sight of yet another scratch mark across the trunk of a nearby tree. That was three now. And while Glenn boasted some mad skills when it came to reading maps, he knew for a fact he knew dick-all about tracking in the woods. Glenn was city-folk, and damn proud of it.

But, even he knew that animals didn't make such freakishly similar marks. Horizontal marks.

"Hey!" Glenn called out to Daryl, rolling his eyes when the redneck ignored him. "Hey Dumbass!" Glenn yelled out and the immediately followed it with a mumbled 'oh shit' as the redneck 'dumbass' in question spun on his heel and hit him with a look that would have probably actually killed him had they been closer. "Oh fuck," Glenn muttered watching Daryl stalk towards him.

Glenn let his eyes slide back to the mark on the tree, again running his hand over his face to wipe away all the rain. The sight of that mark had his shoulders straightening and that steel fucking spine that Danny swore he had flaring back to life. He shifted his eyes flippantly to Daryl and shook his head, which earned a growling kind of glare from the man. It was that moment that Glenn realized steel spine or not, Daryl could still snap it in a heartbeat. So before Daryl could grow any more annoyed Glenn continued.

"Check this out," Glenn said turning and waving Daryl over towards the tree he'd been looking at. Glenn checked over his shoulder to make sure the redneck was in fact following him and then crouched down a bit to point at the mark. "I spotted this same type of mark on three different trees now." Daryl crouched down next to Glenn and looked hard at the mark. Glenn raised a brow. "Now, I'm no professional tracker or anything, I mean you know, I can barely read a map," Daryl shot Glenn a look and the kid smiled widely, Daryl shoved at Glenn hard toppling him to the wet ground below. Glenn pushed to his feet and grimaced at his pants and mud covered hands. "What do you think it is?"

Daryl and ran his fingers along the mark on the bark, blinking the rain out of his eyes. A grimace firmed his lips into a tight line as his fingers slid over the wet bark, and he gave his head a single shake. He'd been so intent on just getting away from that fuckin' house and that fuckin' woman that he'd completely missed it.

He'd missed it and Glenn, fuckin' Glenn of all people, had to be there to point it out to him. If there was a God up there, then Daryl was pretty sure that this wasn't rain. This was the fucker's tears streaming down as he laughed his ass off at him.

Daryl shook his head and let the moment of anger pass, his fingers tracing over the slim line in the bark. His eyes slipped up and away and sure enough he spotted it on another tree a bit further ahead. He felt that bit of a smile work his way onto his lips as he got to his feet and ran his hand over his drenched face. That little girl was surprising him more and more. He shook his head, letting his eyes slide over the trees the pouring rain hindering his vision just a bit as he searched for more.

"Daryl?" Glenn asked from Daryl's back. Daryl looked over his shoulder and smirked at the kid, causing Glenn's eyes to widen just a bit.

"It's a trail," Daryl said jutting his chin forward towards the next tree he could see it on. "One that ain't gonna wash away in the rain." Daryl slipped forward and sent a long sort of assessing look at the still wide-eyed Glenn. "Nice catch."

Glenn started a bit then grinned back at Daryl as the rain poured down over them. Then the tiny bit of respect that he may have earned from the redneck was crushed as he ducked and let out a stuttering shriek when another bolt of lightning cracked across the sky. Daryl shook his head rolled his eyes before leaving Glenn to pick up the pieces of his pride.

They trudged along in silence after that, Daryl so intent on finding those markers that he almost forgot that Glenn was even there. Almost. The fuckin' kid kept letting out these little huffing sighs as he splashed along right behind Daryl. The rain had slowed a bit, probably more due to the fact that they were under a denser tree cover than anything, and Daryl was easily picking up the little markers.

Who knew how far they went, or where they led. Daryl's eyes skipped up to the dense leaf cover overhead and he grimaced, slipping his eyes over his shoulder as he thought about T-Dog and Carol back at that house. There was no way that they could stay out here and follow this thing today. They'd lost too much of the day already. And the aimless sort of wandering way the path was going had Daryl thinking this was gonna take hours.

Just as Daryl was thinking that they should head back he heard Glenn give another one of those sighs. Strangely he was reminded of all the huffin' and puffin' that Andrea had done days ago on the highway. All that sighin' that only ended in stupidity. Daryl closed his eyes and ran a hand down his face, stopping and causing the kid to practically run into his back.

"What?" Daryl snapped not looking over his shoulder until he heard the kid scrambling back and sputtering a bit.

"Huh?" Glenn responded, which had Daryl's head rolling on his shoulders as he turned and pierced the kid with an aggravated glare. Glenn's eyes went wide, and Daryl lifted an expectant brow at him. "Uh," Glenn cleared his throat and looked like he was finally gonna break. Then he shook his head and muttered, "Never mind."

Daryl simply stared at Glenn for a couple of seconds, watching the kid firm his lips and grimace at himself. His eyes were dartin' about all over and his feet were fidgeting around. No wonder the fuckin' kid lost every hand to Miles and Danny when they played poker. Daryl shook his head and turned his back, figurin' that they could maybe scout a bit further and then head back. Hopefully by that time the kid would work up the nerve to just spit out whatever the fuck he was wantin' to say.

Daryl only hoped that it wasn't what he was beginning to fear it -

"Daryl," Glenn's voice called out and Daryl stopped again, slipping his annoyed glare back over his shoulder. The kid was fidgeting again but his eyes were locked on Daryl this time. "About yesterday and the whole 'it's the end of the world I'm not interested in a fling thing'."

"Oh fuck," Daryl muttered, his hand flying up to rub at his forehead between his eyes.

"I just well," Glenn started and Daryl let out a long sigh as he half-turned to face the kid. "I realized that maybe what I was saying didn't come out right." Daryl raised a brow and turned fully to face the obviously uncomfortable Glenn. "I didn't mean it to be anything against you and—" Glenn stopped at the look on Daryl's face and then sighed, his head falling a bit before he finally just decided to spit it the fuck out. "How did you do it?"

"Huh?" Daryl's head shot back a bit, confusion causing his brow to furrow even more and his mouth to hang open a bit. The fuck was this kid talkin' 'bout?

"How did you get past it?" Glenn asked his head lifting as his confidence and honest to God interest spurred him on. "You know, the whole 'I don't need no one but me', 'I ain't lookin' to deal with no woman and her needs', 'it's the fuckin' end of the world who needs that shit', blah, blah, blah." Glenn finished, and looked over to Daryl. His mouth shut and he grimaced a little, hindsight making him realize that the Daryl impression was probably a bit of a bad idea. Glenn cleared his throat and shook his head before continuing in his normal voice. "We all heard it, man. We all believed it too." Glenn smiled just a bit. "Except Merle," he said earning a bit of a raised brow from Daryl. "He had bets going with Danny."

Daryl couldn't help but let out a bit of a chuckle, and shook his head before staring at the kid. Waiting for him to get to the point.

"So how'd you do it?" Glenn asked again, and again the question didn't really make sense to Daryl. Do what? Was this kid seriously asking him—

"You hit your head or somethin', Chinaman?" Daryl spat back shaking his head against the rolling rain. "You seriously follow my ass out here to ask me fuckin' _relationship_ advice?"

"Look I don't need you to point out how stupid it sounds," Glenn said raising a hand. "Why do you think it took me so long to spit it out? It's just," Glenn sighed and looked at Daryl. "Out of everyone in our group, you and Callie kind of have the most stable relationship. And you did it during a fucking apocalypse."

There was a long beat of silence and then-

"Well shit," Daryl said running his hand through his hair as the rain slowed to a steady falling drizzle around them. "World must be fucked up if that's true." Glenn laughed at that point and Daryl turned away and started walking off.

"Hey!," Glenn shouted out following quickly behind. "So—"

"Do I look like fuckin' Dear Abby?" Daryl said waving his hand over his shoulder as he made his way towards the next little marker he could see. "You're a big boy, you figure your own shit out."

"So nothing," Glenn said almost whining in anger and annoyance, and Daryl flipped his eyes over his shoulder at kid. "You've got nothing."

"I got a shit load of problems," Daryl spat turning to look at the kid. "You want the nitty gritty of it. I don't really know what to tell ya, kid. All I wanted was to survive this shit. Now, I got fuckin' babies that I didn't want. I got two loud-mouth idiots that I gotta take care of. And I got a woman that thinks she's fuckin' invincible or some shit and is gonna make me go crazy pretty fuckin' soon. That's what I got. You want that?" Daryl spat tossing a harsh finger at the now shocked Glenn.

"I-I don't know," Glenn said his brow furrowing as he thought about it.

Daryl had a point.

Strangely enough, mixed in with the ranting and raving he was doing, he did actually have a point. Right now Glenn was really just responsible for his own safety. But if he took that step into unknown territory with Maggie, like she was kind of indicating she wouldn't mind with the way she was smiling and blushing when he was around. Well, then he'd have a whole set of problems he probably wasn't really equipped to handle. Father. Sisters. Friends. They'd be his to protect. His responsibility. Did he want that?

Glenn didn't really know about that. But he did know that when he saw Daryl and Callie together, offering comfort in the strange sort of way that they did. When he saw that it made him just a bit jealous.

"I don't really know about all that," Glenn said honestly as he looked up at the expectant Daryl. "But you're not alone now, right?" Daryl blinked at him and Glenn lifted a brow as he continued. "And you love her," Daryl's eyes snapped open wide for a second before he hit Glenn with a glare. Glenn lifted his hands and backpedaled a bit raising his hands and waving off that last part. "Sorry, didn't mean to cross a line, I just figured- forget I said it."

Daryl turned from the kid and stalked over to the next tree with a marker on it. Stopping and crouching down Daryl looked to the underbrush for any sort of actual trail. But while his eyes were working the ground, his mind was circling around on that last little bit that the kid had spouted off. Love her. Shit, is that what that fuckin' unsettled feeling was. Really? Daryl bit at his thumbnail and then shook his head before sighing.

"No I ain't alone," Daryl said quietly, and he heard Glenn's shuffling feet as the kid turned to face him. Daryl pushed to his feet. "You ain't either. But that ain't here nor there with what your spoutin' off right now. So," Daryl took a breath and faced the kid. "I ain't alone. But now I have this _thing_ in the pit of my stomach that's constantly unsettled. It's heavy and weighs me down at a time when I need to be light on my feet if I want to survive." Daryl stared hard at Glenn watching a myriad of emotions and a good bit of confusion fly over his features. "It's a choice kid. You got to figure out what you _want_ outta this life we're leadin' now, and what you _need_ outta it."

There was a heavy beat of silence where they simply stared at each other. Finally Daryl broke off the eye contact and ran his hand through his hair, angling his eyes back towards the way they came. He started walking towards Glenn, working to take them back to the house and just as he passed the kid by he heard a very quiet question.

"So, which was Callie?" Glenn asked, knowing he probably shouldn't. And when Daryl kept walking seemingly ignoring him, he sighed and trudged along after him. Glenn was shocked when Daryl slowed his steps and allowed him to fall into line at his side, and even more shocked when the man slid his gaze to the corner of his eye and stared hard into Glenn's eyes.

"Both," Daryl said simply, and Glenn firmed his lips and gave a single nod. The rain settled into a steady fall, more than a drizzle but not quite the downpour from before and Daryl shook his head. "C'mon, let's get back. This shit ain't gonna let up. We got a trail now," Daryl said smirking at Glenn. "Figure we take a look at that map of yours when we get back. See what sort of terrain we're dealin' with. Maybe I can bring a horse up tomorrow and knock this shit out in one trip."

"Alone?" Glenn asked taken aback a bit by the idea of it.

"Yeah, I work faster alone," Daryl said snidely. "Don't have to worry 'bout wasting my breath gabbin' 'bout useless shit on my own." Glenn smirked and nodded his head in a sarcastic kind of way that had Daryl smiling. He slid a sly little grin towards Glenn and elbowed him hard. "Plus, don't you got a date with Calamity Jane tomorrow?"

"It's not a date," Glenn said hurriedly staring at Daryl. Daryl shrugged and rolled his eyes as he chuckled at Glenn's sudden discomfort. "It's not. It's a supply run." He stopped and thought about it, about the way the girl had smiled and blushed just a bit when she asked him to go along with her. "You don't think she thinks it's a date, right? I mean, that'd be a pretty fucked up first date."

"It's a fucked up world, man." Daryl shot back as they continued on. Glenn furrowed his brow a bit more and picked up his pace as he and Daryl worked their way back towards the house where T-Dog and Carol were waiting.

* * *

It was getting dark now. The sun, which had mockingly come out pretty much the instant that Daryl and the rest had made it back to the farm hours ago, was beginning to fade into the horizon. The dark yellowed hue of early evening was settling in, shrouding the camp and the farm house in gray-gold shadows.

Daryl posted himself up at the back of the RV, his arms crossed over his chest as stared out towards the road leading out of the farm. He wasn't sure which way they went, but there was only one road leading in. At least only one that he knew of. Daryl's eyes slipped around the farm, his head shakin' as he saw the Hummer sitting in its spot. What fuckin' car had they even taken? Why the fuck hadn't he paid more attention?

Daryl spotted Lori working her way towards them from the house, her thin arms wrapped around her midsection as she worriedly stared at them. Daryl's gaze slipped over the group congregated by the small little fire, all waiting as Carol and Andrea worked on heating up some of the food that Maggie and Patricia had brought out to them earlier.

"Anything?" Lori asked as she came to a stop near where Danny was sitting. Danny shifted and looked up at her, offering wave of his hand in the air in answer. Lori's eyes shifted from him to Daryl, and then up to the top of the RV where Dale and Ben were staring out into the distance.

"I'm sure they're fine," Dale said as he put a hand on top of Ben's head and glanced down at Lori. He shifted his attention to Daryl and then off towards the house. "I wouldn't worry."

"Maybe we should go out and look for them?" Lori said eyein' Daryl in that way that said 'maybe you should go out and look for them'. Daryl scoffed and shook his head at her crossing his arms a bit tighter over his chest.

"Sure," Shane said scratching at his head and glancing up at her. "Let's just add them to the fuckin' list."

"You best shut your mouth, 'fore I shut it for you," Daryl spat turning in his spot to glare at the man sporting a nice little bruise and split lip. Daryl snarled a bit when Shane returned his glare.

"Daryl," Dale's quiet voice sounded above and Daryl glared up at the old man before settling back against the RV.

"That's not helping anything," Lori said angrily as she glared at Shane. The man turned to face her and they exchanged what Daryl took for not so happy glances. Apparently the little talk they'd been havin' earlier when Daryl walked in on them in the little room where Carl was sleepin', as he looked for Rick and Callie, hadn't gone over well. "We can't just sit here." Lori said shifting her attention away from the downturned shakin' head of Shane and out across the group. "We need to find them."

"Hey man," T-Dog said shifting on his lawn chair and putting his elbows to his knees. "I'm all for going out lookin'." He took a breath and looked around. "Anyone know where the fuck they was goin'?"

Everyone was quiet, averting their gazes and staring down at their hands or feet. Danny lifted his eyes and shot Daryl a look, his raised brow tellin' Daryl that he knew 'bout as much as Daryl did. Which was jack shit. They knew who they were goin' with, but fuckin' Callie and Rick didn't even know where they were goin'.

Daryl shook his head and snarled glaring back at the house. His eyes caught off of the figures of the two Greene girls settled at the railing and the imposing form of their father right at the edge of the porch. The distance was too great to tell, but Daryl felt that man's stare on him as palpably as he felt the tension between everyone in his group.

A flash of something off to the side of the house caught his eye and had him slipping away from the RV. Fuckin' back road. He'd managed to take a few steps before his eyes picked up on what the flash of light was.

"Headlights!" Ben's small excited voice shouted out from his perch beside Dale on the RV. Dale put his hand to the kid's head and took the offered binoculars. Daryl shifted his attention from the sight of the old beat up truck to where Dale was staring.

"It's them," Dale said lowering the binoculars and looking at Daryl. The group got to their feet almost as one, all of them rushing towards the newly returned trio, just as Hershel and his daughters worked their way off of the porch.

Callie's body felt like it had been put into a washing machine. Her head was spinning. Her muscles were screaming. Her clothing was drenched in sweat, and rain, and blood and gore. Her eyes were closed, and her head bobbing idly as she worked to keep it together.

Three deep breaths.

Just a little bit longer. Just a little bit longer.

She heard the door of the old truck creak open and felt Rick shift slowly beside her, causing her eyes to slip open. She knew he was feeling every bit of exhaustion that she was, and as he practically threw his tired body out of the truck cab she was literally amazed he didn't just fall to the ground. As it was, he reached the ground pretty smoothly and then turned to face her.

She stared at his mud and gore covered face, the streaks of brown and red mixing oddly and caking into the lines of his face. His hair was matted down with sweat and dirt, and dried in a strange mass of craziness around his head. She stared at him, and he stared back, probably thinking the same thing she was.

They looked fuckin' horrible.

Callie let Rick pull her out of the cab, her body just too tired to really move on her own anymore. As she shifted and worked her feet out towards him, she heard the driver's side door open and listened to the rustle of Jimmy slowly exiting the vehicle. Her eyes slipped over the cab and caught his for an instant before she looked away.

Just as her feet hit the ground, and Rick's arms slid up hers to hold her steady she heard the approach of everyone. Callie took in another three deep breaths, her arms pushing against Rick so that she could stand on her own. He hesitated in letting her go, obviously feeling that her legs were wobbling unsteadily below her weight. She tapped on his chest and pushed past just as the cacophony of voices rang out.

"My God, what happened?" "Are you alright?" "Where have you been?" "Rick?" "Jesus, Jimmy where did you take them?" "Callie?" "Is that blood?" "Rick?"

Callie had taken about four steps away from Rick, his fingers had just slipped off of her arm, when it happened. The combination of all of the voices. The slick humid feel of the air after that long rain from today. The thoughts of what they'd just done. It all came rushing in, and the blood pounded between her ears.

One more faltering step was all she got before she broke. Her legs crumbled and she fell to her hands and knees and heaved. The horrid tension that filled her sore muscles as they protested the tensing of her body and the heaving of her empty fucking stomach caused her to groan painfully between each and every retch. Finally she was left gasping and whimpering and coughing as hands settled at her shoulders.

Warm calloused hands.

"Shit woman," Daryl's voice hovered somewhere around her as her brain settled back into the here and now. Her vision was still spinning a bit as she lifted her eyes to his face. It fuzzed around the edges before his worried glare came into sharp focus. "Fuck. This is you not bein' an idiot?"

"Fuck you, Dixon." Callie muttered pushing against the ground. She felt his hands settle under her arms and easily lift her, and before he could wrap his arms around and lift her off her feet she smacked at him. "I can walk."

"You can't even stand," Daryl spat back. It was at that point that she realized her head had come to rest on his chest and her legs were buckled. The only thing holding her off the ground was his hands painfully gripping into her dirt covered arms.

"Asshole," Callie muttered into his chest and she felt him chuckle despite everything. His chin fell to the top of her head and he let out a breath.

"Sweet talker," he muttered at her hair and she smiled into his neck. She shook her head and felt the tears starting to slide down her cheeks, his hand settling in at the back of her head and tangling so familiarly into her rat's nest of curls. "Did ya find what you were lookin' for?"

The question made Callie's head lift, and her legs stiffen. She pushed against his chest and stared into his piercing blue orbs for a few seconds. Then the world around her came back, the sounds of the worried group asking what had happened. Beth's voice as she worriedly asked after Jimmy. Her eyes slid from his and met Rick's.

Again everything fell to the background as she watched Hershel pull Jimmy away from Beth. Hershel's eyes caught on Callie's and then Rick's as he walked towards them. Callie pulled away from Daryl but his hand remained clasped tight at her arm. She spared him a small smile, patting his hand twice. He growled low in his throat as he let go and watched her step unsteadily up beside Rick. Her hand fell to Rick's arm and Daryl raked his hands through his hair. His eyes slipped over to where Glenn was standing, catching the boy's eye for a single heavy second. Glenn stared back, mouth hanging open a bit, before his eyes slid towards where Maggie was standing.

Rick slid his tired eyes over the group, and then down to Callie as she settled in beside him. Shifting his eyes to Hershel, who was gripping Jimmy's shirtsleeve tightly, keeping the boy at his side, Rick stiffened his spine. No matter how much that boy looked like he wanted to run, Hershel held tight to him waiting for Rick to speak. Rick let out a long tired sigh and looked up at Hershel with a harsh sort of glare riding in his eyes.

"We need to talk."

_Our needs getting needier and needier; More lies are told until they're truth_

_Until the messages are massacred_

_Old men get all their killing done with youth_

_Why do the men stray; why do the women pray_

_Why do the men fight; why do the women sympathize_

_All these wooden houses; Light themselves on fire in turn_

_Oh but someday there will be nothing left to burn_

_Oh someday there will be nothing left to burn_

_~Why Do The Men Stray/ Gavin DeGraw_

_AN: Yeah, so I'm betting that a lot of you are all…Why didn't Callie beat the shit out of Jimmy? Well, I don't think I'm gonna answer that for you. I think if y'all just wait, you may come to understand it. 'Cause if you think I'm done with the Jimmy aspect of the story…you're crazier than me._

_Now, I hope y'all caught the little clue as to where we're heading with the next coming chapters (yes, chapters) CHUPACABRA BABY. I know y'all are looking forward to it…I can FEEL it._

_Oh...and so you know, once I actually make a decision on if I'm going to split this up...the title of this installment may change. Not sure if that screws up your alerts..(if any of you know let me know in a PM or review...cause I may not do it if it's gonna screw y'all up on something) .so just beware. :)_

_Alright, see ya next chapter!_


	29. Vignette - The Red

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_Well I got a good bit of response from you lovely readers about wanting to hear the convo that took place between Callie, Rick, Hershel and Jimmy…. But honestly I had no intention of ever writing it out for you. CAUSE I'M EVIL. Instead, y'all get snippets and moments mixed into the next couple chapters… 'cause that's just the way I roll. _

_I'd had this as part of the actual chapter, but then I realized that chapter would be WAY TOO FUCKIN LONG even by my standards. So, I reworked a bit and made this lovely little bit for you. No actual forward motion of the plot… just a bit of insider info here so…Vignette._

_As always, read, review and most of all enjoy!_

_~michelle_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Vignette - The Red**

_They say freak,_

_When you're singled out,_

_The red, well it filters through._

Miles was angry.

He was livid. Enraged. Infuriated. Incensed. Rabid.

Fuck he was every damn synonymous word he could recall, but none of those fuckin' words really and truly captured the exact boil of his blood. Save one.

Wrathful.

As he made his way into the Greene home, the fingers of his broken left hand wiggling and sending dull aches and pains through his entire arm, wrathful was the only word that seemed to make his head nod. His body was coiled tight, but he was working to control it. He was working to keep in under wraps. Because last night, when he'd stumbled upon Rick and Callie both so exhausted and drained that they'd fallen asleep sitting up beside each other on the small couch in living room he got it. Understood, and was working to accept it. Callie was right.

His steps slowed a bit as he passed by the living room, ducking his head in the doorway a bit. He wasn't surprised to find it empty. The blankets that had been tossed on the two by someone at some point were folded neatly at one end. His mind went back to last evening and he felt that strange sense of shame start to ebb into his still lingering anger, dulling it a bit more.

Miles had been so confused, as had pretty much everyone at the sight of the muddy, gore-covered trio. When his eyes had caught that fuck Jimmy's, his brain had stopped working. His eyes no longer registered the sight of Callie dead on her feet and staggering under Daryl's iron grip on her arms. Or the pain etched onto her face as she settled in beside the equally bedraggled looking Rick. He didn't pay any mind to Dale and Danny both trying to hold him back, their words were lost in the fog of his heated blood as it rushed between his ears.

The only thing he'd been able to recognize in the fog was Rick's steely glare; the clear and evident anger riding the man's usually calm features as he stared at Doc Greene. He saw Rick's mouth move, the tightness of his jaw as his words filtered past his clenched teeth.

"We need to talk," Rick had said. And Miles felt his head nodding, acknowledging the anger riding on Rick's words. Miles moved quickly, sighting a kindred spirit and advancing, his shoulder roughly shrugging off Danny's hand where it had settled at his arm.

"Where the fuck did you take them?" Miles remembered seething out as he stepped towards Jimmy, who was held in the harsh grip of Doc Greene. The wide-eyed disheveled, fuckin' mud-covered kid shifted his gaze, and if Miles had been in his right mind he probably would have noticed the way the kid's gaze looked right through him. Shock had taken over the Jimmy's entire body, but angry-livid Miles hadn't paid it any mind. He advanced past Rick, feeling the man's hand tighten on his arm and stopping him. "What the fuck did you do? What the fuck did you do to her?"

At that point, Miles had snapped, his arm had swung out to try and grab for the other boy. Doc Greene had pulled Jimmy back out of Miles' frothing wild grabbing arm, and to Miles' utter shock Callie stepped between them as Rick pulled him back.

"Miles, not now," Callie said, her voice harsh. And again if Miles had been in his right mind he would have heard the pain, the exhaustion, the -he still wasn't sure what the other part had been, but it had been there on the edge of her words. As it was he didn't even register her falling forward, her hand reaching out blindly for Rick's shoulder and holding tight as she worked to keep her feet under her. No, he hadn't remembered that part until this morning, and it made him sick.

"We should go inside," Doc Greene said, nodding at Patricia and Maggie who looked at him wide eyed and then escorted Jimmy inside. Miles' anger boiled a new at that point, the source of his rage being taken away, and he lunged. Rick was busy holding up Callie, so that left Daryl to pull him back. And Daryl was anything but gentle when he did it. One large arm snaking under one arm and around his neck choking him a bit, while his other hand had grabbed painfully onto Miles' broken wrist. No doubt hoping the shock of pain would wake him the fuck up.

But it didn't. Nothing did. Not until later.

"Fuck you," Miles seethed at Callie, his body bucking against Daryl, his snarling words echoing out after Jimmy as he disappeared inside. Callie was shaking her head, Rick still holding her up even though he was having trouble standing himself, her injured left hand soaked through with blood again and being inspected by a stony faced Doc Greene. She kept saying his name, trying to reach through the haze, but her exhausted voice barely got past Rick's ears and nowhere near to Miles'. "I want to know," Miles shouted at Callie as she lifted her eyes to him. If he would have been in his right mind he would have registered her unshed tears, but- He advanced on her, dragging a surprised Daryl a few steps. "I deserve to know. We all fuckin' do."

Miles was frothing at the mouth, but he recognized the anger as it rode onto Callie's face. His mind was too heavy to realize that her anger was directed at him, and he nodded his head at her. Shock washed away everything but her voice as her good hand shot out and grabbed roughly on to his shirt. She dragged him forward, Daryl's grip loosening just a bit as he moved with him. Callie's teary eyes narrowed to slits, and she pulled his face close to hers as she searched his eyes and snarled.

"She's dead," Callie seethed, her voice louder and clearer than before as she raised it so that everyone around them could hear. Miles felt the impact of those words like a punch to the gut and he felt himself go slack in Daryl's grip, which at that point loosened so that the man was merely holding him up. "She's dead." Callie said again, her voice lower and now just for him. "Cool off," she pushed him away and stumbled back into Rick's waiting hold, both of them nearly going down but resolutely holding their ground. She stared harshly at Miles and he just stared back, the sounds around him finally crashing back into reality as the blood pounding through his ears slowly subsided. "You find me when you can act like the fuckin' adult I know you are. Then we'll talk about what you fuckin' deserve to know."

With that Callie and Rick were helped inside by Lori and Doc Greene. Miles had slumped in Daryl's hold for a moment, his eyes sliding from where Callie had just stood up to the group around him. Danny's tired eyes met his instantly, his expression showing a bit of shame that pierced through Miles like a knife. His eyes roved over everyone at that point, until they came to rest on Shane's dark eyes. The blank expression on that man's face, the utter lack of caring that showed in his eyes had startled Miles back a few steps. Daryl had moved with him, his arms still settled around his body. Miles thrashed in Daryl's hold, needing to get away from those cold expressionless eyes, and it was at that point that he actually registered that Daryl was speaking in low tones to him.

"Calm the fuck down," Daryl was saying, those harsh heavily accented words drilling into his head. "Just calm the fuck down and breathe." Miles stopped fighting against Daryl as he pulled him backwards away from the crowd. Daryl didn't let go until they were a good distance away, shoving him hard down onto a felled log. Daryl stalked around in front of Miles for a few minutes before taking in a deep breath and crouching down in front of him. Miles lifted his eyes from the ground and stared at Daryl for a few seconds, both of their eyes searching the others for something. Daryl's jaw clenched and he nodded his head a few times before speaking. "Time to grow the fuck up, boy." The words were low but not angry, just hard and true. "You get me?"

Miles spent the rest of the night at that log, his mind settled on nothing and everything. Daryl had stayed nearby, settled against a tree for a while smoking a cigarette and shifting his eyes between the house and Miles. Danny had relieved Daryl after a while, whispering words down to him and sending Daryl off towards the house. Danny hadn't said a word as he slid painfully down to the spot that Daryl had occupied, his own cigarette bouncing on his lips as he stared off into the distance.

Miles had come to one very startling conclusion as he sat there all night. This place was fucked up. Not just this world. No this place, this farm with its oddly serene detachment from the world around them. That weird untouched feel this place had was what made all of the shit that had happened thus far seem so much worse.

Shane killing Otis. Jimmy killing Jenna.

This place.

This place was going to take them all out. One by fuckin' one.

It had taken a long time, but Miles had finally got Daryl. He finally understood the man's words. And finally came to that point where he knew Callie was right. His anger was still there, bubbling and spitting at the edges of his mind. And honestly it had probably been a bad idea to venture into the house to look for Callie, but he needed to see her. Needed to apologize. So he worked hard to push that wrathful feeling to the back of his mind.

His eyes slipped over the living room again, and the sound of humming filtered into his ears. A sweet melodic sound that seemed so out of place in his hazy hardened mind that his brow narrowed instantly upon hearing it. His eyes skimmed around the house and he found himself following the sound to an open doorway.

Beth stood before a mirror in her room, her blonde hair pulled back from her face in a lazy disheveled ponytail. There was a sweet little smile on her face as she stared at her reflection in the mirror over her chest of drawers. A small photo just barely visible on the nightstand near the door caught his attention and had him shiftin' a bit to see. Her and Jimmy, dressed to the nines at some fuckin' school dance.

Miles saw red, his anger heating his blood again and he snarled a bit as he lifted his gaze to the oblivious girl powdering her fuckin' nose.

"You puttin' on fuckin' make-up?" Miles seethed through his clenched teeth. Beth started, her hands dropping the little compact to the dresser as she spun to look wide-eyed at him. He watched her eyes slide over his back and forth, shock and a bit of fear in her blue eyes.

"What are you doin' here?" Beth said back, her eyes sliding behind him. No doubt looking for some help. "You shouldn't be here. Get out." She said it calmly enough but he could hear the slight hitch in her words and saw the flash in her eyes as her fear ebbed to the surface.

"Fuckin' waste of time," Miles blurted out ignoring her completely. "No matter how much y'all try and ignore it, the world ain't the way it was before, sweetheart. Sittin' in here makin' yourself up for your boy after what he just fuckin' did. It's sick."

"You don't know what you're talkin' about," Beth said, but her words sounded confused and unsure. She didn't know anymore than he did about what happened at that church, and it showed on her face as she stared back at him.

"No, you don't know." Miles shot back causing her to back up a step. Somewhere in the back of his mind he heard some version of himself whispering words. 'You're scaring her'. But he shook it off and ran with the heat sliding through his veins and the red hazing his vision as that heated blood pounded through his head. All that made it through was the repeated angry words 'Ignorant fools'. "Ya ain't long for this world," Miles lifted a finger and shook it at her. "Not the way y'all are actin'."

"You know what I think?" Beth's hitched voice rose, anger riding her broken voice as she hooked onto the emotion for strength. Unshed tears sparkled in her eyes as she stared at him and he snarled a smirk at her.

"That the world's full of fuckin' rainbows and butterflies?" Miles snapped at her, his snarling smile eliciting a shake of her pretty little blonde head.

"I think you're just," she shook her head, blinking the tears away and obviously trying to ignore the feel of them flying down her cheeks. She snapped her eyes up to his and he stared at her, watching as her thoughts clicked into place and she raised a shaking finger at him accusingly. "I think you're just a mean boy."

And just like that, the words shot through him, like needles of ice instantly cooling the heated boil of his blood. That red haze of his vision lifted, and the lingering memory of a face flooded his mind. A sweet sweat-slicked pale face, a smile lingering on dry cracking lips, red hair fanned out around her. Echoing words, so different from what had just been said to him, causing his breath to hitch deep down in his chest.

"_You're too sweet." _

The image of Beth before him blurred as his eyes filled with unshed tears. He felt his jaw clench as he stared at her, the sunlight filtering in from the window behind her blonde head blurring the flyaway strands of her hair around her head in a halo. He firmed his lips against the image and stared. Beth took a breath and shook her head, disgust marring her pretty face.

"You're mean. Nasty and callous, just like your friend, _Shane_." She seethed at him, her chin jutting forward with the force of her words.

He stumbled back a few steps at the impact of those words. His hand actually lifted towards his chest, where he could feel the pain of the wound that they had made. Before his shaking hand could lift all the way, his back hit the wall opposite her door.

"Miles?" Maggie's voice startled him from his staring at the blonde girl and had his wide eyes shifting. The brunette was staring at him, her mouth slack as if she wanted to say more but didn't know what to say. Miles pushed off of the wall, and in the next instant he was shoving past Maggie as she advanced. "What are you- Miles," she continued in a calm and worried tone, but he just kept moving. Ignoring her.

He slammed out of the house, his head shaking wildly as he worked to clear his vision and his head. Beth's words echoing in his ears, painfully piercing his already broken heart over and over. He practically threw himself down the porch stairs, head down unshed tears straining his eyes and making his head pound.

"_Just like your friend, Shane."_

A rough hand shot out, and pulled Miles violently from his escape. He flew back a few steps; that hand tightening to a painful level around his upper arm and tugging him towards a hard body. Daryl's piercing blue eyes stared down at him, sliding back and forth over his wet blurry eyes, working to piece together what had happened. Miles took in a few deep steadying breaths, while Daryl's hand remained painfully tight around his arm.

Just as Miles was about to open his mouth, Daryl's gaze shot away from his and over towards their camp and the RV. Daryl stared hard at something in the distance, a snarl twitching the edge of his mouth. His eyes crashed back into Miles' and then he was shoving Miles in front of him.

"Move it," Daryl said pushing at Miles' shoulder, all the while shooting a glance over his shoulder towards the RV. Daryl shook his head and pushed Miles again, sending him stumbling forward. Daryl righted him and placed his large hand on to Miles' shoulder guiding him towards the stables. "Gonna get me a horse ready," Daryl said off-handedly as he pushed at Miles. "You're gonna help." Miles shot a glance over his shoulder at Daryl, a raised brow of confusion at the man slowly shifting his eyes down to him.

Miles didn't know how to do anything with horses, and Daryl well knew that. Daryl stared hard at Miles and then shifted his eyes back to the stable, giving Miles' shoulder one long hard squeeze before speaking again.

"You and me gonna have a little chat."

* * *

Shane ran the back of his hand over his healing split lip, snarling a bit as he watched Daryl push at Miles. The fuckin' redneck's gaze shot over his shoulder one last time, settling right on Shane's yet again. Shane couldn't help but shake his head a bit and glare at the man.

This whole damn situation was getting fuckin' old quick.

He was tired of all those damn looks he was getting. Pitying looks from Patricia and Carol. Distrusting looks from Danny and Dale. Looks from Andrea he couldn't read, and didn't care to figure out. Long lingering looks from Rick and Callie, looks that he couldn't bear to be around for long.

Glares from Daryl as he stalked about, like he was the fuckin' cock of the walk. Shit, if he'd a known all he had to do to get back on Rick's good side was fuck Callie he woulda done it a long time ago. Shane shook his head at himself and snarled.

What the fuck was he talkin' about? Shane's hands lifted to his head and he pressed hard at his temples as he stared off at the farm house. He wasn't that man. Fuck.

And he didn't need to get on Rick's good side. He was his brother. He saved his family. He saved his son. He did that shit. Not fuckin' Daryl. Not fuckin' Callie. Him. And yet, those looks he got…

Even Lori stared after him in a strange haunting sort of fashion now. She'd told him she wanted him to stay. Flat out said the words 'I want you to stay' right to his face in that little room that Carl was laid up in. They'd argued then, Shane tryin' desperately to understand how Lori could be so blind to what was going on with Rick and Callie. How could she not see it? But she'd ignored him, stating that it wasn't like that. And that he knew it wasn't. That he was being ridiculous.

"There's nothing between them," Lori said, but the way she was wrapping her arms around her said she didn't really believe it. "There isn't, Shane. He's just being there for a friend."

"Damn it, Lori," Shane had said running his hand over his shaved head. "Don't you ever wonder when the fuck is he gonna be here for you? For Carl?"

That had stung her; he saw her flinch back from it. And he was advancing, gonna apologize, gonna hold her. But then that fuckin' redneck had come in and Lori had shot away from him like he was fire and gonna burn her. Her hands fell from around her body and she stared at Daryl like he'd caught them doing something bad. Like being alone with him was wrong somehow. Her wide eyes, had followed Daryl's gaze as it slipped from the sleeping form of Carl in the bed and then to her.

"Everything a'right?" Daryl had asked, and Shane had seen fuckin' red, moving without thinkin'. Ready to smash his fist into that bastard's face. He owed him one anyway. But then Lori had settled her arm on his and Shane settled a bit, watching her step forward with a nod. Daryl returned the nod and ignored Shane completely. "Lookin' for Rick and Callie," he'd said.

Then of course everything Shane had worked to get through Lori's thick unbelievably hard head fell away. Worry overshadowing truth, as she realized that they hadn't returned yet.

"_There's nothing between them."_

Lori's words had beat around in his head all evening as they sat vigil for the missing pair. Rick and Callie. Always off together on some hair-brained fuck-up of a mission. Both of those idiots putting themselves on the line with no regard to how it affected the ones left behind. The people who loved them unconditionally. The people waiting for them; worrying for them.

Neither of them seemed to care one lick about the good of the fuckin' group. Only about what they thought was 'right'.

_Nothing between them._

How fuckin' stupid was Lori? Daryl he expected to be oblivious to the way Callie played him. He was a fuckin' meth-head redneck with little to no sense about people. So yeah, he expected that boy to be taken for a ride. But Lori. Fuck.

Shane had watched Lori hug Rick, hold him and rub her hands on his shoulders as he settled down at Carl's bedside not long after his and Callie's secretive little chat with Hershel. He'd stood just out of their line of sight, in the shadows of that doorway, watching her lips move along Rick's cheek. Shane had moved off when Rick turned and kissed her, shoving his way out of the house past the table where Callie's hand was yet again being stitched by Patricia.

His eyes had slid over Callie's as he walked, watching her watch him with those all-seeing eyes of hers. A long lingering look as she tried to read him. He'd thought about stopping, saying something to her, 'cause he wasn't blind. He could read shit just as well as she could when he wanted to.

He could see she was hurtin', and despite everything goin' through his mind, a part of him wanted to see if she was okay. Wanted to check on her and let her know he was sorry for everything.

Because Callie was just as much a part of this group as he was. She was an anchor for a lot of them. She was important. She was good for the group.

But he didn't, instead he sneered and wiped his hand across his dry mouth. The words he wanted to say to her getting lost on the way out. He nodded his head to her, and she returned it with a tight smile. Then he left.

_There's nothing between them._

He'd almost started to believe the words himself by the time he worked his way back into the house later that night. He hadn't been able to sleep. Too many thoughts going through his head, pounding around and makin' it damn near impossible. He'd figured on checkin' on Carl, finding the kid's bedside the only real place he was able to clear his head and think anymore.

But he'd been stopped short at the sight in the living room. His steps had faltered and he'd walked in fully letting his eyes slide over the two of 'em. Rick and Callie. Her head was settled on his shoulder, their hands clasped and settled onto Rick's thigh. He felt the blood pounding through his veins, rushing through his ears and drowning out the sounds around him.

_Nothing between them._

"Are they still out?" Patricia's timid voice sounded from the doorway and he'd flashed a look up at her. His eyes must have given some of his thoughts away because she blinked a few times at him before working her way around the couch to his side.

"Yeah," Shane said finally, his hand scratching at his head. He watched Patricia sigh and settle two blankets on the small coffee table in front of the couch. Licking his dry lips he held out a hand to stop her from covering them. "I got it," Shane said waving her off. "Y'all have taken care of us enough. Thank you."

Patricia looked at him for a while, that same pitying look that she always gave him. Mixed now with something else, a questioning of sorts. But she didn't say anything. Didn't ask anything. Instead, she nodded and placed a cool hand to his forearm.

"Ya come get us if they need somethin'," Patricia said shifting her eyes over to the slumbering pair on the couch. "They've been through quite a bit."

Shane had smiled, or tried to, watching calmly as she walked away. After she left he'd settled his eyes back on Rick and Callie, his legs buckling with the weight of his heavy mind. He settled hard on the little coffee table, one of the blankets wringing in his hands.

He really didn't know how long he'd sat there staring at them. Watching their slumped shoulders rise and fall with each breath. They'd showered, and put on clean clothes. Rick sitting there in a borrowed blue flannel, looking every bit the man he used to know. Just a man, no longer wearing the uniform that he hid behind. Callie was shifting and shivering a bit in the oversized t-shirt she wore, the worn out insignia of some construction company raising and lifting with each breath she took. Shane shifted then, letting the blanket fall open as he stretched it wide and lifted it to cover the woman.

His palms were sweating for some reason as he stood and gathered the second blanket. His eyes boring holes into the two people he was covering up. The second blanket opened, and he felt a bead of sweat slide down the side of his face. It tickled its way down, rolling down his neck and picking a chilling path down his spine. It was odd. Sweating like that in the nice cool evening that had surrounded them.

But thinking too hard about things could heat you up. Boil your blood.

And he had been thinking hard. Thinking so hard that it caused his head to pound, and his arms to feel heavy as he shook out that second blanket and lifted it slowly towards Rick.

His brain settled on those thoughts as he worked that blanket onto his friend. His hands staying curled tight in the soft fabric as he placed the blanket close under Rick's chin. He stared at Rick's face for a long time. And in his mind's eye he saw himself lift that blanket up to cover his face.

Like he would have covered a corpse.

He didn't do it, of course. Just had that sickening sort of feeling that the motion he was making now was so similar to that. So very similar. His eyes had shifted over to Callie, his fingers disentangling from the blanket he'd placed on Rick and sliding over to adjust the one he'd put on Callie. Settling it up over her shoulders close to her neck.

_Nothing between them._

Lori was right. He knew that. He really did. There wasn't anything between Rick and Callie but a deep seeded affection. Friendship. Support. Trust.

As he'd walked back into the sunlight early this morning he finally really understood what had been unsettling him so much about those words Lori had spoken. There wasn't a damn thing between Rick and Callie. But, Rick and Callie…Rick and Callie were between him and what he wanted. They were between this group and safety. They were between everything.

Shane let his head lift from his hands, and settled his back against the RV. His eyes picked up the smaller shapes of Miles and Daryl disappearing into the stable. His lip snarled again, as he thought about all those damn looks he was getting. Rick and Callie trying to figure him out with those long assessing looks of theirs.

Hershel eyeing him like he was a fuckin' plague set upon his family.

And Miles.

He was getting fuckin' sick and tired of the looks that boy was shooting him. Sick and tired of that boy's judgment of him. He was gonna have to have himself a talk with that boy, before he went spoutin' off about things. Saying things that would change those long lingering looks that Callie and Rick shot him into those damnable stares that Danny, Dale and Daryl shot him.

Because while those two may not have had the best interest of the group in mind. While they may not have known how to lead these people and keep them safe. Shane knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that without them, the group would break apart at the seams.

And so, for the good of the group, he needed to keep them around.

And on his side.

_This change, he won't contain,_

_Slip away, to clear your mind._

_When asked, who made it show,_

_The truth, he gives in to most._

_So lay down, the threat is real,_

_When his sight goes red again._

_~The Red / Chevelle _

_AN: I'm not sayin' nothing 'bout this chapter other than…wooo that felt really good to write. Not sure why, just did. I hope you enjoy it. _

_If you hadn't noticed Daryl's getting his horse all saddled up…but of course, he's gonna be having a bit of a chat with Miles first. Hmmm, wonder what it's about. _


	30. New Blues

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_This chapter was a BEAST. There was so much to work in, cause this is really such a busy time at the farm… so I had to cut around and re-situate everything and place patchwork with each segment. JESUS. So yeah, this one has kinda become a bit short…if you consider 8k short… HI FUCKIN' NUTS HERE *waves*_

_Not a lot of plot movement, but necessary sliding forward made. We're really only catching up with Daryl and Miles, and Rick and Callie. There's a good bit of slipping around in the timeline, overlap and what not in the next two chaps. I think I've worked it so that you should be able to follow but at the end of next chap (yeah next chap) I'll kind of spell it out in case you got lost. _

_A quick word to my reviewers and readers. I feel as though I have not told you lately that I love you. (And shit yeah I pulled out the fuckin' Van Morrison…deal with it) I got mad FEELS for all of you. I appreciate you more than anything, and honestly, strange as it is when I go 'round thinking 'bout the things I'm grateful for on Thanksgiving this year…this site, you people, and the wondrous friendships I've been able to form as a result of this exercise in CRAZY are gonna be on the fuckin' list. So in short…. THANK YOU ALL for reading, and enjoying what I'm putting out there._

_As always, enjoy!__~michelle_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**New Blues**

Miles stumbled back as the weight of the saddle hit him hard in the chest. Daryl heard the kid wince only a bit as he no doubt scrabbled with his broken hand to hold tight to it. The kid let out a huff of a breath as his back hit into the door of the stable he'd been standing in front of and Daryl grimaced. Shaking his head Daryl rubbed hard at his face and chewed his bottom lip a bit.

He probably shouldn't have been so rough with the kid. But if he was bein' honest, he was takin' the high road as it were. He wanted to smash his fist into the brat's face for the way he'd been acting last night. The way he'd got up in Callie's face.

It had taken a good bit of resistance on Daryl's part not to do just that when he'd dragged the kid off to that log and sat him down. He'd stalked in front of him, his hands itching to slam the kid a few times and knock some fuckin' sense into his head the way Merle had done with him when he was a kid. Finally after a few fuckin' deep breaths, he'd knelt down in front of the kid and opted instead to use Merle's words. Words that had stuck with him, 'cause fuckin' Merle hardly ever used 'em to get a point across. So when he did, Daryl knew them words was damn important.

"_Time to grow the fuck up, boy."_

And those words, just as they had for him years ago, had sparked something in the boy's mind. Daryl wasn't sure what exactly, but he saw the change in the kid's expression almost instantly. Then he watched him sit there for hours and work to wrap his mind around everything. When Danny'd come and taken over, tellin' him that Callie and Rick were done with Hershel. Tellin' him, but not _really_ tellin' him, that he should get his ass in there, he'd left thinking that the next time he saw Miles the kid's head would be back on straight.

Wishful fuckin' thinkin'.

He'd been on his way to the house to tell Callie he was leavin'. Some pansy-ass part of him screamin' that he'd regret it if he didn't. But he'd been stopped short at Miles bursting through that screen door. Watching that kid tear ass outta that house, head down, unshed tears in his eyes had Daryl going from mildly pissed to hopping fuckin' mad in a manner of seconds. He didn't really know what to think, and he'd just reacted, grabbing the kid and pulling him to a stop.

The look in that kid's eyes when he'd turned him 'round.

Shit.

Daryl rubbed both of his hands on his face as he snatched a saddle blanket off the near wall. He turned and rolled his eyes spottin' Miles still clutching that saddle to his chest and starin' at him. Shaking his head, Daryl tossed the blanket onto a nearby stool and crossed his arms over his chest. Miles stared back, his still teary red rimmed eyes searching Daryl's for some kind of answer to a question he was too afraid to ask.

Daryl shook his head again and let out a long sigh before turning and opening the stable door behind him. He lead the mare out and put his body to task getting her ready, while his mind stayed settled on the kid. He knew what he wanted to say to him. Simple placating words that he'd never heard uttered but had always wanted to hear. Words that really wouldn't help matters in the long run, but would appease that broken bit of his heart and mind that was causin' the kid to lash out.

Yeah, he knew what he wanted to say. But Daryl wasn't the guy to give you what you wanted. He was the fucker that did what needed to be done.

"You gotta come to terms with it, or let it out, kid. Or it's gonna eat you alive and leave you for dead," Daryl said not lifting his eyes from his task as he settled the blanket on the horse. When Miles didn't respond Daryl shook his head and spun around, spearing the kid with a sharp look before advancing on him.

Miles backed up, again hitting his back against the stable behind him. The horse settled in there whinnied and Miles visibly shook as Daryl reached out and grabbed the saddle out of his grip and tossed it aside.

"C'mon," Daryl said angrily bending down just a bit and glaring into the kid's eyes. "Spit it the fuck out boy."

"He killed him!" Miles seethed, his words loud and vehement. His breath hissed out after the last word, his eyes sliding around the confines of the stables as if saying the words out loud was gonna make the fucker magically appear. Daryl snarled and backed up, his arms staying crossed over his chest as he watched Miles search around. "He—" Miles stuttered a bit and caught Daryl's eye. Daryl nodded once, and that was all it took.

In that instant Miles must have realized that Daryl had figured it out. That he understood who 'he' was, that he knew. And just like that the flood gates opened and Miles was reaching out and grabbing Daryl's shirt, pulling him close spitting his next words right into Daryl's face.

"He didn't just kill him, man." Miles said wild eyes slipping back and forth over Daryl's stoic expression. "He _murdered_ him. Took his rifle right out of his hands and shot him. Not dead, the shot didn't kill him. No he shot him to slow him down. Shot him twice, so that he wouldn't be able to get away from the geeks." Miles shook Daryl as he spoke and Daryl's hands finally fell from their position across his chest and grabbed the kid's upper arms.

His grip was tight, but not painful, just enough to push the kid back and extricate his hands from Daryl's flannel. Daryl stared at the kid's eyes watching him wrestle with what he was saying for a moment. Both of Miles' hands lifted to his head and he raked his fingers through his hair. The pain from his broken hand obviously forgotten in that moment. He pulled at his hair and his shoulders lifted and fell with each ragged breath he dragged into his lungs, his eyes were fixed at a point on the ground between them.

Daryl let him go. Let him figure it out. Let him get where he needed to be.

It was sudden, the way the kid's shoulders fell with that last long deep breath out and stayed low. Daryl knew that feeling. That sudden instance when that weight you were carryin' was lifted off. He'd felt that before. When he'd sat on that balcony of that office building in Atlanta with Callie so long ago. The both of 'em sitting in that pissin' drizzlin' rain tellin' each other their secrets.

Yeah, he knew exactly what Miles was goin' through.

Watching someone you care about, someone you respect and trust do something so-horrific. Watching and not really knowing what to do with the knowledge that's been suddenly thrust upon you. Daryl knew that feelin' all too well.

Merle killed David. Killed his own boy.

Murdered him right in front of Daryl.

Shot him in the gut and left him for dead, screamin' and cryin' at the side of the road. Wailin' like he was, Daryl figured a whole mess of Walkers had found him before he'd died. Ripped into him, made his last moments a livin' fuckin' hell. But Daryl hadn't had to watch that.

Not like Miles had.

Daryl'd tried to reason out what Merle had done. The kid's momma, Annie, she'd been bit. Her death had made sense at the time; at least as much sense as any of the shit going on around them coulda made.

But David.

Daryl hadn't been able to look at Merle the same after that. And Merle, fuck Merle'd become a different man too. A man that had to live with the fact that he'd murdered his own son. The road that they'd found themselves on after that moment was much different than the one they'd been on before.

Daryl lifted his thumbnail to his mouth and chewed at the ragged nail bed, his eyes watching the kid as he continued to tug at his hair. While there were more differences than there were similarities in what Merle'd done and what Shane'd done, the end result was the same.

And right now, that end result was tearin' this kid apart at the fuckin' seams.

"This world changes people, kid." Daryl said his voice low and rumbling in the shaded confines of the stable. The sound of it shaking Miles out of whatever thoughts he was sharin' with that spot on the floor. Daryl watched Miles lift his gaze, his hands sliding slowly out of his overgrown dirty blonde locks. "It leans on them tendencies we got," Daryl continued letting his hand fall from his lips and dangle lifelessly at his side. "The ones we hid away in those dark recesses of our minds where it was okay to daydream 'bout offin' your wife or your boss, or beatin' some smart-mouthed motherfucker three shades of purple. It plays on 'em and exploits 'em. Tweaks 'round in your head whispering in the background, spoutin' off shit 'bout survival and doin' what needs to be done." Daryl shook a finger at Miles as the kid's mouth opened to start refuting what he was sayin'. Daryl shook his head and continued. "Weak fuckers," Daryl spat, swinging that pointing finger out towards the closed stable doors. Towards where one such weak fucker was settled out beyond those doors, glaring at the world around him. "Weak bitches who can't see no other way but giving in to those tendencies, they do shit that can't never be undone. And that shit," he slipped his waggin' finger back over to Miles watching the kid's eyes go wide. "That shit changes more than just them. It changes everyone around them."

"Shane murdered someone," Miles said in a much more calm tone than Daryl had been expecting. "He shot him, and I didn't do anything. I stood there like an idiot and I watched-heard-Otis getting torn apart. His screams, man," Miles was shakin' his head again and his good right hand ran back through his hair.

"I know," Daryl said crossing his arms over his chest. Miles' eyes snapped up and he stared hard at Daryl for a moment before opening his mouth.

"He didn't even care," Miles said letting out a mirthless chuckle as his head shook slightly. "He didn't even-he got into the truck with me like nothing happened. Then," Miles sniffed and caught Daryl's eyes. "Then he was comin' up with stories," Daryl's brow lifted. "Not explaining, not excusing, nothing. Just sayin'…_tellin'_ me what I should say." Miles shifted his eyes to the closed door and Daryl's hands fell from his chest, his eyes narrowing on the kid. Takin' note of how the his voice had changed, become lower, fearful. "He was makin' sure I knew-"

"He threaten you?" Daryl's tone a bit harsher than he'd been expecting and effectively cutting off whatever Miles was about to say. The kid shifted his eyes back to Daryl, and Daryl stiffened just a bit in a strange sort of shock. Daryl wasn't sure why he was shocked, he didn't really expect much in the way of decency from Shane, but still.

_How the high-and-fuckin'-mighty have fallen, huh, little brother?_

"Not flat out," Miles said quietly, holding Daryl's gaze with his. Daryl felt his lip curl in a snarl at the kid's words. Or rather the ones he didn't say. Not flat out, but it was sure as hell implied. "But he keeps eyes on me. I can feel it."

Daryl shook his head and moved to snatch up the saddle from the ground where he'd tossed it. He stalked back over towards the horse and finished saddling her up. He heard Miles shifting about, his feet kicking idly at the hay strewn about at their feet. His breaths leaving him in long sighs. Daryl settled his hands to the buckle he'd just finished tightening and stared at them.

His blood was boiling through his veins as he listened to that kid, and he was a fuckin' kid no matter if he was eighteen now or not. He was a fuckin' kid. Daryl's hands clenched, his mind going back to the way Shane's eyes had been following Miles 'round camp. The way he kept smiling at him, and puttin' an unwelcome hand to his shoulders. Draggin' him 'round and braggin' to Rick 'bout how it was all Miles back at that FEMA station. Savin' him. Savin Carl.

That fuckin' bastard. He was hurtin' that boy in a way that was more damaging than any kind of physical beat down ever could. Draggin' that boy right into his guilty conscious and workin' to smother him with it.

And that thought, well, that shit was just the last fuckin' straw. Daryl snarled then and spun around, startling Miles from his staring match with his shoes.

"He comes at you," Daryl said through tightly clenched teeth, his voice a seething whisper. "He comes at you, threatens you. You come to me." Daryl watched Miles lift his brows in surprise and shook his head at the kid before he could open his big trap and say something. "You come to me. Not Callie. Not Danny. You come to _me_." Daryl licked at his lips and worked the rough palm of his left hand over the knuckles of his right hand; the one that had already had the pleasure of smashin' into that bitch's glass jaw once. "Me and him got unfinished business."

Miles was quiet for a moment, starin' at Daryl in that assessing way that the kid musta picked up from Callie. Finally, Miles nodded once, and Daryl returned it almost fuckin' eagerly. His eyes shifting towards the closed door, almost wishin' that rat bastard would open them doors and walk in. Shaking his head Daryl turned and grabbed the reigns of the horse he'd just saddled and started walking her to open back end of the stable. He heard Miles following and stopped, hearing that loud ass sigh that always signaled more to come.

"Callie and Danny," Miles started quietly, causing Daryl to shift his eyes over his shoulder at the kid. "They know something's up. Both too fuckin' quick." Daryl gave him a look, and Miles waved his broken left hand around. "I know, I'm a fuckin' open book. I get it. I'm workin' on it." Daryl smirked and Miles gave a tiny smile. "Should I tell 'em?"

Daryl stared at the kid for a good long while, his teeth hookin' in and chewin' at the inside of his cheek. He didn't really want the kid to do it. And he knew why he was askin'. Cause both of those idiots wouldn't waste a second in confrontin' Shane about it.

Daryl shifted his eyes out towards the woods. He'd most likely be gone most of the day on this search, leavin' Callie and Danny. If Miles did tell them, even one of them, he wouldn't be there to help them when they did confront Shane.

Growling low in his throat Daryl shook his head. The kid had been through enough shit in the past few days. If he needed an outlet other than Daryl to help him handle what he was goin' through then he couldn't deny him it.

No matter how much he wanted to.

"You do what you gotta do to keep your head on straight, kid." Daryl said, catching Miles' eye. He held the kid's gaze for a good minute, watchin' him grapple with the conflicting thoughts rollin' in his head. Finally Daryl cleared his throat catchin' the kid's attention. "You don't owe Shane nothin', ya hear. You don't."

Miles nodded stiffly and Daryl shifted, grabbing his crossbow and slinging it over his shoulder before mounting the horse. Miles worked his way closer, handing up the small bag of provisions Carol had made up for him earlier. Miles didn't let go of the bag as Daryl grabbed for it, and held Daryl's gaze for a moment before nodding again.

"Thanks man," Miles said simply, letting his hand fall from the bag. Daryl nodded, suddenly feelin' strangely self-conscious and shifted his eyes around him. Miles let out a chuckle and shook his head before smacking Daryl's knee, which earned him a wry raised brow on Daryl's part. "See ya when ya get back," Miles said waving and heading out the open back door before Daryl. "And don't worry," Miles shot back over his shoulder. "I'll keep her from doin' anything stupid."

Daryl watched the kid glance at him over his shoulder. Their eyes met and Miles nodded, his eyes still clouded with that horror that he'd been forced to witness, no matter how hard he tried to hide it. At the sight of it, Daryl wanted to yell out. Tell him that it got better, that you learned to deal with it.

But Daryl'd never been good with lyin'.

So he just nodded his head, watching the kid disappear around the other side of the stable, and turned the horse towards the wooded area. His eyes slipped over his shoulder as he trotted along, and he caught sight of Callie's figure on the porch. Her mass of wavin' locks blowing around her as she stood by what he assumed to be Rick. He watched her for a minute, and she turned to him, as if feelin' his gaze on her.

A shock of something tore through him when that gaze settled on him, even at that distance he felt her eyes lock onto him. Felt it straight down to that unsettled spot in his stomach. His eyes squinted, and he watched the dark shape lift a single arm and wave a hand at him. His arm lifted and returned it, the motion so quick and reflexive that he found himself shakin' his head and rollin' his eyes when the returned the appendage to the reigns a second later. He turned his back to the woman, still feelin' her eyes on him as he trotted along. One thought slidin' into his brain.

He hadn't said good bye.

_Same ole troubles_

_At my door_

_Same ole misery_

_Coming back for more_

_Right about now_

_I could use _

_Some new blues_

* * *

Rick woke with a very familiar crick in his neck.

Shifting slightly onto his side, he groaned just a bit at the way the couch cushions slid under him as he moved. His left hand lifted from under the blanket to rub at his neck, while his sore legs stretched out and off of the edge of the couch. His feet settled to the floor and as he flexed his toes happy that he'd at least remembered to take his shoes off this time. Though honestly he didn't remember taking them off.

The pins and needles sensation of his slowly waking right arm had him shaking the appendage a bit and smacking it off of his knee a few times to stop the unwelcome feeling. Groaning and rubbing at the sore muscles in his neck, he dragged through his slightly hazy brain. For the life of him he couldn't figure out what he had done to deserve sleepin' on the couch this- His eyes popped opened as the blanket fell from his body and pooled at his feet, his bleary vision cleared and the fog lifted from his mind.

Images flooded in, causing his hands to lift and cradle his head as it fell from the weight of it all rushing back. The rain hitting his skin like icy needles for hours, till he was so chilled he didn't think he'd ever feel warm again. Callie and Jimmy working with him, all of them pushing past the exhaustion that was pressing down on them as they dug those graves. The three of them dragging the bodies of Jimmy's family out of that church and to their final resting place.

The ground being so soft from the rain that he hadn't been able to get out of the first grave after lowering Jimmy's father into it. The horrifying claustrophobic feeling that had his heart hammering in his chest as he clawed at the loose dirt trying desperately to find purchase.

Callie's face; the pain etched onto it as she grabbed for him, holding tight to her hand as Jimmy helped to pull him the rest of the way up. The hot feel of her blood running down his arm as she once again ripped open the wound on her palm with her efforts.

Jimmy's face as he toppled to the ground under the weight of his mother's dead body. The strained whimpering noise that the boy made as her gray arm slipped out of the bag and slapped into the wet grass.

Callie standing at that spot where Jenna had died and seemingly risen again. Her red-rimmed eyes sliding to the woods where the trail of blood from the girl's wounds had led before being washed away by the storm.

The conversation with Jimmy and Hershel that wasn't really a conversation at all. But instead a one-sided recount on Rick's part explaining what they'd found at that church, and what the boy had been doing on his excursions to the place. Callie had quietly settled on a chair in Hershel's office, her eyes staring hard at the photo settled upon the man's desk. She hadn't said a word, a fact that had worried Rick the whole time. The only conversation she took part in was a silent one, spoken in volumes in a pointed look held for a long time between her and Hershel as she stood to leave.

Rick rubbed his hands up his face and into his hair. He grimaced a bit, feeling the bits of dirt and grime settled deep in his thick hair at the root. He was pretty sure at this point, no matter how many showers he took, he would never feel clean of that horror.

He let his hands slide back down to his face, and peered through the space between his fingers at the table before him. The sight of the second neatly folded blanket reminding him that he hadn't been alone on this couch last night. Fleeting, hazy memories of a quiet conversation with Callie. Mumbled words to one another of support and understanding as they settled beside each other on the couch. Both too tired to move, no matter how much they wanted to. He'd been eager to get in to see Carl, and she eager to explain things to her kids. To the no doubt angered redneck she shared a tent with. But neither had apparently had the strength left to move.

He remembered her chuckling at his clothes. An off-hand remark about the clothes not makin' the man. He'd looked at her then, the tiny bit of a sad smile playing on her lips. She'd shifted her eyes to him, and peered through her barely open lids.

"The uniform didn't define who you were, Rick. You defined it." Callie had said shifting beside him and patting his thigh. He stared at her for a long time after that, watching her eyes close again and her head roll along the back of the couch as she searched for the energy to propel herself off of the couch. Those words settled deep inside of him, the exact words he'd needed to hear.

Words that he'd hoped Lori would have said when she came in to bring him the change of clothes, and watched him put that uniform shirt away in a drawer.

They'd sat in silence after that, and he'd felt himself being dragged down by the pull of sleep. The sounds of the house receding far into the depths of his working brain until they were nothing more than white noise. He was startled slightly awake by the feel of her head falling to his shoulder, a sigh leaving her lips as she settled in. His final memories were a bit hazy, almost dream like. There were the remnants of the earthy smell of rain and dirt still evident under the mask of the fragrant floral shampoo she'd used wafting over him as she settled her still damp head onto his shoulder. The feel of the smile that had slipped on to his lips when he'd shifted his shoulder a few times trying to dislodge her, knowing she had somewhere she'd rather be spending the night.

"If you do that again, I'm gonna shoot you, Rick," Callie had muttered after his third attempt. Her hand sliding a bit towards where she usually kept her gun, not realizing that her gun wasn't there at the moment. He'd grabbed her hand chuckling and held it tight, listening as her breathing slowed to that steady rhythm of sleep. Figuring that he'd just move her after she fell asleep.

He didn't remember anything after that, exhaustion dashing his plans of depositing her safely into her tent with Daryl. And it must have been a pretty deep sleep to have had such a lingering effect on his brain. To have made him forget for even a moment where he was, and what had happened.

The sound of laughter caught his ears. Familiar laughter. Laughter he hadn't heard in a while.

Carl.

Slipping his neck back and forth a few times until a loud and satisfying crack had him letting out a groaning sigh. Rick reached down and slid his boots on and got to his feet. He rubbed at his eyes roughly as he walked, bumping hard into the doorjamb before shaking his head and opening his eyes fully.

He slipped his up to the room where Carl was and felt the smile tilt his lips as his arms crossed over his chest. Callie was settled on the chair beside the bed, the one that either he or Lori had posted up in every few hours since they'd arrived. Her hair was down around her shoulders, honey colored curls and waves that fell slightly into her face as she leaned forward and pushed Rick's old campaign hat around playfully on Carl's head.

Ben and Gracie were both settled on the foot of the mattress smiling as well. And while the sight of all of them smiling and laughing made him feel good, it was the sound of his son's laughter that made his chest feel lighter. Made that vice around his heart slowly loosen and allow his shoulders to slacken a bit. He shifted on his feet and settled his shoulder against the door frame while he watched Callie slowly, and tiredly, settle herself back into the chair.

She'd obviously been up a while. She'd had time to change her clothes from the ones she'd been wearing when she settled next to him on the couch. She was now dressed in her usual pair of jeans this time with a long sleeved gray shirt, the Nike logo on the upper right of her chest worn out no doubt from years of washing. The sleeves were pushed up onto her forearms, her bandaged left hand dangling between her knees as she smiled at Carl. He could just make out the shape of her gun, as always settled into the front of her waistband. His eyes narrowed at the memory of the fight Danny had put up to make sure she was able to carry it. She must have felt his eyes on her at that moment, and as her eyes lifted to his he smiled wanly at the dark circles still settled below her vibrant hazel eyes.

"Hey dad," Rick turned, catching Callie pushing to her feet in his peripheral vision, as his attention was taken up by his son. Carl's voice was still a shadow of its usual exuberance, but the smile on his face was wide and getting wider as Rick returned it. "Callie was tellin' us about the first time they found Jenna and her brother. Did you know that Jenna beat up Miles?"

"I did not," Rick said shifting his gaze to Callie as she approached. There was a sad little smile on her lips and she lifted both of her brows at him as she slid around the bed.

"Well she did," Carl said almost proudly as he shifted on the bed. He winced as he no doubt pulled at his stitches with the movment.

"Easy," Callie and Rick said at the same time which made Carl roll his eyes. "That what had you laughin'?" Rick question, resisting the urge to go and coddle his boy and opting for maintaining his indifferent stance at the doorway. The bounce of his leg must have given away his slight need to move, because Callie was chuckling low in the back of her throat as she came to a stop by him.

"Yeah," Carl said nodding slightly and fixing the hat on his head. "She had him in a headlock and refused to let go until he apologized for calling her a fuckin' ginger."

"Hey, we had a deal," Callie turned and pointed a finger at Carl, who ducked his head and chuckled. She shook her head and shot a slightly cowed look at Rick. Rick returned the look with a shake of his head, working hard not to laugh at his son's language and give a somewhat half-hearted stern look to Callie.

"Just be sure you watch it in front of your mother," Rick said waving a hand and smiling as his son beamed up at him. He shook his head as Ben laughed and waved his hand in the air dismissively, mumbling something about 'fuck not bein' that bad a word'. Rick shifted his attention just in time to see Callie slap a hand to her head and close her eyes muttering about 'rednecks' and their 'fucking colorful vocabulary'. Rick chuckled a bit and then shifted his eyes down Callie's body, his eyes catching at the sight of her sock covered feet. His brow twitched. "Where are your shoes?"

"Oh," Callie said, a bit dramatically as she opened her eyes wide and pierced him with a look that said 'you'll love this'. "Well, it seems a certain redneck has taken the liberty of further extending his dumbass ways to keep me from leaving the farm. And this time he's enlisted help," She waved her hand over the bed and Rick caught Ben smiling widely back at them.

"I ain't tellin' you where they are," Ben said, his eyes shifting to Rick. "Daryl promised to let me shoot his crossbow if I got her to stay put and rest the whole day."

"Wow," Rick said lifting humored brows at Callie who rolled her eyes and shook her head. "That's a mighty fine reward, Ben." Rick watched the kid nod his head, his attention again settled on the photos strewn about on the bed between him and Carl. Rick's eyes lingered on them for a moment, watching as Gracie grabbed one and handed it to Carl. It was a sweet scene, and it once again had Rick's gaze slipping to Callie.

Callie crossed her arms over her chest, watching as Carl smiled sadly down at the photo and then up at Gracie as she crawled back down towards Ben at the far end of the bed. She'd woken up a few hours ago, her eyes instantly catching on the forms of Ben and Gracie playing cards at the little coffee table in front of the couch. Ben's eyes had lifted as he smiled at her and then shifted over her head. She sat up slowly, trying not to wake Rick who she had apparently fallen into during the night. The poor man had been stuffed up into the corner of the couch, half laying and half sitting against the raised arm while she'd been lying against him.

Lori was staring down at her and for a moment Callie thought she saw something flare in the other woman's eyes. But Lori had shaken it off and moved forward, her arms extending with a wad of clothing. Together, Callie and Lori had removed Rick's boots and lifted the dead weight of his legs onto the couch, situating him into a more comfortable position.

"Man's always slept like the dead," Lori had muttered with a smile down at her husband. "Carl's the same way."

"I know that wasn't meant as a joke," Callie said picking up her clothes and leaving the room with the woman. "But considering he woke from a coma a few months ago, to this," Callie waved a hand around in the air. "That's fucking hilarious." Lori had laughed then and looked back to Gracie and Ben with a smile. Placing her finger over her lips in a shushing motion, she waved them to follow them out of the room. After dressing, Callie had worked her way back to Carl's room, finding Ben and Gracie settled on the bed and Lori standing near the door.

"They were askin' about Jenna," Lori had said quietly, her eyes slowly lifting to Callie. She then settled a warm hand on Callie's shoulder, squeezing just a bit. Callie looked at Lori's small comforting smile in a strange bit of awe. "I wasn't sure," Lori said before she took a breath and let her hand fall. "I figured you'd want to—"

Lori had left the statement hang there, and Callie had simply nodded watching Lori exit the room. Callie had then stared at the kids on the bed for what felt like hours before she moved towards that chair. She'd wrestled with words, the slight muttering and laughter of the boys ebbing away to silence that clung to the air around them.

"Is Jenna dead?" Carl asked and Callie's eyes slipped up to his pale face. She stared into his eyes and he stared back, his straightforward gaze so much like his father's that it startled her for a moment. Callie's gaze shifted to Ben and Gracie and she nodded her head once, letting her eyes slide back to Carl. Knowing there was more to that heated stare. "Really dead or-?"

Callie simply stared, not really wanting to say out loud that Jenna wasn't _really_ dead; that she was out there, walking the woods. After a few seconds Carl's head began to nod, a small amount of unshed tears shining in his eyes. The sounds of Ben and Gracie sniffling at the foot of the bed had caused both of them to break eye contact.

"I didn't get to say good-bye," Ben said idly pulling at the frayed straps of his backpack. Callie reached out then and tapped on his backpack, gaining his attention. His eyes lifted and she smiled.

"We don't say good bye to the people we love," Callie said quietly. "We remember them and we carry them with us always." She tapped his backpack again and he smiled just a bit. "Right?" Ben's head nodded, and Gracie shifted closer to her brother. Callie's eyes had slipped back to Carl who was watching her with a steady assessing gaze. She took in a breath and settled back into the chair smiling at all the kids. "Carl, did you ever hear the story of how we found Jenna, Mike and Nina?"

And that was that, the sadness had ebbed away. Not left, but pushed back a bit, as the good memories of times spent with the girl overshadowed it for a time. Callie had told the story, leaving out the bits that had given her nightmares at the time, and let the kids begin to grieve.

"Can I have a word?" Rick's voice cut into Callie's memories of earlier that morning and she shifted her eyes from the bed to him. He raised a brow at her and she nodded. "Ben," Rick called out catching the boy's attention. "Y'all be sure to take it easy there. Not too long in here, a'right? I'm leavin' you in charge of things."

"Hey!" Carl protested, earning a smile from Rick.

"When you're up on your feet, you can be in charge," Rick wagged a finger on his son. "But till then," he flattened his palm up towards the ceiling and shrugged. Carl pouted and Ben beamed making Callie chuckle and shake her head as she left the room with Rick.

They made their way towards the door, Callie leading the way and shifting a look over her shoulder to him as they ventured out into the brisk morning beyond the shelter of the house. Rick squinted and shielded his eyes as he followed Callie's sock muffled steps onto the porch. She slipped forward letting her gaze slide over the rolling hills of the farmland, and their little camp area scattered about near the lane.

"What time is it?" Rick asked his voice still scratchy from his deep sleep. Callie shifted and spared him a slightly humored glance before slipping her eyes to the watch on his wrist. He chuckled and lifted it, shaking his hand a few times. "Broken," he said simply staring at the face with a sad little smile.

"It's probably a little after eight," Callie said, watching Rick continue to stare at his broken watch for a few seconds more. He lifted his eyes to her and then out to towards camp. Callie crossed her arms over her chest and let her eyes slide around the groups of people slowly milling about in the brisk morning air. Wiggling her sock clad toes she frowned a bit when she didn't find that shoe stealin' redneck bastard anywhere.

"Have you talked to Hershel this morning?" Rick asked quietly, and Callie's eyes shifted to him. His gaze was still out on the RV, and she followed it. Lori was standing with Carol and Andrea, a bundle of clothes no doubt the ones she'd left to get for Carl settled in her arms.

"No," Callie said quietly, her eyes shifting back to watch Rick as he stared at his wife. "I think its best we give him a bit of breathin' room right now. Don't you?"

"He had offered before to take me up and get me a good lay of the land before," Rick started, his hand running through his hair before he shifted a look to her. "I'm guessin' that's probably off the table now."

"Let's just let him come to us," Callie said quietly, her eyes skipping over the farm. "He's got a lot to deal with right now. And I don't think us hounding him is the way to stay on his good side." Rick's head dipped to his chest as he nodded his agreement, but his eyes stayed on Lori working her way through the campsite. Callie sighed and shifted so that her hip was settled along the railing. A part of her wondered if the man had even heard a word she said. Another sigh left her lips as Rick's head continued to nod idly and she rolled her eyes. "You talked to her yet?"

"Hmm?" Rick's humming response of feigned ignorance had Callie cracking a wide grin as he lifted a brow at her. She shook her head and then wagged a finger at him which had him smiling just a bit.

"Don't 'hmmm' me. You know exactly what I'm talking about, Rick." Callie shifted her eyes to where Lori was now working towards Glenn. "So?"

"We haven't really had a chance," Rick said idly and Callie let out a 'pffft' that he sighed at. "What?"

"Y'all have been holed up in that room with Carl for days," Callie said smirking at him and he grimaced. "What's wrong?"

"She's-" Rick let out a breath and pinched at the bridge of his nose. "She's changed." Callie lifted a brow at him and turned to face him fully, catching his eyes.

"Haven't we all?" Callie said idly, her hand slipping down to tap at the gun settled in the front of her loose fit jeans. "Not to crush any fantasies you may have had 'bout me, Rick. But I wasn't a gun toting bad-ass back in Georgetown." Rick chuckled and lifted a brow, and she waved off the 'oh really' look he was giving her. "We've all changed, Rick. We had to."

"She pretends she hasn't though," Rick said quietly, his eyes shifting back to Lori speaking with Glenn. She looked like she was handing the kid something, no doubt the list of supplies he'd asked her to make up. "She used to fight with me."

"You miss fighting with your wife?" Callie said a bit incredulously and he shifted a glance to her. "Why Rick, I never pegged you for the type. Kinky." Rick shook his head and listened to Callie let out a bark of laughter as she tried to wave off her last statement. "What do you want her to fight with you about?"

"Anything," Rick said in an exasperated tone waving a hand at the world around them. "Lori always challenged me. Always. She constantly made me _prove_ I was right. Made me argue my points." Callie watched him smile a bit as he got lost in memories of a life long gone. "It's what made me fall in love with her." He looked at Callie and smiled. "Because it wasn't really arguing," he furrowed his brow a bit and Callie shifted on her feet. "Not at first. Not until later." He shook his head. "After a while it became less about debating the best course of action and more arguing over every little detail. I honestly got to the point where I just couldn't do it anymore. I lost the will to argue, lost the will to want to prove myself. Lost the will to fight. That's where we were before I got shot."

Callie stepped a bit closer to Rick and he shifted his attention to her for a fleeting moment before returning it to his wife's form.

"But now," Rick said quietly watching Lori move around the camp area. "Her guilt's gettin' the better of her." Callie bit at her lip and watched Rick slide a knowing glance over his shoulder at her. He didn't say anything, didn't need to. They both knew exactly what he was talking about. A second later he slid his attention back to Lori and continued. "She's so keen to prove to me that she's with me. Workin' so hard to make me see that she's got my back no matter what. That she loves me," Rick shook his head and turned to Callie with a wide-eyed stare. "Now, any time I make a decision she's always the first to back me. No questions asked. No reservations, at least none that she voices for long. There might be one moment of questioning on her part, but then it's followed by nothin' but blind faith. And now, God especially now, I need her to-" Callie lifted a brow at him a smirk tilting one side of her lips, making him sigh. "I'm making decisions for more than just me, her and Carl now. In times like this, a man needs to have someone at his side that will challenge him. That will make him prove that what he's sayin' is the best way."

"So you don't talk to her," Callie said lifting a hand to him and waving it around. "Because she supports you," Rick gave an exasperated sigh and Callie held up a finger stopping him from saying anything. "And you need her to fight you on everything, and pretty much be a contestable bitch 'bout everything. So that when you make a decision, you're more confident in it because you've had to _prove your point to her_?" She made the last part a question because she wasn't absolutely positive she was following where the man's mind was leading.

"Yes," Rick said quickly, in that way that made Callie think he was really saying 'By jove I think she's got it', and had her chuckling. "I need her to be like you," He finished nodding his head and pointing a finger at her. Callie began laughing, her head shaking just a bit as she smacked Rick on the back of his shoulder.

"'Cause I like you," she said watching his eyes skip to hers. "I'm gonna let that backhanded way you just kinda called me a bitch slide." Rick groaned a bit and shook his head at her and Callie settled her hand to his arm. "I get it. Really. And I'm sure that you can get it back to that," Callie said squeezing his arm. "But it ain't gonna happen if you both keep skirtin' around the issue that's making her act that way. Time to man-up or shut up, Rick. 'Cause if you think it's eating away at you, imagine what it's doing to her."

Rick stared at Callie for a long moment, his blue eyes boring holes into her. His jaw clenched tight a few seconds later and he shifted his attention back out towards the RV. Rick watched as Lori stepped up behind Danny, both of them watching as Shane, Andrea and Carol headed down towards the highway. Rick sighed and Callie squeezed his arm again before letting her hand slide off of him. He turned to see her facing the other way, his eyes following hers towards the sun on the horizon, and a distinct crossbow wielding silhouette settled upon a horse. Callie lifted a hand, a fleeting sort of wave to Daryl. Rick watched in awe, as despite the distance the man returned the gesture almost immediately. Callie's hand fell, and her eyes staying on Daryl for a moment longer before they slipped to her sock-clad feet.

"Speakin' of contestable sum'bitches," Callie muttered, before slipping humored eyes up to him. "I think it's about time we probably clued Shane in on what you're planning to ask Hershel."

"Yeah," Rick said with a sigh, his eyes again slipping to the retreating form of Shane.

"There's a very good chance that Hershel's not gonna change his mind, Rick. Especially not after-"Callie waved a hand and Rick slid his eyes back to her. "We need to discuss all the possible choices. Even the ones you don't like." Rick lifted a brow and she poked him in the back. "But I don't need to be tellin' you that now do I?"

"No you do not," Rick said in a slightly amused matter-of-fact way that had Callie laughing again. "But I'd rather have a bit more ammunition ready before we enter into that battle."

"Shane's a formidable opponent," Callie said nodding her right hand idly rubbing at her left. Rick raised a brow and opened his mouth but she lifted her hand and stopped him. "I know he didn't mean it," Callie said quickly. "We were both in the wrong. I'm not holding any grudges."

"Think you can get Daryl to see things that way," Rick asked raising a brow.

"Do I look like fucking Jesus?" Callie said raising a brow back and causing Rick to bark out a laugh as he shook his head. "Like asking me to heal lepers, turn water into wine, or make a blind man see. Shit, Rick." Rick shook his head again and raised an appeasing hand.

"A'right, a'right, I get it," Rick said closing his eyes for a moment and letting the chuckle rumble out from deep in his chest. This woman. God, where was she years ago. "You have a chance to look at the maps?" Callie nodded and tossed a thumb towards the RV.

"Yeah, Glenn did some recon with Maggie," Callie said lifting a humored brow at Rick. "I had Ben bring them in when he went to get his backpack. They're in the living room."

"Well, let's take a look," Rick said turning to follow Callie inside, his eyes shifting over his shoulder to the moving black specs that were Shane, Andrea and Carol on the road. "Looks like we got a bit of time before we have to enter the fray."

"Oh goodie," Callie said sarcastically as she pulled the screen door open. Rick grabbed the door and shooed her inside, letting his eyes slide back towards Lori. She was lingering by Danny's side, her eyes fixed to the three retreating figures that could barely be seen now, while Danny was searching the area behind them. Looking for something, or someone. Miles was sauntering up from down near the stables, but Danny barely gave the kid a wave as Miles made his way over to sit by Glenn and T-Dog. Rick watched the other man with an interest as he continued to stare off into the distant forest area behind the house. "Rick?" Callie's voice caught his attention and had him turning to face the woman waiting for him. "Everything alright out there?"

"Yeah," Rick said furrowing his brow a bit as he slid inside the house. "Yeah," he gave her a smile that she raised a disbelieving brow at. "It's fine. Just," he looked back over his shoulder towards the door. "Never mind. Let's go take a look at those maps."

Callie's eyes shifted over his a few times, searching for what was really bothering him, but Rick waved her off. She shook her head at him and continued on. Her voice as she spoke of the small farms surrounding them that Glenn and Maggie had marked off for her, settled far off in his mind. He felt himself nodding as she spoke, but his mind remained back outside. On Danny and his searching. He didn't even know what was bothering him about the way Danny was looking around. It was just a feeling, settled deep in the pit of his stomach.

Something that had him wondering if maybe he should have gone out to ask about it.

_Same ole rain_

_On my roof tonight_

_Same ole feeling_

_Something just ain't right_

_Lord you know _

_I could use_

_Some new blues,_

_~New Blues / Kate Campbell_

_AN: Well, there we go… I'm hard at work on the next chapter, and yeah….we're gonna be jumpin around a bit in this morning area again. Don't worry, when we get to the MEAT of the Daryl goodness that is Chupacabra it's gonna be a nice focus. Stay with me! Method to the madness I swear!_

_I'm not sure if y'all are interested or not, but I am actually working on the prequel for this story-which will be mainly Callie and Danny's journey with the misfits…but it will include the Dixon brother's journey to the Quarry as well. And the whole story of Daryl, Merle, Annie and David. I feel I've built this mythos for MY Daryl and MY Merle that really needs to be told. I'm hoping to start pulling that together once I get my head wrapped around this one. So there's that. _

_A'right, that's it. I'm done. Brain 'sploded. _

_See ya next chapter!_


	31. Steady As She Goes

**New Meanings to Old Words: Love**

_Alright, so we're picking up in this chapter in that same lovely morning as last chapter. We're gonna check in with Danny and get a clue as to his odd behavior that had Rick all shades of interested. A good bit of filler with an little Oooomf at the end. All the while, new relationships are forged, a few are begin to unravel, and one man's 'bout to start a journey he never wanted to take. _

_Should be some interesting shit, huh?_

_As always read, review and most of all just sit back and enjoy the ride!_

_~michelle_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Steady As She Goes**

Danny watched as Daryl pushed and shoved at Miles, moving them swiftly towards the stables. A small smile worked its way onto his lips at the sight, but a bucket of ice cold water was tossed onto any vestiges of that warm feeling the second his eyes drifted down towards his feet. And the man he'd been watching quietly since he'd gotten his broken ass up to the top of the RV.

Shane had pushed to his feet now, his hands wiping along his thighs and then his backside dislodging some fuckin' imaginary dirt. The former deputy's eyes were still fixed on the stable, more specifically on Miles as the kid disappeared inside with Daryl at his back. And from his position above Shane, Danny felt the almost overwhelming urge to spit right down on the fuckers newly shaved head.

He was workin' the spit in his mouth, eyeing that head and its little baby scratch on top. Perfect spot.

Shane was dusting his hands off his apparently perpetually fuckin' dirty hands now, slapping them together almost angrily as his eyes finally slid away from that stable. His shaved head turned to the left, and Danny watched his shoulders hitch up slightly as he caught sight of his next target.

Lori was working with Carol, both of the women hanging up the wet clothes they'd washed earlier.

Fuck. Earlier.

Danny spat off the edge of the RV at the spot that Shane stood before, and rubbed his hand down his face and scratched at his bearded cheeks. It was only like eight in the morning now. Danny didn't want to think that there had been an 'earlier'.

But there had.

No one on this farm had fuckin' slept. Well, no one except the completely exhausted duo that had finally conked out on the couch in the Greene's living room. Both still clothed, and lookin' all shades of cute snuggled up on the couch. Fuck, that whole scene had been so ridiculously adorable that he wished he'd been able to capture on film.

Daryl, who he'd relieved from 'Miles watch' after hearing that Callie and Rick were done 'talkin' to Hershel-Fuck, Danny rubbed at his temple slightly. That was a whole different headache brewing behind his eyes.- Daryl, that tough sum'bitch was asleep, or rather 'fuckin' restin' his eyes for a minute' in the chair next to the couch. His long legs were stretched out in front of him; his body slumped down low in the chair so that his head was settled in a painful way against the back of the horribly upholstered chair, his chin pressed down into his chest. The man's dirty bare arms had been crossed over his chest, hands dug in under his armpits for heat, while his dirty boots were settled under the coffee table in front of him. The way he had been sitting, Danny knew the man probably wanted to have those feet propped up on that nice table right in front of him. But respect for another man's belongings apparently outweighed Daryl's need for comfort. As it was, he left a good smudge of mud and grime on the carpet under the table with those fuckin' boots of his, so Danny figured Daryl's respect only went so far.

Danny chuckled thinking about the snort and wild-eyes that had met him when he flicked the side of Daryl's head to wake him up. The heated glare and half-hearted shove that Danny had got when Daryl pushed to his feet. There had been a silent conversation between them when their eyes met, before they both bent to the task of removin' Callie's boots from her feet. They settled her legs up on the couch beside her and resituated the blanket around both her and Rick when they tipped to the side.

Neither of the two sleepin' beauties even fuckin' twitched when Rick fell hard against that couch's stiff arm, and both Danny and Daryl had shaken their heads in wonder.

Daryl had slung Callie's boots over his shoulder and given Danny a look when he mentioned possibly moving Callie back to their tent. A valiant effort on his part to save her the sore neck and back she was no doubt gonna have from the awkward sleeping position.

"Let her deal with it," Daryl spat back, his eyes softer than his words when he'd looked down at the top of Callie's sleeping head from the other side of the couch. "The pain in my ass and headache she's been givin' me lately, girl fuckin' deserves it." Danny had chuckled as he waved a hand dismissively at the man, knowing full well that Daryl would save Callie from any pain he could if given even half the chance. Daryl had grunted and eyed Danny with a half-snarling glare before giving a single nod and leaving.

Danny remembered staring at the spot that the redneck had stood in for a long moment. A fleeting sense of happiness filtering through him at knowing that no matter what happened, Daryl would be there for Callie.

And then Danny had fallen into the chair that Daryl had vacated, and bein' the fuck that he was, he slammed the dirty Converse sneaker on his bum left leg up on top of that pretty little coffee table. He then proceeded to have a starin' match with that table.

That fuckin' table.

The same one he'd spotted Shane sitting on, just starin' at Callie and Rick while they slept. Danny had kept back, watching Shane put the blankets on Rick and Callie. Watching his eyes narrow just a bit and his hands stay settled on that blanket at Rick's neck for a bit longer than Danny was really comfortable with.

He'd watched Shane sit there for what felt like hours, staring at Rick and Callie. Staring at them with that same craziness hiding just at the edges of those dark eyes. That same bit of edge that had been brewin' in those eyes since Rick had sauntered back into the world of the living and dashed the idyllic world he'd created for himself with Lori and Carl at the Quarry. That same bit of edge that he'd been starin' at Callie with since she first started settling into place as Rick's obvious right hand.

That same bit of edge he'd been starin' after Miles with since they got back from that FEMA station.

Which brought Danny full circle, and had his eyes sliding from his shoes at the edge of the RV to follow Shane's form as he now walked away from Lori and Carol and off towards his jeep. Shaking his head and raking his fingers through his hair, Danny shifted his gaze back down to the ground. A tiny bit of vertigo mixed with his own exhaustion causing the ground to seemingly shoot up towards him rapidly and then descend at an equally maddening pace.

"You're not thinking of jumping are you?" Dale's voice woke Danny from his battle with the strangely moving ground and had his eyes sliding over to the older man. Dale gave a half-hearted smile that couldn't overshadow the worry that was etched into his face as he lifted a single inquiring brow at him.

Before Danny could utter a response a voice sounded from below.

"No Danny," T-Dog's deadpan voice echoed up, the two words said slowly as he passed directly below Danny. The inflection and tone instantly bringing a smile back onto Danny's lips as he watched the man walk under him. "Don't jump. Please don't." T-Dog continued with his comedic styling by rolling his eyes heavenward and workin' that deadpan voice of his to no end. "What would we do without you?"

"Fuck you T," Danny said as the black man chuckled and looked up as he made his way towards the breakfast area they had set up. Danny pointed a finger at the retreating man's back, earning a chuckle in response. "Should jump down right on your ass. Teach you a lesson."

Danny shook his head and smiled at the bark of laughter that T-Dog let out, but his euphoria died down quickly. His eyes slid towards the back of the house. A figure, a tall and lean silhouette against the backdrop of the forest beyond slipped into view. Danny's eyes narrowed a bit, as he watched that figure, that figure that had to be Jimmy because there just wasn't anyone else it could have been. Danny's foot slid a bit on the RV, but his movement stopped as Dale came up and put a hand to his shoulder. Danny shifted his eyes over his shoulder.

"You alright, Danny?" Dale asked eyeing him in that way that Dale did. That way that Danny both hated and loved at the same time. Danny began to nod and Dale just shook his head, his eyes shooting over to where Shane was standing. "You want to share anything?"

"Nah," Danny said waving a hand. "Honestly, it's just been a long fuckin' couple of days, Dale." Dale nodded and watched Danny slowly and painfully limp towards the ladder. Danny slid his gaze down the length of it and was met with the raised brow of Andrea staring up at him from the bottom as she exited the RV. "Hey there," Danny said with a smile that wasn't returned.

"You're not seriously going to jump are you?" Andrea shot back at him, that perfectly shaped thin brow of hers raising at him a bit further.

"Y'all think I'm an idiot, don't ya?" Danny shot back snidely shaking his head at the woman as she walked off. And it irked Danny more than he felt comfortable with that the woman was walkin' towards where Shane was stalking about at his Jeep.

Irked him because he'd seen her trailin' after the fucker with her eyes. Having odd secretive conversations with him. Conversations he'd half heard, about leaving, about splitting from the group. Conversations that he was utterly and completely pissed at her for having at all, let alone with Shane of all people.

Irked him because since they'd arrived at the farm, the woman hadn't even so much as looked at him let alone had a fuckin' conversation with him.

Irked him because it had hit him like a ton of bricks when he finally figured out that whatever had happened between them in the RV hadn't meant a damn thing to her. Irked him because he'd been hoping-.

Irked him that even though she was makin' it damn clear that she wasn't his problem, he couldn't seem to help but feel like she was.

"If the shoe fits," Andrea said waving a hand over her shoulder as she walked away.

Danny slipped down to his butt as fast as he could and let out a loud string of curses as he slipped over the edge and put his good right leg to the furthest rung he could reach. He could hear Dale hissing in empathy for him and telling him to slow down and take it easy, but the words just weren't registering. The stitches in Danny's side pulled and that made him almost yell the word "Hey!"at her. His foot slipped off the rung and down to another and he groaned closing his eyes just as Andrea turned.

Andrea stood glaring at him, her eyes shifting about obviously rankled that his little outburst had garnered a bit more attention to them than she would like. Honestly, fuck what she liked at this point. He shook his head as she took one step closer, watching him as he made his quick and painful way down the ladder. He came down hard on his right leg at the end of the ladder, and heard Dale above him asking if he was alright. Danny waved off Dale's concern and lifted his eyes and a finger at the still staring blonde not far off.

"I want to talk to you," Danny said limping forward towards her.

"Where's your crutch?" Andrea said ignoring him and looking around. She spotted the infernal thing settled against the RV and grabbed for it just as he got close enough to touch her arm. She slipped from his fingers and instead replaced her arm with the fuckin' aluminum stick that he was beginning to hate. He glared at her as she lifted a brow. "Use it, before you fall on your face."

"Gee, mom, thanks for the vote of confidence," Danny snapped back shaking his head. "I can't keep depending on this fuckin' thing." He lifted it and shook it at her once before tossing it aside. He grimaced at the look on her face and ran a hand down his face. "What the hell is this Andrea?"

"What?" Andrea said shrugging and turning away. Danny moved forward, pushing past the pain, and grabbed on to her arm. Pulling her around the RV, out of the view of the rest of the group that had taken a very obvious interest in the conversation playing out between them. He tipped his eyes up to Dale who raised both hands and moved towards the other end of the RV giving Danny a bit of privacy that he didn't even have to ask for.

Danny settled Andrea against the RV and she smacked hard at his hand until he let go. She moved to go past him and he stepped into her path. She glared and he raised a brow.

"Don't," Danny said raising a finger at her. "You know I don't have any qualms 'bout makin' an ass outta myself followin' you wherever the fuck you're tryin' to go, Andrea. And you know I ain't about to let this slide," Danny lowered his hand and settled it to his hip, his eyes settled on Andrea's scowling face. "So just don't."

Andrea let out a huff of a breath and tossed her hair around, her head shifting so that she was glaring towards the line of cars. But Danny could see the figure in the distance that she was pretending not to be looking at. He stared at her for a long time, apparently the heat of it finally getting the better of her. She swung an annoyed glance back at him. They stared at each other for a few seconds before Danny finally broke down.

"Are you alright?" Danny asked quietly, the question apparently taking the blonde lawyer off guard. Confusion marred her brow for a moment, and Danny couldn't help but smile. She opened her mouth in an effort to speak but then snapped it shut again. She was at a loss for words, and he found himself shaking his head. "Look, Jenna's hitting us all hard," Danny started and Andrea was immediately shaking her head and trying to push past him hard. "Fuck woman!"

Her hands were on his chest pushing him and he was grabbing at her wrists to get her to stop. He tried to slip his eyes to hers a million times; tried to catch her gaze as she shook her head angrily at him. She'd reached a point of anger with this whole thing, a point he well understood. But unlike Andrea, Danny knew how to talk about what he was feelin' without letting that anger fester.

He didn't do it well, and could only do it with a few select people. None of which were Andrea, a fact that had surprised him more than he wanted to admit last night. Glenn and Dale had sat with him for a good while last night after Callie and Rick got back just listening to him work through his pain. Listening and offering a silent sort of support that he could always count on from them, until he got to the point where he could breathe again without that pain piercing his entire body.

But Andrea, she didn't talk. She held it in. Let it consume her. Let it change her. Let it build and build deep inside of her, thinking she was doing herself a favor by trying to bury it.

"Don't," Andrea said pushing hard at him again. When he didn't let go of her wrists she just began hitting him. "Don't. Let me go, Danny."

"You need to talk to someone," Danny said pulling harshly at her arms and then pushing her back against the RV. "You need to. You never talked to anyone about Amy, and now with Jenna-" he let out a long sigh and stared into her eyes moving closer and pulling her towards him. "You need to talk to someone."

"Like you do?" Andrea spat back angrily. "Like you talk to people? Huh?" Andrea pushed at him and he felt his eyes going wide. "You lost your wife. Ex or not, you shot her dead." Danny flinched back and dropped her hands, the words hitting him like a slap to the face. "Your son's still out there somewhere, probably dead. And you just lost another kid to all this," Andrea waved her hand around and Danny stepped back, his jaw clenching tight against everything she was saying.

Andrea stared at Danny, her hard blue eyes shining with unshed tears. It was obvious that she realized she stepped over a line, but she was too damned stubborn to ever admit it. And honestly Danny was too damn good at gettin' over shit at this point to let her pull him down.

"Just 'cause I don't talk to you, honey, doesn't mean I haven't talked to others 'bout it." Danny shot back, letting his tone roll into her like the bulldozer he knew it was. He saw her recoil just a bit, and didn't feel bad when she took in a slow shuddering breath. "Ask Dale and Rick 'bout our time buryin' Leslie. Ask Callie 'bout it. Ask her, Daryl, Dale or Rick 'bout Jake," He shook a finger at her and let the disgust ride on his face as he sneered at her. "That was a low blow, by the way. _Real_ fuckin' low." She tilted her head and looked cowed for a moment but maintained that stubborn tilt to her chin as he shook his head. "Ask Glenn 'bout Jenna. Go ahead." He waved his hand around.

Danny stared hard at Andrea, watching her heavy rapid breathing start to settle. Watched as the world apparently crashed down around the both of them. Danny closed his eyes and stepped forward again, his hand lifting and pressing into her cheek, because he just couldn't fuckin' help himself. She flinched back, but he shook his head and held firm.

"I'm not askin' you to talk to me," Danny said quietly watching her blue eyes slide over his. Honestly amazed at just how far they'd fallen from one another in so short a time.

"I've talked to someone," Andrea said quietly and Danny felt the snarl lift his lips. His head was shaking as he stepped back away from her, finally letting her go.

"Yeah, but y'all ain't talkin' 'bout what you should be, are ya?" Danny muttered his head still shaking as she stared at him. The confusion marring her face was slowly becoming over run by her anger and Danny let out a stilted sort of laugh. Raking his hands through his hair he shook his head. "The fuck is wrong with me? You got this shit all figured out right. I made you leave the CDC. Made it so you had to suffer this, right? Comeuppance," Danny tossed his hands up in the air and Andrea clenched her jaw.

"Hey," Shane's voice cut through Danny's brain and had him letting out a bit of a stilted laugh. Andrea's eyes shifted over Danny's shoulder towards Shane. Danny shook his head a bit before turning around, catching Shane's quietly assessing eyes shift between them. "You two good?"

"Peachy, officer," Danny said shifting away and looking at Andrea quickly. He lifted a brow at her and extended an arm for her. "Your chariot," Danny muttered to her before starting to limp around the RV and head towards the breakfast area.

He stopped short at the sight of Carol standing in his way, her kind eyes shifting over his and a small smile tipping her lips. His eyes lifted to see Lori heading his way and he shook his head at the feel of Dale's eyes on him from above. Apparently his private conversation hadn't been fuckin' private at all.

"We're headin' to the highway," Shane's voice cut into Danny's retreat and had him turning towards the man. Shane's smilin' eyes caught his and Danny glared at him. "Me, Carol and Andrea," he said clarifying as if Danny really gave two shits at this point.

"We're going to check the supplies," Andrea cut in, her eyes settling on Danny's in an almost apologetic manner. "Check to see if Sophia maybe doubled-back found her way there." Danny nodded slipping a hand up to Carol's shoulder and giving her a reassuring smile.

"You should come," Shane said quietly. An amused tone to his voice as he kicked at the ground trying to look sheepish but not really foolin' anyone. Danny shifted his eyes to Shane and stared hard at him. "You know," Shane continued. "Give that leg of yours some exercise. Get you back into fightin' shape. Gonna need to get there sooner or later, huh?" Danny smiled back at Shane and shook his head a few times, his eyes slipping to Andrea for a brief minute and holding. She looked angry and lost and just ready to bolt, and he was honestly gettin' a bit tired of tryin' so damn hard to stop her. Shane nodded his head and shifted his gaze back to Andrea and then Carol. "Well, let's go ladies," Shane said on a sigh letting his eyes slip off of Danny as he turned away. "Day light's wastin'."

"We won't be too long," Carol said to Danny and the newly arrived Lori at his back. "I just need to be sure," Carol said quietly and Danny nodded at her, shooing her away.

"Be careful," Danny said to Carol and Carol nodded before following behind the now retreating forms of Andrea and Shane. Danny watched them go, his hand lifting slowly to rub at the bridge of his nose.

"Everything, alright?" Lori asked from his back and Danny shifted to her, his eyes wide.

"Fuck no, Lori," Danny said almost as exhausted with hearing that question as he was with this fuckin' world at large. His eyes slipped past her to their little breakfast area and he started to trudge along towards it. He felt Lori at his back and he let out a breath, wishing he hadn't let Callie be such a good fuckin' influence on him. Because all he wanted to do right now was rail out at someone or something and be alone with his anger. His embarrassment at obviously reading a situation so fuckin' wrong.

But instead, as soon as they were out of earshot of the RV he turned to face Lori and let out a long sigh. "You okay?" he asked, causing Lori's eyes to lift to him in a bit of confusion. He stepped closer and caught her gaze. Knowing that his pain and problems were pretty much a couple pebbles compared to her mountains right now."You feelin' okay?"

Lori's eyes widened, and he just stared at her for a minute, waiting for his words to settle over her. Then her breath left her in an almost painful rush and she was shaking her head a bit, before she was nodding. Her hands rested on her slim hips and Danny slipped his gaze back towards the house. The figures of Rick and Callie easily disenable on the porch.

"I took your advice," Lori said quietly, her head bobbing closer to his. "Glenn's going to look for one in town." Danny nodded and put a hand to her arm, offering as much comfort as he could without drawing attention to them. "I just can't take that madman's word for it, Danny. If I'm going to tell him I need-"

"I know," Danny said squeezing Lori's arm and giving her a smile. "I know. No matter what, it's gonna be okay, Lori. No matter what," Danny squeezed again and she let out a huff of a breath. Danny's eyes slipped up from her and towards the house, but instead of catching on Rick and Callie he again spotted that lean silhouette against the backdrop of the forest.

Again Danny's eyes narrowed, his hand falling from Lori's arm. She was saying something to him, something about Jenna, and her being so sorry and he felt his head nodding. But he wasn't really paying her any mind. Jimmy was walking near that barn, the one out building that no one had gone near. Respect for a man's land and his boundaries keeping them to their specified area. Danny shifted a bit, his eyes watching the figure of the boy as he disappeared into the forest area beyond.

"Danny?" Lori's voice caught his attention and had him slipping his gaze to her. She stared at him with unabashed worry and he tilted his head. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Danny said shaking his head and lifting his hand to squeeze Lori's thin arm. He shot her a grin and hooked his arm in hers. "I'm fine," he pulled her along with him, using her to keep him from losing his footing. "Let's get you something to eat, huh? Gotta eat, woman." He pulled her along and whispered at her. "Pregnant or not."

Lori nodded her head idly, her eyes slipping towards the house. Danny's gaze flitted back to that barn, and the spot in the forest where Jimmy had disappeared. His fuckin' spidey-sense was tingling, but he knew that in his half-healed state he wasn't gonna be able to find where that boy went. Danny felt himself snarling at the thought, knowing that he wasn't going to rest a second until he knew where the fuck that boy had gone this time.

* * *

"I'm a bit of a loner," Glenn heard himself saying and instantly his eyes widened before his brow furrowed. What the _hell_ was he talking about now? Luckily Maggie was doing her best to just ignore his presence, because for the last twenty or so minutes that they'd been riding he'd been doing a bang up job of sounding like an utter and complete douche bag.

He could almost hear Danny in his ear.

"_Way to get on the girl's good side there, G-man. Lyin' through your teeth. Sure fire way to a lastin' fuckin' relationship man." _

The words in his head were even followed by a huge grin from the man and two sarcastic thumbs way up. Glenn groaned a bit and rolled his eyes heavenward for a moment.

"Ya don't really strike me as the loner type," Maggie shot back, causing his eyes to immediately shoot back from the sky where he'd been working to use the sun to possibly fry his brain the rest of the way. Glenn's gaze slipped to her face, his eyes blinked a few times to try and get rid of the large white spec of light that had taken up residence over her face in his field of vision.

"Well," Glenn stuttered out his shoulders lifting just a bit as he readjusted his grip on the reigns of the horse. He looked down at the horse for a second, marveling yet again at the fact that his city-boy ass was settled on top of the hulking beast, and then looked up to Maggie's expectant eyes. "I'm not really a loner," he furrowed his brow and shifted in the saddle again. "I mean I'm alone. In as much as I don't have any family or anything here. And lonely, I guess-"

"You're a bit on the gabby-side for a _loner_," Maggie said lifting a brow at him and he let out a sigh and felt his shoulders sag just a bit. She smirked a bit at him and he worked a hand behind his head knocking his ball cap a bit askew.

She had a point there. He was a talker. But only when he was _really_ nervous. Which for some reason he was when he found himself alone with Maggie. He' been talking pretty much since they'd left the farm, and only now was he realizing that he probably sounded like a complete idiot.

"Loner was probably the wrong word," Glenn said in return, his eyes catching her humored ones. He felt the blush rise in his cheeks and he looked away. "I'm more of the 'go to guy' for things." She let out a bit of a huff that he suspected was a laugh and he shook his head at her. "No really. When they need something done, need someone to go to town. Fly into Walker country and come out sparkling clean. I'm their man. Just like that Walker in the well-"

And just like that Glenn's mouth snapped shut, his eyes catching the instant stiffening of Maggie's shoulders as the words tumbled out of his mouth. Suddenly a vision of Danny, his two thumbs up and a big ass grin on his face as he mouthed the words 'smooth G-man' at him worked its way into his brain. Glenn found himself instantly wishing hateful things on the man, but shook them off as memories of that Walker in the well assaulted him.

The image of Danny, dangling the upper half of his body down the well in an effort to steady the rope and pull Glenn away from the reaching hands of that bloated geek. The worried expression that had flown on to the man's face as he used whatever strength he had to pull at that rope with T-Dog and the rest. The pain that had marred Danny's face when he struggled to get to his feet and away from the well. The blood that had soaked through his shirt at the site of the wound on his midsection that had been torn open when he slipped over the edge of that well.

Danny may have been a jackass, but he was still his friend. No matter what, Glenn could always trust Danny to have his back. So that image of Danny mouthing the words 'smooth G-man' when Maggie had stormed away from that well, while taunting and annoying was a memory that was probably very fitting for this particular moment.

Glenn had seen the way Maggie reacted to T-Dog smashing that Walker's head in. Watched her eyes take on this shock that Glenn just didn't think was possible for someone to have anymore. Not after how long they'd been living in this horror-movie come to life. But he'd seen it, watched the color drain from her face, and then watched as she looked at him like he'd just assisted in some heinous crime.

Glenn hadn't really known what to think of the girl's reaction. And honestly, he'd kind of figured she was going to just forget about taking him with her into town. Which she had tried to pull, but he'd pressed that it was safer for them to go together.

Which was completely true, in a way. Safety in numbers and all. But truthfully, he figured that the girl was well equipped in handling herself on a run. A fact that she'd thrown back into his face when he'd approached her after the whole well-Walker incident. And he knew, from very good experience, that having a tag-along, especially someone who didn't know the lay of the land, could get you killed.

He'd been about to let her go on her own. Really, he had. He'd been shuffling on his feet under her glare, and had been about to back away. But then he'd looked up at her, actually met those heated eyes of hers and saw something behind that glare. Something he really hadn't been expecting.

Fear.

She was scared. Whether it was from the close call they'd just had, or something else he didn't know. But Glenn knew what fear looked like. Knew it like the back of his hand. She was scared. And that sort of thing got you killed pretty quickly too if you let it. So at that point Glenn had awkwardly mounted the horse she'd originally saddled for him, and gave her a shrug.

"My group needs me to pick up some things," Glenn had said when she raised a brow at him. "And it doesn't really make sense for us to be going to the same place and not traveling together. So…"

"What if I don't want you to come?" Maggie said back to him. Her lips twitched a bit as he struggled to keep the horse under control and he shot her a look.

"Guess you're gonna have to make me stay then," Glenn said in a matter-of-fact tone. And honestly, he kinda wished Danny had been there to hear him say it. Maggie's reaction and all. God, especially Maggie's reaction. She stared at him for a long minute, a slight tinge of pink staining her cheeks before she nodded her head once and expertly maneuvered her horse off into a trot.

Glenn had felt really good about himself in that moment. His chin was lifted, his shoulders square and he was just sitting there nodding to himself a bit as he watched her trot off. Then he'd tried to get the horse to move and follow her and his confidence had dwindled a bit when the thing just stayed where it was eating grass like he wasn't even on top of it. Maggie had shot a look over her shoulder and his eyes had snapped up to her as she trotted back towards him. She grabbed up his reigns in her hands and gave a clicking sound with her mouth that just magically made the damn horse move.

Glenn looked over his shoulder at that point, and spotted Danny settled on the top of the RV lifting a damn thumb up at him. Glenn had muttered and grabbed the reigns from the still slightly chuckling Maggie and ducked his head.

Of course the son of a bitch had to see _that_.

Glenn narrowed his eyes at the road before him now, wondering at how many times in one day he'd wished death upon his best friend. Chuckling a bit, he supposed that was just the nature of friendship. Love 'em so much you can hate 'em, as Danny would say.

Shifting his eyes to Maggie's figure slightly ahead of him he frowned at the hunch to her shoulders. He hadn't known her long, a few days really, but it didn't take long to see that she was a confident girl. Woman? Young lady? Glenn shook his head, and stared at her. She was confident, much more so than he ever was. But something was weighing down on her right now.

Something was making her afraid. Something was drawing her into herself. And he felt, this nagging sensation in the pit of his stomach as he watched her try—and fail—to hide it from him. A nagging sensation he couldn't really explain.

But whatever it was, it was settled strange in the pit of his stomach and making him shift awkwardly on his saddle as they worked into town. He didn't like seeing her look so, what was the word he was looking for? Lost? Afraid? Alone?

All of the above maybe.

Glenn shifted a bit and worked to get his horse up to where she was, his eyes angling over to her as she shifted a raised brow in his direction.

"I'm sorry," Glenn said quietly which caused her head to perk up all the way and her eyes to widen as she stared at him. "I didn't mean to-" he stopped again, not really knowing exactly what he wanted to say. "I saw the way you reacted back there. At the well. When T smashed—"

"I don't wanna talk about that," Maggie said in a quiet and firm tone that reminded Glenn a lot of her father's. At least what he'd heard of it. She turned away and Glenn blinked at the side of her face a few times.

"Look," Glenn said, continuing despite the image of Danny waving his hands around wildly telling him to stop. He shook his head against it and trotted up beside her again, working his head this way and that in an effort to try and get her eyes on him again. "I'm sorry," he said, those two words apparently working some kind of magic and getting her head to shift to him. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry. The way we went about that, it was a bit," he grimaced and gave a sheepish smile at her raised brow. "I guess we've grown so accustomed to taking them out that we forget that it can be a bit horrifying to someone who hasn't seen it." Glenn paused and ran his hand through his hair. "You guys haven't really seen much of this stuff, huh? Amazing, I wouldn't have thought it possible. A place so untouched by it all. Seems kind of like a mirage in the desert. Must be nice." He took another breath and squinted in the sun at her back. "You know, being on the road. We've seen a lot. Guess we've gotten a little numb to it."

"Well," Maggie said quietly, shocking Glenn a bit that she'd spoken. "I guess so." She shifted slightly to look over her shoulder at him and he simply stared at her. She shook her head and shifted her gaze back to the road.

"Okay," Glenn muttered to himself. He moved his gaze forward and stared at the road and the town as it came into view.

The image of Danny with his heels kicked up on the edge of the well now, arms propping him up as he just smiled back at Glenn. The word 'smooth' repeating on an infinite loop in that damned chuckling voice of the man's.

They made the rest of the journey in silence, nothing but a slight breeze and the sound of the horse's hooves as they hit the asphalt echoing in Glenn's ears. The town was eerily quiet, and Glenn's instincts immediately had him on edge. He felt the heat of the gun that Callie had shoved at him before he left like a slow burning tingle that ran up his spine and into the back of his neck. Those needle-like piercings of awareness had his eyes shifting around him as they came to a stop in front of a small pharmacy.

Maggie shifted her eyes over her shoulder at Glenn, sniffing back some kind of remark that was tipping her lips up ever so slightly. She then dismounted, tossing her saddle bags over her shoulder and Glenn quickly followed suit, his feet hitting the ground and his hand automatically sliding to the gun at the small of his back. He shifted his eyes around the deserted street one more time as he settled his empty backpack on his shoulder before stepping up onto the sidewalk in front of the store.

Maggie slipped her eyes over to him, a haughty sort of tilt to her brow, and he looked past her at what she'd been staring at. His own reflection caught in the window just over the sign in the window, and his hand slipped from the gun at his back. Big bold letters, hastily written on a piece of cardboard stared back, kind of laughing at him.

'Take what you need and God bless.'

"It ain't a mirage in the desert," Maggie said quietly causing his eyes to shift up to her as she put her hand to the door. "It's called human decency. And it's kinda sad if y'all are numb to that."

They stared at each other for a few seconds before Maggie just shook her head at him and pushed through the doors into the pharmacy. Glenn puffed out a long sigh and adjusted his baseball cap on his head. Shaking his head at the sign and at his own reflection in that glass he slid over and followed her into the pharmacy.

"I'm gonna look through the antibiotics," Maggie said as she stopped and looked back at him. "What else is on the list?" Glenn flipped through his pocket and pulled out the large sheet of paper that Lori had handed him. Maggie grabbed for it and shifted a look at him, one that said he looked just a shade useless to her right now. "A'right. What are you gonna do?"

"Uh," Glenn squinted at her and shook his head a bit. She smirked and he opened his mouth finally finding his voice. "I'm just going to look around, you know. Scavenge. See if there's anything else we might be able to use."

Maggie nodded at him a couple of times, a look on her face that said she was anything but impressed with his response. He sighed as she turned and left him to his own stupidity. Shaking his head Glenn pulled out the smaller bit of paper that Lori had handed him, the one with the special item on it. The special item that she didn't feel the need to explain to him, but was hell bent for him to risk his life to find.

True Blue.

What the hell was that? And seriously, in the feminine hygiene aisle?

'_C'mon, G-man,_' Danny's voice rang out in his head suddenly, a chuckle rolling on it. '_You're our go to guy right. Go to it.' _

"Bastard," Glenn muttered to himself as he worked around the end cap of one of the aisles and stared at the items. Feminine hygiene products. Glenn worked his way down to his knees and started rifling through the packages, searching for the mysterious product that Lori apparently needed but couldn't say why. Just as Glenn was about to give up, he spotted a blue package, and with a bit of joy he grabbed for it.

True Blue.

Pregnancy Test.

"Oh fuck," Glenn mumbled staring at the words like they were going to jump off the box and bite him. "No way," Glenn shook his head and let his thumb slip over the words. His eyes searched around him. Maybe he was wrong. Maybe he read it wrong. He pulled the note out and read it again, his eyes slipping back to the box in his hand. Nope. Nope, he read that right. "Jeeze."

"You find anything?" Maggie's voice startled him and he dashed the box into his backpack before she could see him with it. Glenn slipped his around randomly at the boxes at his feet and grabbed one before getting quickly to his feet.

"You know, just general stuff," Glenn said, finally slipping his eyes down to the box he held. 'Oh fuck,' Glenn's inner voice rang out, his eyes widening as the sound of Danny's belly-laughing came crashing down through the blood pounding through his embarrassed body. "Uh…"

"Condoms," Maggie said a bit of an incredulous tilt to her brow. He looked up and honestly couldn't keep his eyes on her for long without feeling the blood pounding through his face. Red. His face had to be beet red by now. "Wow," Maggie said shifting on her feet a bit and piercing him with a look. One that he never had any hope of being able to decipher. "You got a girlfriend I don't know about?"

"No," Glenn said immediately then his mouth began sputtering something. "No. I just-I don't-" he lifted the box at her and searched wildly for some kind of way out of this. So far his 'date' as Daryl had called it, was turning into just as much of a disaster as any of the others he'd ever been on.

But at least pre-apocalypse he hadn't showed a girl he barely knew an entire box of condoms, claiming they'd be useful. Oh man.

"You must be a pretty confident guy then, huh?" Maggie said and again Glenn's mouth fell open. He wanted to respond, he really did. But he wasn't good at this. He wasn't- he shook his head and just started talking.

"No," Glenn said again and he rolled his eyes at himself as his head shook. 'C'mon G-man', Danny's voice whined at him. "No I would- I would never," he took a breath, and realized that he was waving the condoms around between them like a he was trying to put out a match. He lowered his arms and blinked at her slightly amused and astounded expression. "I would never have sex," Glenn's eyes went wide at the word and he groaned along with imaginary Danny. "Uh, I -I'm lost."

And he was. He was hopelessly lost in the pit of his own rambling mind. His mom had always told him that his mouth would be able to dig holes that his mind would never be able to get out of if he let it. And damn if she wasn't right on the money.

Maggie was staring at him, and he was feeling flustered and embarrassed. And honestly the way she was just staring at him, that tilt to her head and slight parting of her lips, was making him blush even more furiously than he had been before. Honestly, what the hell was this? Some kind of punishment from on-high?

Idly he wondered if perhaps this was all Daryl's doing. His way of getting back at Glenn for all those times he'd interrupted him at _inopportune_ moments. He slid his eyes around, half expecting the redneck to just pop out and shoot him with an arrow through his head as the final act of vengeance.

"I'll have sex with you," Maggie's voice was calm and matter-of-fact and Glenn's eyes slipped to her in a daze. Had she really just said-

"What?" Glenn heard himself asking through the pounding of his blood. Imaginary Danny had looped an arm around his shoulders and was shaking him, smiling like a fuckin' idiot. Glenn shook his head and blinked a few times at the girl standing before him. "Really? Uh," Glenn heard himself stammer. Again. Finally this time he shook his head and just stared at her. "Why?"

"You're askin' questions?" Maggie said raising a brow and shaking her head. "It's not like our options are vast anymore," Maggie said with an air of confidence that just didn't match the look in her eyes. Glenn stared for a moment, taken completely by surprise. There it was again. Fear. And Glenn found himself backpedalling just a bit from her. His head tilting to the side as he regarded her with a look he hoped conveyed the sorrow he felt for making her feel that way. "You're not the only one who's lonely," Maggie said quietly, causing Glenn's eyes to flick back to hers.

He floundered for a moment as she stepped closer, his mind racing just a bit. Her lips touched his in fleeting sort of kiss, tentative and sweet. One that didn't match her attitude at all. There was no confidence in that kiss. There were questions, and worries, and self-consciousness.

Things that Glenn fully understood, and identified with.

She put up a good front, but Glenn saw when she pulled back that she was just as lost as he was. Just as alone. Just as scared that today could be the last day they had in this world they were stuck living in. Suddenly Daryl's words filtered into his mind.

Gotta figure out what you want outta this life, and what you need.

And Glenn tried really hard to pull wisdom and something concrete along those lines out of the haze of his mind. Tried to figure out what it was he wanted. What he needed. What the fucking difference was. But that hole he had dug earlier in his mind was just about caving in around him as other feelings, other thoughts, took precedence.

And then she took her hat off. Then her shirt.

And Glenn's heart was damn near beating out of his chest, as imaginary him pushed ecstatic imaginary Danny out of his mind completely. Her bra came off next, and Daryl's words, those words of wisdom that he'd intentionally sought out just in case this completely unbelievable scenario ever played out in real-life. Those words that he'd had to pull and twist out of the man, like a thorn from a lion's paw, fell away.

Save for one. _Want_.

And that word repeated over and over in his head, and before he knew it his shirt was off. And all thoughts of anyone else at camp—fathers, sisters, friends- faded into a distant hazy memory as he stepped up to her and pressed his lips to hers.

_When you have completed what you thought you had to do,_

_And your blood's depleted to the point of stable glue_

_Then you'll get along; Then you'll get along_

_Steady as she goes (steady as she goes)_

_Steady as she goes (steady as she goes)_

Daryl raked his hand up through his hair and shifted on the saddle. His eyes scanning the trees around him, desperately searching for another of Sophia's markers. But there was nothing.

Absolutely fuckin' nothin'.

They'd gone strong for a good ways, at least two miles maybe three. The girl had been moving fast, but steady, not circlin' just headin' straight towards something. He shifted his eyes over his shoulder. Or away from something. Either way, it didn't fuckin' matter, 'cause the marks just stopped.

Fuckin' _stopped_ right in the middle of the forest.

There wasn't nothin' in sight, nothin' Daryl could see anyway, that woulda worked as any kinda shelter for the girl. No hidin' places, no fuckin' good climbin' trees. At least none that Daryl ever woulda tried climbin', but a little girl scared outta her mind lookin' for some place safe. Yeah, maybe she'd tried to climb. But he'd checked the trees already. Sounded like a damn fool probably too. Callin' up into each and every tree in the area of the last marker, like he was tryin' to coax some damn imaginary cat down. At least fuckin' Glenn or T-Dog weren't around this time to hear that shit.

He'd been embarrassed at himself enough for that one.

"Fuck," Daryl spat out to the side of the horse, his eyes shifting around the area again. He shifted again his eyes skirting off to the side where the large ridge he was riding on led down to a stream area. Turning the horse about, he scanned back along the markers leading towards the little house that Sophia had slept in. Maybe she'd just turned 'round. Maybe there was something back there he'd fuckin' missed.

His horse had trotted maybe a few feet past a few markers back towards the house. His eyes lingering along the ground, looking for anything-something he missed. There _had_ to be somethin' he was fuckin' missing. A twinge in his hip had him pulling the horse to a stop. Shifting on the saddle and raising up slightly in the stirrups he dug his hand into his pocket, his fingers hitting off something sharp that was digging into him.

"The fuck," Daryl muttered to himself as he pulled out the object. His thumb rolled over the raised letters and numbers of Rick's badge before sliding out along its surface and pressing against one dulled point after another.

He'd forgotten he'd put the fuckin' thing in his pocket before he left the tent. Thought he'd just settled weird on the saddle each time the fuckin' thing pricked at his thigh and hip. The sunlight filtering in through the trees from above had the gold glinting a bit and it flashed into his eyes causing him to squint.

"Lucky," Daryl said to the woods around him, his thumb still moving over the badge. The badge that wasn't really a badge anymore. It was a talisman; a way to ward off the evils of this world. An image of Gracie's face flew into Daryl's mind. Her sweet little baby face, blue eyes and bouncing brown curls, and a voice that he barely remembered anymore.

How long had it been since she'd last spoke, really fuckin' spoke? Weeks, maybe a month now? The horrors of this world had taken so much from her. So much, and yet that baby-girl had deemed him fit to carry her talisman. Her bit of safety.

Givin' him her little peace of fuckin' mind while he searched for Sophia. Another face slid into his mind. Hazel eyes, bouncing curls. Coulda been the girl's momma. That woman's face lingered for a moment, dashin' his own peace of mind to the wind and woods around him.

Running his thumb over the badge one more time before closing his fist around it and moving to shove it back into his pocket. The horse whinnied and bobbed around under him and Daryl scrabbled for the reigns, almost losing his hold on the badge in the process. Steadying the horse he shook his head and flicked open the pin on the back of the badge. He shifted slightly and pinned the damn badge to his pants right under his belt, snarling a bit as he did it.

The thing wasn't heavy, not really, but the second he closed that pin it took on this weight that just didn't feel right against him. Daryl shifted his head about angrily on his shoulders before tuggin' his shirt down hard to cover that glintin' bit of gold pinned to his fuckin' pants. Least the fuckin' thing wasn't gonna keep pokin' and prodin' at him every time the horse moved into more of a trot.

No. Now it was just gonna feel like he had a fuckin' lead weight tied to his leg.

_Oooh, looky at you brother_. Merle's voice echoed in his brain mockingly and he snarled at it. _  
_

"Sum'bitch," Daryl wiped his hand down his face and stared off into the woods. "C'mon," he said, absently rubbing his thumb on the damn badge. "Where the fuck is she? Huh? Supposed to be fuckin' lucky, how's 'bout you give me some of that luck now?"

Daryl pulled on the reigns of the horse, shifting the beast 'round so that he was able to see through some of the trees and down into the ravine below. It was a long drop, and he squinted into the sun dappled water below. His eyes scanned it over, working this way and that, something gnawing at his brain as he did it. His eyes slipped back over the water and he squinted a bit as his eyes again picked up on the small dark shape sitting in the water.

Something was down there.

A shuffle of leaves on his other side had him reaching for his crossbow as he turned in the saddle. His eyes shifted over the woods, his heart beating an insane rhythm in his head. He searched and finally snarled when he didn't see a damn thing out there.

"Sophia?" Daryl ventured, hope burstin' through his better sense and makin' him think that maybe, just fuckin' maybe he'd caught a break. "Sophia? You out there?" He shifted in the saddle a bit, and started to turn the horse, when another shuffling of leaves caught his attention.

This time near him, at his feet.

A rattler popped its fuckin' head out, and before Daryl could even think enough to react and steady the horse she was moving. She bucked under him, slipped this way and that, and Daryl knew that if he hadn't of pulled his crossbow at the imaginary fuckin' sounds he'd heard the first time he woulda been able to keep his mount. Woulda been able to pull her back under control.

But no, he'd been a dumbass and because of that he fell from that saddle.

He fell, and in a moment that was more terrifying than anything he'd really been dealt before, he continued to fall. His world tumbled around him in a dizzying frenzy of rocks and branches, leaves and patches of sunlight. His arms shot out, his crossbow being dislodged from his hand as his elbow and arm smashed hard into an outcrop. His body smashed and rolled down that fuckin' high up ridge, his skin catching and tearing open in multiple places. His throat opening up on its own accord letting out a fierce howl of pain that seemed to echo around him in the ravine. And then the icing on the fuckin' cake came as his head smashed hard into what he suspected was a rock or some shit, causing his vision to burst white hot behind his closed eyelids.

His body continued to roll and bounce, pain settling over him in waves as the world shifted and tilted on its axis. Once more, his head slammed onto something, and he felt a pain slice through his side tearing what little breath he had remaining in his lungs from him.

His body hit solid ground again, bouncing like a fuckin' rag doll along the sediment at the edge of that little bit of water. And the last thing he saw before the blackness edging around his vision finally took over completely was that dark shape, that something that had caught his attention before. So sharp in focus he thought idly he must be fuckin' dreamin' as he lay there starin' at it in his slowly receding vision.

Sittin' there in beam of sun sent mockingly down from the Lord above was Sophia's doll; its two blank button eyes starin' right back at him before everything went black.

_Well here we go again; You've found yourself a friend that knows you well_

_But no matter what you do,_

_You'll always feel as though you tripped and fell_

_Steady as she goes (steady as she goes)_

_Settle for a world, neither up or down (settle for a world, neither up or down)_

_Sell it to the crowd that has gathered round (sell it to the crowd that has gathered round)_

_Settle for a girl, neither up or down (settle for a girl, neither up or down)_

_~Steady As She Goes/ The Raconteurs_

_AN: This whole chapter was like pulling teeth. GAHHHH. _

_Danny and Andrea-I know there wasn't a lot put into Andrea and Danny's relationship, but I did build in the little things that if you go back you will catch. Andrea following after Shane at the church grounds (talking to him about leaving)… and there were more talks alluded to but unseen (cause good god this would be fuckin' LONG if I added them all in). I hope that wasn't too crazy to take down._

_And Glenn and Maggie. Pulling teeth! Those two, I had to go back and fuckin' Netflix that scene to try and get a feel for it. But I got it out, and I figure I need to get this going and moving so we can move the fuck on! _

_And Daryl. Oh, Daryl. Shit man. _

_Yeah, that's all I've got-I'm spent. Let me know if you guys are lost in the way we're splitting up the action. We've got some interesting things comin' up. Jimmy's little activities (can you guess what he's up to?) and oh yeah… we got the return of Merle -even if it is only imaginary Merle. Should be fun!_

_As always thanks so much for reading! _

_Much love & see ya next chapter!_


	32. Every Grain Of Sand

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_Boy oh boy, aren't we hitting the fun stuff. I'm not even gonna tell you what's in store for you below. All I can say is I hope you enjoy the way I've broken this down. _

_Warning to those who care: There's some (not much, but some) religious content in here. Please remember the views expressed are an adaptation of the inner workings of an imaginary character in a story's mind. I have no will or want to force a belief upon someone, or to offend anyone. _

_As always read, review and most of all enjoy!__~michelle_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Every Grain Of Sand**

Jimmy stared at Hershel, but didn't really see him.

He listened to him, that firm tone of his laced with such disappointment that it pierced his heart, but he didn't really hear him.

No, it wasn't Hershel staring at him with that hurt expression that seemed to run so deep into the lines of his face that Jimmy was sure it would never lift again. No, it wasn't Hershel speaking to him about disappointment, and human decency, and the will of the Lord.

It wasn't Hershel saying that he would pray for Jimmy's soul. That he would pray, but he didn't expect those prayers to be answered.

It wasn't Hershel.

It was his father. The man he'd just buried in haphazardly dug hole on the grounds of his church.

"I don't know what to say to you, son." Hershel said shaking his head as he stared at Jimmy from across his desk. The man got up then, and turned his back to Jimmy. "I just don't know what's left to say." Hershel took a breath and shook his head as he stared out the window at the world beyond his office.

Jimmy took in a deep shuddering breath, watching Hershel's head hang and his hands clench tight behind his back.

"Sir," Jimmy said, his voice barely registering in the room. He cleared his throat ready to say the word again and try to explain but he was cut off.

"Your father was a man of God," Hershel said, the words said with so much vehemence that they stung like a slap to the face. Jimmy flinched slightly watching the back of Hershel's head shake a few times before he turned and pierced Jimmy with that steady stare. That steady disappointed, hurt, and hateful stare. "He was a man of God. And he entrusted you with the values and wisdom to appreciate that. He taught you the value of life, and gave you the power to be a faithful servant to our Lord. Someone who could continue his legacy in his absence." Hershel's voice was gaining power, and Jimmy's eyes darted towards the slightly ajar door for a brief second wondering at who might be outside listening to this.

Jimmy knew Beth was confused by the entire situation. She'd been crying and trying to get him to explain what was going on to her. But Hershel had pulled him away from her. Then they'd entered into his office, covered in mud, blood and gore from the oozing wounds of his dead family.

He honestly didn't think he could feel any worse than he did at that moment. Frozen in place, standing as stiff as he could as Rick explained what he'd done. All of it.

Murdering that girl included.

His eyes had slipped to the woman, Callie, at that point. Her body settled stiffly in the chair that Jimmy sat in now, her eyes fixed on Hershel's desk. Hershel had looked at her, tried to speak to her, but she hadn't said a word. She'd simply looked up at him, and whatever the look on her face was it had been powerful enough to knock Hershel back a step before he recovered and nodded back at her.

Rick had gone on to explain the rest. He explained what had been in the church. As well as what his group had unknowingly done in their passing of the building days ago. And what Jimmy had done before that, to the people—the Walkers as Rick had called them-that had wandered up that hill to his father's church at the ringing of those false bells.

That had been the end of the conversation that night. Hershel waving a hand saying that he'd heard enough. His dismissal of Jimmy with no words just a shake of his head had hurt more than he'd been prepared for it to. And Jimmy thought Hershel would never speak to him about it. That the older man would never be able to look at Jimmy again, let alone find the words he wished to speak in the jumbled mess that Jimmy had made of things.

But he had. And he'd pulled Jimmy aside this morning to express those feelings.

"You were to be his legacy," Hershel was saying, his voice quavering slightly as his disgust and disappointment took hold. Jimmy looked up and met the older man's eyes, watching those feelings filter so freely in heavily browed eyes. "And look what you've accomplished. You've murdered innocent people, sick people, on the lawn of his church."

Jimmy stared, because what else could he do. He stared at the man, the kind man who took him in and protected him when his entire family came down with this illness. The man, who along with the rest of his family helped him to maintain a sense of sanity when all he wanted to do was break down. The man who had held him back that first day, when he went to go into the church after deciding that he'd rather be with his family than alone.

He stared because there wasn't anything he could say to that man to make him see. There were no words left to be said between them. Hershel's eyes said it all.

"I'm not going to say that things will be fine between us," Hershel said quietly, once again turning his back on Jimmy and facing the window. The bright shining sun of the new day did little to help the darkness that was clouding over Jimmy's mind. "I don't think I can ever trust you. Not in my home. Not with my land. And not with my daughter." Jimmy's eyes widened a bit and his breath left in a rushed puff, but still Hershel didn't turn to face him. "I will not toss you from this farm for your ignorance. I can't in good faith send you to the wolves of this new world." Hershel took a breath and again shook his head before dipping it down. "I have no more to say on this and would ask that it never be mentioned in my presence again. I would ask you to keep your distance from Beth," he paused then, his head dipping a bit and shaking slightly. "I'll explain things to her. I would ask that you continue to your tasks around the farm, as any other farmhand would do. And when you are not involved in that I ask that you stay to your room or the house and stay away from Callie and her children. As well as the rest of her and Rick's group. You've caused them enough sorrow and heartache, and she was quite benevolent in her treatment of you in my opinion." Hershel's voice was low and Jimmy leaned forward a bit as his last words echoed out. "I have nothing left for you. No words. No compassion. No respect. You are here as a visitor and guest only, and I ask you to act as such."

Jimmy swallowed, waiting for Hershel to turn and face him. Waiting in vain. Hershel didn't turn. He wouldn't.

Couldn't.

Jimmy stood, his legs shaking beneath him and continued to stare at Hershel's back. The man's hands were clenched so tight that Jimmy could actually see where his nails were digging into the palm of one of his hands. But still he didn't turn.

Jimmy walked out of Hershel's office and let his bleary wet eyes search around him for a bit. He felt lost. A strange feeling to have in a house that had become a second home to him, but there it was. He could hear the sound of laughter coming from the back bedroom where Rick's son was laid up. His breath caught at the sound of Callie and Rick's voices echoing low around him and the sound of the front screen door swinging shut as they made their way out. He sniffed twice, blinking rapidly as he could to try and clear his wavering vision.

He was lost, utterly and completely.

"Jimmy?" Patricia's voice called out and his head lifted meeting her gaze head on. There was so much he could see in her eyes; questions she wanted to ask, comfort she wanted to give. But over top of it all, lingering in the air around her was disappointment. Disappointment so strong that it held an odor all its own. An odor that all at once seemed too heavy to breathe. "Jimmy," Patricia said his name again and he just stared at her. "Jimmy c'mon. Let's get you something to eat. You-"

He pushed past her and out the back door before she could utter another word. He could hear her calling after him, but the sounds faded away as he worked his way around the house. He was breathing hard, almost hyperventilating because that smell in the air of that house had been so strong. So strong that it had nearly killed him to breathe it.

Jimmy's eyes lifted as he walked slowly around the house, his feet barely lifting from the ground as he walked. He turned, as if his body was working on autopilot and headed towards the barn. Because he needed to. He needed to apologize to them.

His body worked slow and steady towards the barn until he was a few feet away. The doors were held tight by the chain and lock around them but creaked slightly as a low breeze pushed at them. The smell, the faint smell that had almost gagged him the first time he'd helped Otis and Hershel put people in there was almost welcoming now. Familiar in a strange sort of way. He breathed it in, and continued to stare at the barn.

His eyes slipped to the woods suddenly, a thought slicing through his brain so quickly and sharply that it instantly cleared his tear-filled vision. His jaw clenched tight and he worked his way around the back of the barn where he knew the leads were kept and grabbed one off of the hook.

Working his way into the forest area he walked, and walked, and walked. He really wasn't sure how long or how far he walked before he stumbled upon the familiar area. The ground so soft around where the water from the ravine not far off had collected, that he almost slipped twice as he edged around the little pool.

He stood back a bit, his mind working a mile a minute as he stared.

He needed to prove to Hershel, to Patricia, to Maggie and God to Beth that he wasn't the horrible person that they believed him to be. He needed to make them see that he was good, that he like so many before him, had simply forgotten. Forgotten that they were sick.

He stared and felt his throat tighten at the sight of the two people figures clawing and growling at him from their place in that suctioning silt hidden beneath that little pool of water. He stared, and for a moment considered going to get Hershel. Considered asking the man to help him. Considered doing this task with him as he'd done so many times in the past. A task that had bonded them together.

But he knew he couldn't. He needed to do this on his own. Needed to prove to Hershel that he could. That he could be gentle with these people. That he could show compassion and be the man that his father would have wanted and expected him to be.

Shifting the lead in his hands he felt the small beads of sweat slide down the side of his face. There were only two. Neither of them people he recognized, which wasn't really that odd. The sight of so many strangers had ceased to amaze him after witnessing the amount of wandering souls that had made their way up to his father's church. People he'd never met before but that had simply wandered into his world.

These two, he could handle. A man, half of his torso gone leaving only his right arm to reach out in swinging arcs towards where Jimmy had stopped. And a girl, a young girl, her clothes and body so covered with mud and blood that he couldn't really make out much in a way of anything on her. The only thing he could see were her reaching hands, flexing in that odd sort of way that this sickness caused, and her hair. Short and blonde, and matted to her head on one side by a wound that seeped thick black-red blood and gore down on to her shoulder.

He could handle them. He'd get them to the barn, take them in through the back area as Otis had taught him to do, and he'd pick up where he and the other man had left off. He'd do it by himself, until he could work up the nerve to once again approach Hershel. Until he could get past the lump in his throat and the pain in his chest that the older man's inability to even turn and face him had caused.

Nodding his head, Jimmy wiped each of his sweating palms on his pants and then flexed his hands around the thin pole of the lead. He would do this on his own.

He would prove that he wasn't the monster that everyone believed him to be.

_Don't have the inclination to look back on any mistake_

_Like Cain, I now behold this chain of events that I must break_

_In the fury of the moment I can see the master's hand_

_In every leaf that trembles, in every grain of sand._

* * *

Callie curled her toes in the cool grass and let out a small sigh at the strangely comforting sensation. She used to walk barefoot all the time back home, her large plantation house settled so far back from the roads and the prying eyes of her neighbors that she'd never cared what they thought of it.

Memories of days spent out in the sunlit backyard, hanging the wash to dry on the lines assaulted her. Smiling and laughing and easy times watching Sammy and Hannah use the laundry as a sort of obstacle course that they would run through for hours when they'd visit.

It seemed like so long ago that she'd been able to do such a simple thing as enjoy the feel of the cool grass on her bare feet and hang laundry.

Shaking out the shirt she held Callie felt the smile tip her lips as she watched Ben and Gracie run through the fluttering fabric. A twinge of pain, pain that she'd worked long and hard over the past few months to push deep down and away, came flaring back. Her hands clenched just a bit on the shirt and she looked down at it.

The red and white Hawaiian shirt, the one that Danny had borrowed from Dale days ago, stared back at her. The large reddish-brown stain settled deep into the fibers of the fabric sent a chill down her spine and completely killed the euphoria of her happy memories. That stain, that bloody patch, the same staining that seemed to have settled upon all of their clothes like a plague reminded her that happier times were not something to linger on.

Not anymore.

Callie shook the shirt and her head and draped the damp fabric over the line in front of her. Ben skirted around her legs followed by a slower, yet more determined than ever, Gracie. The little girl's hands were reaching out trying to grab her brother and she was smiling widely as she slipped into and around Callie's legs.

"I thought you were confined to the house for today," Carol's voice echoed around and Callie shifted slightly to look at her in a bit of surprise.

"Yeah, well," Callie shifted her feet around showing them in all their bare and slightly dirty glory to the sweetly smiling woman. "I feel I'm being quite magnanimous in my handlin' of this dictate Master Dixon has laid down, and if he thinks otherwise he can kiss my ass." Carol chuckled a bit and Callie shot her a small smile. "Plus, I had some things to get done, and," Callie took a breath shifting her eyes back towards the house. "I really didn't feel like being in there right now." Carol nodded and shifted a bit on her feet while Callie eyed her. With a sigh Callie smiled and reached out a hand. "Anything at the highway?"

"No," Carol said quietly her eyes lowering to the basket of wet laundry at Callie's feet. Callie watched as Carol shook her head and grabbed a shirt from the top of the pile, one of Daryl's Callie noted with a slight smile, and shook it almost angrily. "All of the supplies were still there. Which I suppose is good. But-"

"Daryl's gonna find her," Callie said quietly, causing Carol's eyes to meet hers. "He's determined to. And if there's one thing I've learned in the months I've known that man it's this: Do not get in the way of a determined Dixon." Callie shook a finger at Carol and smiled. "He's gonna find her. If not today, then tomorrow. He's gonna find her and she's gonna be fine."

"How can you-" Carol cut herself off and draped Daryl's shirt over the line in front of her. "How can you be so sure, after-" Carol turned and stared into Callie's waiting eyes, instantly a look of pity and shame slid into place and Callie felt her head shaking. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Callie said reaching out and squeezing Carol's arm. "You have every right to be worried, and you have every right to speak your mind on it. She's your daughter," Callie let her hand slide off of Carol's arm and she reached down for the next item in the basket. "He's gonna find her Carol. She's gonna be fine. The day you stop thinking that, the day you let your fears override your hope is the day you lose her."

Carol was quiet after that, and Callie could feel the woman's eyes stuck to her. Callie didn't turn to face her until she caught Carol move from the corner of her eyes. Carol grabbed another item from the basket and nodded her head as she lifted it onto the line.

"He's a good man," Carol said idly, and Callie shifted a small smile to the woman as she met her slightly amused eyes.

"Yeah, he is." Callie said with a chuckle and a nod as she worked the next item onto the line. "You think you could try and tell him that for me. He apparently has selective hearing and comprehension skills where what I say is concerned."

Carol laughed and shook her head and the two of them fell into a sort of comfortable silence. Callie's bare feet continued to flex in the cool grass; her eyes continued to watch Ben and Gracie as they circled around Dale's form as he lowered himself from the top of the RV. The older man shot her a smile and Callie lifted her gaze to where Danny was settled upon the little folding chair under the umbrella.

"This is a sight I haven't seen in quite some time," Lori's slightly amused voice had Callie's attention shifting away from Danny. Lori settled her own basket down on the ground and lifted a brow at Callie and shot an amused look to Carol.

"I figured Danny's been on bitch duty long enough," Callie said and immediately closed her eyes and lifted a hand. "Sorry," Callie said chuckling and waving her hand around. "His words, not mine. Sorry." Callie shook her head again and shot a smile to the slightly chuckling Carol beside her. "Honest to God I need to get some more sleep." Callie shifted her eyes to Lori and watched her raise a brow and shake her head. "How's Carl doing?"

"Good. Thank you," Lori said quietly returning Callie's nod. "He wants to be outside," Lori continued, a serene sort of smile flitting onto her lips as she pulled a dry shirt off of the line and tossed it into her basket. Callie caught her eye and she smiled. "But Hershel said he needs another day of rest, but tomorrow-"

"That's good," Callie said as Lori nodded. The women fell into a comfortable yet heavy sort of silence. Again Callie was reminded of those old days when she'd sit out in the backyard with Suze, when Bobby was on a tour or at Fort Benning for something or another, watching Sammy and Hannah run along in the sun. She felt the tears begin to well and shook them off as Carol's voice broke the silence.

"I was thinking we could make dinner for Hershel's family," Carol said timidly and Callie slipped her eyes to the woman still hanging wash on the line. Carol smiled and looked to Lori. "They've just been so kind to us, I'd like to do something," Carol shook her head. "They have that huge kitchen, and goodness it feels like ages since I've seen so much food." Callie was nodding idly as Carol talked with Lori. "I was thinking you could ask."

"Me?" Lori asked, looking slightly amazed at the suggestion.

"Well, you're Rick's wife," Carol said, and for some reason Lori's eye slid to Callie. Callie smiled back at Lori, but Lori looked away without returning the gesture. "You're kind of our unofficial first lady. I think it would be best if you asked." Lori stared at Carol for a long time, and Callie felt just a bit bad for the woman.

"She's right," Callie said working her bare feet along the grass to hang her last pair of pants on the line. Her foot hit into the worn green backpack at her feet and she stumbled quickly away from it. Lori watched Callie move, her eyes slipping up to her face with confusion furrowing her brow. "She is. It would be best coming from you. You should ask," Callie slipped her eyes to Carol who was smiling a bit as well. "I think it's a great idea."

She didn't. Not really. Fuck. That she thought was going to be the most uncomfortable dinner in the history of uncomfortable dinners. But then again, Callie didn't really plan on attending it so what the fuck did she care. If for nothing else, it was a good idea for Carol's sake.

Lori didn't say anything, just nodded her head and eyed Callie as she moved towards the now empty basket. Callie felt that woman's eyes on her the entire time she moved but didn't turn until Lori's voice rang out.

"Do you need me to wash these for you?" Lori asked. Callie instantly turned and saw Lori opening the worn green backpack, her fingers touching off one of the shirts settled inside. Callie's eyes went wide, and her breath caught in her throat, and in a flash she grabbed the backpack away from Lori and settled it against her chest. Lori looked up at Callie in shock and slowly got to her feet as Callie zipped the backpack closed.

"No," Callie said finding her voice somewhere in the torturous confines of her dry throat. Callie cleared her throat and shook her head, her eyes skipping to Carol who looked on with a sad sort of smile tipping her lips. Carol's hand reached out and Callie stepped away, her bare feet slipping slightly in a patch of grass. "No, it's fine. I'll take care of it."

With that Callie gathered her empty basket and slung the backpack over her shoulder. She pretended not to hear Carol as she slipped up to Lori. "It's Jenna's," Carol said, her quiet voice echoing in Callie's ears as she walked off. Callie firmed her lips tight.

Callie worked slowly towards the Hummer and dropped the basket near the open tailgate. Jenna's backpack slipped off of her shoulder and Callie stared at it for a long moment. Slowly she sat on the ground and settled the pack between legs. Her hands shook a bit as she worked the zipper slowly open, she blinked the wetness away and stared down into the bag.

It was her 'go bag' as Callie had called it. She'd made all of the kids, including Danny, keep one. A bag that held a few essentials and emergency gear just in case they had to abandon their camps and travel light. The bags were all settled into the back of the Hummer where they always remained. No matter where they were. They'd been there at the Quarry, and they remained there now.

Because you just never knew what this fucked up world was going to throw at you.

Callie's fingers slid over the fabric of Jenna's shirt and she let out a shuddering sigh. She'd pulled the backpack out earlier, with every intention of going through its contents. Jenna wasn't going to be using the items inside now, so it made sense to go through it and divvy out what was inside. It made total sense, but Callie just could seem to bring herself to do it. So instead, she'd carried the thing with her as she walked around working on the laundry, and its weight on her shoulders felt like it was filled with rocks. Again.

A smile tipped Callie's lips and she found herself blinking back the tears as a familiar set of shoes entered into her periphery. Callie didn't turn to face him, just let him slip slowly to the ground beside her and waited.

"You know she used to have like six of those fuckin' notebooks of hers shoved in there," Miles' voice, tired and hoarse croaked out and Callie smiled a bit as she shifted to look at him. His eyes were fixed on Jenna's bag, but his they tipped up to hers after a moment a small smile playing on his lips. "She finally took 'em out after Danny and Mike berated her for like an hour." Miles continued his good right hand reaching out and tapping on the front zippered pocket of the bag. "She still kept two in there," Miles said chuckling. "Said Danny and Mike could 'bite her', she wasn't givin' them up."

Callie chuckled and worked her hands to unzip the front pocket. Sure enough two well used tattered spiral bound notebooks were settled inside, and Callie slipped her fingers over them.

"She was always writing in those damn things," Miles said quietly watching Callie slip them out of the pocket. She stared at them for a moment before shifting and handing them out to the obviously intrigued boy beside her. Miles reached out slowly, his eyes sliding from the notebooks up to Callie's face. He stared for a moment before taking a hold of the offering. "I'm sorry, Cal."

"I know," Callie said quietly nodding her head and letting Miles take the notebooks. He placed them reverently upon his lap and spread the fingers of his hands over them. "Are you alright?"

Miles nodded and then thought better of it, his head began to shake and he tossed a hand out at the space in front of them.

"Fuck no," Miles said a bit of a chuckle in his voice as he looked over at her. "But I'm dealing with it." Callie stared at Miles for a few moments before nodding her head.

She felt Miles continue to stare at her, as she worked to slowly pull out the two rolled up shirts that Jenna kept in her bag. Callie folded each one neatly beside her on the ground and let her fingers slide over the fabric.

"Had a chat with Daryl earlier before he left," Miles said quietly causing Callie to look up at him with a raised brow. "He, uh," Miles cleared his throat and rubbed at the back of his head. "Helped me to see the err of my ways."

"Oh yeah?" Callie said smiling a bit and feeling her brow rise a bit higher. Miles smiled and shifted his eyes around the campsite. Callie watched his face contort a bit and followed his line of sight to where Andrea and Shane could be seen chatting not far off. Callie bit at the inside of her cheek and glanced at Miles from the corner of her eye, waiting for him to continue. Waiting to see where this little pow-wow was going to take them.

"Yeah," Miles said still staring at Shane's form in the distance. "He's got a gentle touch, that one." Callie snorted out a laugh and Miles shifted his eyes to her. "He made me realize something that I forgot." Miles smiled at Callie's raised brow and bumped his shoulder into her. "That we're family now. All of us. That we got each other's backs no matter what."

"Good thing to remember," Callie said nodding as she slipped her gaze back to the bag and pulled out the small sheathed knife. Callie smiled a bit as she figured she was going to have to show that redneck her appreciation his stepping in with Miles, and maybe inquire 'bout this gentle touch of his. Maybe get herself a little dose of it. A smile was pulling at her lips when she felt Miles shift beside her.

"I'm going to tell you something, Cal." Miles' voice rang out, and there was a different tone to it. A tone that had her smile fading quickly. Gone was that little bit of joy and happiness that his previous statement had held and what replaced it was something she could only describe as determination when she caught his eyes as she turned to face him. "I'm going to tell you, and you have to promise me something." Callie's brow furrowed as she watched Miles shift on his hip and remove something from his pocket. She stared at his hand for a moment, a chain slipping between the slats of his tightly clenched hand. "When you go," Miles said holding the chain and letting the item hidden in his palm fall to her wide eyed stare. The dog tags caught the sun and blinded Callie for a moment before she blinked away the effects of the glare. Her hands reached out towards them, and her eyes slipped up to Miles' as he finished his statement. "You take me with you."

_I gaze into the doorway of temptation's angry flame_

_And every time I pass that way I always hear my name_

_The onward in my journey I come to understand_

_That every hair is numbered like every grain of sand._

* * *

The sound of rushing water and an intense searing pain in his side caused Daryl's eyes to pop open. The blinding sunlight overhead flashed white hot into his scrambled brain and instantly had him turning to the side. Which he was quickly reminded was a fuckin' mistake when that searing pain in his side was aggravated to all new levels of fucked up.

"Sum'bitch," Daryl grumbled over the rush of blood through his ears, amplified by the water he'd apparently rolled into at some point. Rolling onto his back Daryl reached over his body, his right arm feelin' like a fuckin' dead weight as it skimmed over his shirt towards the pain in his side. His fingers touched off of the bolt just as his head finally lifted the inch needed to see the fuckin' thing sticking out of him. "Motherfucker," Daryl seethed his head splashing hard back into the water as his right hand followed suit and slipped lifelessly off of his body.

Taking in a few deep, utterly painful breaths, Daryl blinked past the bright sunlight and tried to focus his attention onto his surroundings. The wind was blowin' through the trees further off from where he was layin'. Birds were fuckin' chirpin' somewhere in the branches above. The cool water was flowin' at a steady pace around him, and woulda been fuckin' soothin' if he wasn't currently in a world of hurt.

Daryl's bleary vision slipped to his left and met the blank staring button eyes of a rag doll. He felt his face contort in confusion, his scrambled brain trying to recall how he knew it would be there. The memory of sitting on the horse, seeing that _something_ down in the ravine, then the last image he saw before apparently passed out. That doll.

Sophia's doll.

Sophia.

Closing his eyes tight, Daryl took in a few more sharp breaths. On the third breath out he rolled his body to his uninjured right, his face bobbing under the water for a second before he used whatever vestiges of strength he could find to push up to his knees. Settled there in the water on his knees and he watched the world tilt and turn on a strange axis. His right hand lifted to his head, sliding in what he thought was water but soon realized was blood from a nice deep fuckin' gash at his temple. The sight of the bright red blood staining his fingers had him falling forward, his arms crashing into the soft sediment of the little creek and keeping him from face-planting back down into it.

"Fuck," Daryl said, feelin' like a broken record but using the anger behind that word to propel him into some kind of half-fuckin' hunched sort of standing position. He took a few staggering steps, his eyes squinting through the haze of his head wound, leading him towards the bank not far off. Adrenaline was the only thing keepin' him moving at this point. Adrenaline and the sure as shit knowledge that he could stay there soakin' up the sun any longer than he already had.

He was bleedin' like a gutted pig from that bolt wound in his side, and the one on his head. Not to mention the other abrasions he was just gettin' the joy of feelin' come to life as he moved. And if there were any Walkers about they could no doubt fuckin' smell his ass a mile away. He staggered again, nearly falling forward more times than he actually stepped forward, but finally he managed to get his ass up onto that bank.

Again Daryl shifted, fuckin' painfully, to get a look at the wound in his side. The bolt had ripped right through the muscle, as far as he could tell it didn't hit nothing vital. Otherwise his ass woulda been still layin' in that fuckin' water just waitin' for some geek to come get dinner. His breathing was hitched and coming out in painful gasps with each shift he made, but he managed to grab his knife and slice off his shirt sleeves.

And suddenly he heard Callie, chucklin' and goin' on 'bout his fuckin' sleeveless shirts again. He tore at the fabric roughly, using his agitation at that woman laughin' at him-the smile that he could see in his mind's eye made him move just a bit faster to bind his wound. Tying the fabric tight around his mid-section he sheathed his knife and put his hand to the mass of painful tissue at his side. An almost debilitating pain shot through him as he worked to get his left leg under his body.

He gained his feet, and opened his eyes. Once again the world teetered at a strange angle, a wave of nausea flying into him and almost causing him to fall back to the ground. Sheer force of will kept him going and he staggered towards that doll and grabbed it up before pushing all the way to his feet.

He stared into those button eyes for a moment, using it to focus his wavering vision and steady his mind. He nodded at the doll, before shoving it into the small of his back between his belt and pants. The movement nearly had him pitching back down to the ground, but he held his balance against a nearby tree stump, his eyes searching the area. He knew he was gonna need somethin' to act as a crutch to keep his ass up if he really wanted to get out of this shit.

Bending, a movement that no one should ever fuckin' do with a head wound, "Motherfucker," seething yet again from his tight clenched jaw, Daryl picked up a branch. It was a good size stick, and he tested the durability of it while closing his eyes and workin' to keep his brain from exploding out his eyes. His fingers curled around the tip of the stick, feeling the worn edge of it with his thumb. It didn't feel natural at all, the sharpened point of that stick and his eyes focused on it for a moment.

Rustling noises in the brush across from him had his eyes snapping to a stretch of green. A large fuckin' stretch that coulda been hiding all shades of shit behind it. This time he fought the fuckin' urge to call out for Sophia, and instead let his mind see the more viable possibility. If that girl had been hidin' there and saw him, she woulda been out already.

Which meant it was something else makin' that rustlin' noise in that big ass stretch of green.

Adrenaline, pure and unfiltered skittered through his blood and pushed away that dizziness and nausea of his head wound. It shoved the fuckin' pain of that bolt slicin' through his body outta the way and had him reaching quickly and deftly behind him for his crossbow.

"Son of a-" his hands hit nothin' but his soakin' wet back. A fleetin' memory of him pullin' it before he fell off his mount and it dislodging from his hands on the way down slipped into his mind's eye. Sparing one last look at the now silent stretch of green Daryl quickly made his way back towards the water.

Using his branch he began feelin' around the creek bed, his breaths still puffing out in rapid succession as fear began to light up his senses. He couldn't lose that fuckin' weapon. He needed that fuckin' weapon. He pressed forward, that stick sliding slowly along the bottom until it stuck on something. Reaching down, Daryl locked his fingers around the familiar weight of his crossbow and felt his lips turning up in a sneering sort of smile as he hefted it out of the water.

Nodding his head for a second, then regretting the motion as the dizziness yet again tilted the axis of his vision. He felt like he was gonna puke any second. The memory of him watchin' Rick wrestle with his own concussed head as they walked the forest for Sophia and Jenna days ago flittering into his mind. A small chuckle rumbled in his chest and he shook off that nausea. He wasn't gonna be pukin' like some little bitch.

No fuckin' way.

Grabbing his crossbow in his right hand along with his walking stick Daryl made his way as quickly as his broken, dizzy-ass could, to the bank again. He took a moment to breath, a moment to stare up the ridge he'd fallen down. Whistling just a bit at the sight of the drop he marveled for a single second at how fuckin' lucky he was he hadn't broken his damn neck. At that thought his eyes slipped to the bit of gold peekin' out from under the hem of his shirt. He felt a sort of sarcastic chuckle rumble through his chest again as he shook his head at that 'lucky' badge.

"That's some fucked up type of lucky," Daryl muttered. His vision blanked for a second, his body leaning hard on the walking stick he held and he teetered on the edge of passing out for a few seconds. He felt his body sagging and pushed against it. Pushed fuckin' hard.

He had to get the fuck outta here.

As he walked slowly along the bottom of the ridge lookin' for a viable way up, his mind shifted to the doll settled at his back. He slipped his eyes behind him once, skimming the area for any other sign of the girl. The doll was a sign. The first real concrete fuckin' sign that they'd had, that they'd even been followin' the girl's trail. He'd done a bang up job of convincing Carol, T-Dog and Glenn that it had to have been the girl in that house, and leavin' those marks on the trees. But if he was bein' honest, he hadn't done a great job convincin' himself. Especially when those marks just up and fuckin' stopped.

Daryl's brow furrowed as he searched the area again. The doll was down here. Down almost right below where those fuckin' tracks had stopped. His eyes slipped up the ridge line again, and then snapped back down. Had she fallen too?

He was about to take a few steps away to check around but his foot stopped mid-step.

No.

No she hadn't fallen. She was light on her feet, and smart. She probably just dropped the doll down there after gettin' spooked. His lip curled and he nodded his head as he yet again searched the deserted area around him for any signs of the girl. He wasn't gonna believe that girl had fallen. Because if he did, then that would lead him into thoughts of another kind.

Thoughts that he had no business thinkin'.

That girl was alive. _Alive_.

Snarling, Daryl turned back to the ridge line and worked his way down along it. After a bit of searching he found an incline that wasn't fuckin' perpendicular to the ground. Close, but not a straight right angle. Slipping his crossbow's strap over his right shoulder and letting it hang at his side, he took a few deep steadying breaths.

"_Three breaths, Daryl"_, Callie's voice slipped into his mind and he felt his head nodding as his shoulders lifted painfully with each breath. The same words he'd heard echoing through the blood pounding in his brain up on that rooftop in Atlanta. _"Three breaths, that's all you get. Then move the fuck on."_

Move the fuck on. Move the fuck on from the pain. Move the fuck on from thinkin' that little girl was somewhere down here. Move the fuck on, Dixon.

Daryl nodded one more time, the pain in his side shoutin' out against him as he leaned his left foot forward into that loose fuckin' dirt that made up the side of the ridge he chose to try and climb and he moved the fuck on. He felt his crossbow dangling at his side, bumping into the back of his thighs as he worked upwards. He used that strangely pointed walking stick to spear the soft ground, his left arm tossing forward painfully to grab a hold of the spindly fuckin' branches poking up outta that ridge.

It was slow going, and the pain in his side was screamin' by the time he reached a bit past what he figured had to be halfway up. He abandoned his walking stick after a few more ill-fated attempts to spear into the slightly harder ground. His arms were out wide from his body, hands gripping into the thin trees and vines he'd used for purchase when a wave of dizziness nearly had his knees buckling. The world titled, his vision sparkling a bit with white and black flecks. He shook his head against it.

Which was the wrong fuckin' move as those specs in his eyes just decided to bounce together painfully and multiply. Daryl closed his eyes for a second, three more deep excruciating breaths moving his torso and twitchin' at that pierced oblique on his left. Those three breaths were followed by about five fast puffs, and his eyes opened to stare up the rest of the ridge towards his goal.

"C'mon now," Daryl said to himself shifting his body around and working to build a bit of momentum with his outstretched arms. "Quit bein' a pussy."

With that Daryl nodded his head, and maneuvered his body so that he could half swing-half step to the next bit of vines and branches. His left hand shot out and grabbed for them, his fingertips grazing the edge of them before slipping off and flexing wildly in the air for them. He felt his balance shifting. Felt his heavy, concussed fuckin' head tilting backwards and he overcompensated with his shoulders and arms. His right clenched tighter against the branches he held, but the weight of his off-balance body was too much for his arm and those branches to take.

The branches pulled from the dirt below and Daryl felt his body tip backwards. His eyes went wide, his puffing painful breaths speeding up again as his adrenaline began to pump and ready his body for the fall.

He was weightless for a single second, that horrid feeling of fallin' once again assaulting his senses. Then his body was ricocheting and bouncing off the ridge again. His head smashed yet again against something hard and sparks blanked his vision completely. Throbbing, searing pain shot through his entire body as he slammed hard head over feet again and again down that ridge.

Again, he hit bottom. And again he felt his body bounce off the ground and into the water. And again the world went black around him.

Daryl wasn't sure how long he lay there unconscious. Wasn't sure how long he'd given into that almost euphoric sense of leaving all the pain of those two falls far away. But he knew when he woke up. He felt the warmth of the sun on his face. Felt the rush of water around his legs. His upper torso settled on what felt like a million tiny spiky rocks that were digging into his flesh. His head rolled from side to side as his brain swam with the pressure of what he figured was more than a mild concussion.

His jaw was slack his breathing no longer that stilted painful puffing, but now just a slow steady release through that wide hanging mouth of his. He felt himself closing his mouth, working saliva around his dry mouth. It was the only thing he could actually seem to do.

He couldn't move anything else but that fuckin' mouth of his.

His body was too heavy. Arms dragging like lead weights at his sides as he worked to command them to do something. _Anything_.

But why did he need to? He was comfortable. He was warm. He was laying on a river bank, starin' up at the sun on a lazy day.

No. He wasn't on a river bank.

Daryl's head tipped to the left and then the right as his eyes blinked open. Bright white light burned his vision and he closed them again.

He wasn't on a river bank. And this wasn't some lazy fuckin' day. Couldn't be. There weren't no lazy fuckin' days to be had anymore.

Daryl's eyes blinked open and then closed again as his head rolled along those jagged little pebbles beneath him. His eyes opened again, and this time something blocked that white hot light from searing his retina. A big fuckin' shadowy shape, bobbin' and weavin' in time with the roll of his head.

"Hey," A voice hit his ears, a voice he hadn't heard in months. His eyes slipped open more, but still he couldn't make out the person behind that shadowed shape. "Hey!" again the voice sounded, more urgent and fuckin' pissed off this time. Daryl felt his lips curl a bit in a sneer of a smile as the dark shadowy shape finally began to clear. "Why don't you pull that arrow out, dummy. You can bind your wound better."

Daryl felt the smile tip his lips up as the shape cleared into sharp focus. His tongue worked in his dry mouth again trying to create some spit as his throat constricted with each dry swallow. He worked for what felt like hours to get his mouth and mind on the same fuckin' page so that he could finally rasp out the name he'd been longin' to say for months.

"Merle."

_I hear the ancient footsteps like the motion of the sea_

_Sometimes I turn, there's someone there, other time it's only me_

_I am hanging in the balance of the reality of man_

_Like every sparrow falling, like every grain of sand_

_~Every Grain Of Sand/ Bob Dylan_

_AN: Okay, alright….I know. Y'all probably hate the break down and are all WHERE'S THE CHUPACABRA WE KNOW AND LOVE. Well, to those of you really looking for a Daryl-centric chapter sit on pins and needles and bounce as you will, cause it's comin' next chapter. That's right. We're gonna focus our asses on the nitty-gritty of the Daryl / Merle fun in Chupacabra next chapter so be on the lookout._

_As for the warning above, I apologize if that was off putting to anyone. I really hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I'd love to hear what you think. I had so many qualms about it… but here it is for you to enjoy!_

_Goodness, feeling good about getting this all out and done so I can fully enjoy SEASON 3. Which OH MY GOD I know a lot of you have put in the reviews/PM's to me. YES. FUCK YES. I saw it, I watched it twice, I sat and watched Talking Dead, and I settled myself in for the awesomeness that's coming. RICK, MY GOD. So happy with where he's getting to go this season. I LOVE Daryl, don't get me wrong but Rick is a VERY VERY VERY close second in my mind. I heart him so bad. Fuck. I'm pretty sure that we can all say that the saying has definitely been changed from TGIF to TGIS (Thank God It's Sunday). Good God. Hit me up with a PM if there was something you wanna discuss. I'd love to hear what y'all thought. _

_And yeah, with that, I say good night and big balls. _

_See ya next chapter!_


	33. River Styx

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_So believe it or not…I had trouble with this one. I could have sat and edited this forever and probably still not have been completely happy with what I got on the page. I mean honestly, how do you rewrite perfection? SO with that in mind I know that a lot of you are going to recognize the dialogue here, because it was just so well done that I felt a need to preserve a good bit of it. But as usual, I've added a few of my own twists and turns and fun to the awesomeness. _

_As always read, review and most of all enjoy !_

_~michelle_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**River Styx**

_Will you lay me down; Will you lay me down,_

_Will you lay me down inside heaven's walls,_

_Where every soul is a setting sun_

He'd passed out. Again.

Had to have. Because she was there now. Her hands slipping over his face, her breath tickling at his neck as her lips slipped from his jaw down to his neck. Sweet little kisses pressed to his pulse point as she slowly worked her way back up to his ear. He couldn't see her, 'cause it was dark in the confines of his head, none of that light of the bright shinin' day that he _knew_ he was layin' in-that he could fuckin' _feel_ on his body-

Or was that her body? The heat of her pressed up to him as her lips slipped over his ear where the blood had stained the side of his head.

_I'm bleedin'. Don't. _

He hadn't said the words, but he felt her chuckle against him in response to them as if he had. Heard that laugh, her laugh, the one that he couldn't get enough of, echo in his ears and push away some of that rush of blood that was drowning out the sounds around him. Her lips continued on their heated path along his blood soaked skin, her hot breath blowin' in his ear. He swore he heard her say "_I don't care," _and he felt himself shakin' his head idly at her.

Course she didn't.

He wanted to say her name, but couldn't get his mouth to work it out. His attempt was stopped cold as her breath again puffed in his ear and he just fell into the wonder of her softness settled around him. Her body lay over his, the warming presence so comforting and so-God he didn't even have the fuckin' words for it. Those hands, the ones that had touched every part of his scarred body more than once and never faltered, continued into his hair. Slender, delicate fingers slipping along his scalp a bit, as her voice continued to echo low in his ear. "_I don't care,"_ she said again and this time there were more words that following it.

Three words mumbled so low that he wasn't positive she said them at all.

Wasn't sure if she'd said 'em, or if he'd just been hopin' for so long to hear 'em from her-He strained against the pressure building in his head, against the rush of blood in his ears. He wanted to hear those words. Wanted to hear them in her voice. In his ear.

Wanted it so bad he could fuckin' taste it.

Her fingers slipped further into his hair, pulling his heavy head up from the ground-that ground that felt like a million pointy rocks settled at the back of his head and shoulders. He felt his brow furrow at that, the delicate sensation of her hands slipping into his hair changing to a more forceful sort of yank.

Pain.

Excruciating and deep pain exploded behind his eyes as her fingers dug into his head hard and pulled him up a bit. His eyes shot open, bright blinding sunlight haloing the head of the Walker as it leaned down. Mouth open wide, decaying teeth and putrid breath spilling out over him as it moved in for a bite.

His arm was moving, grabbing the knife that had been pokin' him in the side. He pulled it off his belt, sheathe and all and rammed it into the head of the Walker. He watched as that spark in its dead eyes, that fuckin' spark that Jenner had showed them on that big screen in the CDC, went out.

Daryl howled in pain, his body protesting the movements it had just made. His world swam around and pitched over, and his heavy head fell hard back down to that jagged bed of rocks he was laying on. His eyes closed and again everything began to ebb away.

But in the background there was a sound, a sound that was so familiar it had his head turning in an effort to find him. The chuckle, Merle's fuckin' chuckle, rolled over him like a comforting blanket as his consciousness drifted away again.

"Fuckin' pussy," Merle's voice slipped out, that raspy voice from too many hard nights and way too many cigarettes, floating out and touching on Daryl's mind just before it slipped off. "Layin' there havin' a fuckin' wet dream while some sum'bitch is tryin' to take a bite outta your ass. What I tell you 'bout thinking with that fuckin' head below your belt, dumbass?" Merle smacked the side of his head in an effort to get the point across sending another wave of pain through him and pushing Daryl further towards that bit of darkness waiting for him. "Huh, boy? What I say to you every fuckin' day? That shit's gonna get you killed, little brother."

That low rumbling chuckle followed him into the dark abyss of unconsciousness again, and settled in for the long haul.

_Will you take my hand; Will you take my hand_

_Will you take my hand down to the water's edge_

_Where every sin has been washed away_

"Here pussy, pussy," Merle's rasping voice called out on the edge of Daryl's consciousness. The sound of it had Daryl's head again rolling from side to side, that shadowy shape bobbing back into view as his eyes slowly opened. "Here pussy, pussy. Wakey, wakey," Merle's chuckled, and that fuckin' chuckle ebbed along Daryl's senses and had him blinking a few times to try and clear the black blob that was makin' up his brother. The blob moved in time with Daryl's head as it rolled, workin' to get itself right into his line of sight. Workin' to take its place as the only thing he could see. Merle's smirkin' face finally came into view, sharp and focused and fuckin' close as hell. Daryl tried to pull back a bit but his head was already as pushed up into the ground as it was gonna get. Merle smirked a bit more and leaned closer. "What's this then? You takin' a siesta?"

Daryl's tongue worked in his mouth, again tryin' to scrounge up a bit of saliva so that he could respond. Because he needed to. Needed to talk to his brother.

"Shitty day, bro," he heard his voice and his face contorted at the sound of it. He didn't sound like himself. He coughed, the dryness of his throat fighting against his using his voice at all. Again his head was lolling around on the ground.

"Aww," Merle said mockingly his eyes slipping over Daryl's prone form as he squatted down. "Ya need me to get you a pillow?" Merle said sneering as Daryl shook his head slowly. "Maybe rub your feet?"

"Screw you, fucker," Daryl said back, a bit of a chuckle riding his voice. He couldn't help it. Merle was good for that shit.

"From what I see, you're the fucker that's screwed, baby brother." Merle said back, his lips tiltin' in a sneer as he shot his gaze down Daryl's body and then back up to his face. "All them years spent tryin' to make a man of you, and this is what I get." Merle shook his head and leaned back a bit settling his hands on his knees. "Look at ya," Merle waved his hand at Daryl, and Daryl's eyes followed it almost in a trance. "Lyin' in the dirt like a used rubber. Fuck. You gonna die out here, bro. And for what?"

"Girl," the muscles in Daryl's neck constricted and pulled, that single word burning through the dry confines of his throat and mouth. "Sophia. She's lost."

"So-phi-a," Merle stretched the name, rolled it in his mouth sarcastically and smirked down at Daryl. "Sophia." He let out a huff at that and shook his head. "You got a thing for little girls now? Hmm?" Merle poked at him and Daryl's head rolled side to side again. "Always wondered what the fuckin' appeal of that woman and her babies was."

"Shut up," Daryl spat tiredly, the mention of 'that woman' sparking some kind of new movement in his body. He worked to get his head off the ground only to be floored again by the searing pain behind his eyes.

"Can't help but notice ya ain't lookin' for ol' Merle no more," Merle said, his voice takin' on that tone that told Daryl that nothing good was coming for him. Daryl snarled a bit, watching Merle stare at the dirty nails on his hand. His right hand. Daryl squinted and tried to focus more sharply on the hazy figure of his brother, but couldn't seem to get it any clearer than it was. "Moved the fuck on from that, didn't ya?"

"Tried like hell to find you, brother." Daryl said quietly, his brows lifting as he nodded his head just a bit. Raking the back of his head along that jagged bed of rocks he was layin' on. Daryl half-heard Merle's response of 'Like hell', but he was too busy nodding and workin' at what he wanted to say to let it register. He'd been wantin' to say this to that man since he found that fuckin' hand of his on that roof. And now that he had him, Daryl was gonna make him listen. "Did you really think I wouldn't come for you? Did you?" Daryl took a breath and blinked a few times. "All you had to do was wait. We went back for you. Callie, Rick and I." He nodded his head more fervently now and watched Merle just stare at him blankly. "We did right by you. Callie almost died-"

"Yeah," Merle's voice was a deep rasping guttural growl as it fell onto Daryl's ears. It had Daryl's eyes popping a bit more open and his head again rolling and following the moving figure of his brother as he shifted in his crouched position. Merle's face was close now, his eyes boring holes into Daryl's as he spoke and the smell of his putrid breath had Daryl's eyes watering. "Yeah, Callie almost died for me." The sound of her name in Merle's voice was odd; Daryl hadn't ever heard him say it before. "She almost _died_," Merle let out a scoffing sort of sound and Daryl stared hard at his face as it wavered in his vision slightly. "While you and Rick, that fuck that handcuffed me to the roof in the first place, sat pretty with them fuckin' Mexican bangers and that nigger, holdin' hands and hidin'." Daryl frowned at that and tried to shake his head. Merle backed off and let his hard gaze rake down Daryl again. "Look at ya," Merle said tossing out his hand before slamming it into Daryl's hip. The hit pressed that gold badge pinned to his pants hard into his bone and muscle and had Daryl slammin' his head back in pain. "You his bitch now? Hmm? _Deputy Daryl_." Merle sneered pressing that badge hard into Daryl's leg. "That what this is?"

"Ain't nobody's bitch," Daryl said angrily his eyes staring hard into his brother's as he tried to move away from the pain he was inflicting. Merle pressed one more time against that badge, twisting his hand this way and that so that it dug deep down into Daryl's flesh.

"You're a joke, boy, s'what you are. Playin' errand boy to a bunch a pansies and bitches that ain't fit to survive this shit world we livin' in." Merle moved a bit away, his hand falling from its painful presence at Daryl's hip. "Playin' daddy to a buncha babies that ain't yours. Playin' house with a woman who wouldna given your ass time of day 'fore all this shit happened." Merle leaned close and whispered his next words. "She's usin' ya, bro. They all are. They're laughin' at ya behind your back. Callie and Rick," Merle scoffed again his head shakin' this way and that, the bitterness in his voice obviously leavin' a foul taste in his mouth. "One of these days, they gonna wake up and remember that you ain't nothin' but useless redneck white trash. One of these days-"

"Ain't like that," Daryl heard himself sayin' as his head rolled side to side. "Ain't-"

"Fuck boy," Merle said slappin' at him and makin' those bright specs flare to life and that blackness edging round his vision to close in just a bit more. "Wake the fuck up. They ain't your kin." Merle said quietly and forcefully, his hand reaching out and grippin' Daryl's jaw to stop his head from makin' that rollin' negative motion it seemed to be stuck in. "No matter how much you want 'em to be. They ain't. So you do me a favor." Merle gripped tighter into Daryl's jaw and leaned in close. "You wake up and you do your _real_ kin, your _only_ kin a favor." Merle paused makin' sure his eyes were glued to Daryl's as he spoke the next words. "You go back, an' you shoot your friend Rick in the face for ol' Merle."

"No man, ain't like that," Daryl was shakin' his head, magically freed it of Merle's grasp and for a second felt a wave of _somethin'_ crawl over his skin. Some horrid sensation that he needed to wake up; hear what Merle was sayin' and wake up. But he couldn't, 'cause Merle was still talkin', grabbin' his face and pullin' his attention back to him.

"You listen, boy," Merle said real low and Daryl recognized that tone and opened his eyes a bit more. "Ain't no one gonna care 'bout you but me. No one. That woman, you think she _loves_ you _cares_ 'bout you? Why can't she say it, huh?" Merle slapped him when he was 'bout to respond and Daryl groaned. "Ain't no one gonna love you, or care 'bout you but me, little brother."

Daryl closed his eyes and shook his head. No. She couldn't say it 'cause he couldn't say it. They were both too damn smart to let that sorta shit happen. Too damn smart, and too damn shut off. 'Specially now, durin' a fuckin' apocalypse. She cared 'bout him. She did.

"Don't you close your eyes and ignore me, boy," Merle slapped at him and stood up. "Don't you ignore _me_. You brought me here." Merle's voice had Daryl's head shaking again and his eyes slipping open and shut, tryin' desperately to blink back into true awareness. "You brought ol' Merle here in your fuckin' time of need, little brother. Not Callie. Not Rick. You brought ol' Merle, 'cause you know. You know ain't no one gonna get your ass through this fucked up existence we livin' in but _ol' Merle_." Merle was standing now, staring down at Daryl and kickin' at him. "You know that ain't no one got your back but me. Whether you wanna admit it or not, you know it. You brought ol' Merle here to wake your ass up." Merle kicked at him a bit harder and Daryl felt his body shift with it painfully. "Now wake up." Merle bent down and grabbed at his leg shakin' him hard. "Wake the fuck up boy, 'fore I have to kick your teeth in."

Merle shook him again, his hardened gaze settled hard on Daryl as he did it. Daryl's vision went black again, but he realized slowly that it wasn't unconsciousness that had taken over, he'd just closed his eyes. Closed out Merle. But he could still feel the fucker, yankin' and grabbin' at his foot and leg. Rockin' Daryl's body along that jagged ground roughly. He could hear him too, breathin'-

No, he wasn't breathin', he was growlin'.

Groanin'. Moanin'. Low guttural moans that registered and clicked in that fog of Daryl's concussed head and had his eyes finally popping open.

Really fuckin' poppin' open this time. The bright sunlight overhead that had been warming his body as he lay there unconscious, fuckin' jawin' with his imaginary brother, blinded him for only a moment. Then he registered the weight settled on his chest, the smell of decay filled his nostrils reminding him of how horrid Merle's breath had smelt when he got close and spoke right into Daryl's face.

The body of the Walker, the one he'd half-convinced himself was a part of some weird ass dream, lay over him. His knife, still sheathed, was sticking outta the fucker's head. He lifted his head a bit, seething in a long breath through his clenched teeth and looked down the length of him as his leg gave another violent jolt. Something was at his foot. Something was grabbing at his foot and he felt a distinct sort of pressure along the steel toe of his boots.

The Walker's head lifted then, apparently sensing his movement and smelling the fresh blood that was still gushin' from that wound in the side of his head. Idly he realized that the only reason that the fucker wasn't gnawin' at the fresh cut meat of his midsection was because the dead Walker layin' on top of him had buffered the smell.

The Walker at his feet finally let go of his boot, and hissed wildly at him. Daryl's eyes went wide and adrenaline fueled his movements and sparked him into full awareness. He pushed wildly at the body on top of him, grateful in a sick sort of way that it was only the upper half of a man and not a full bodied Walker. The Walker rolled and he grabbed at the knife still sticking out of its head, using the momentum of its fall to unsheathe the weapon. The other Walker that had been tryin' to get through his boots lunged and fell on top of him. Daryl swung his fist connecting with its disintegrating jaw and used his legs to push the Walker onto its back .

Moving in a way that Daryl didn't think he could in his fuckin' condition, lettin' those waves of adrenaline move his body in a quick and precise motion, he mounted that fuckin' Walker and drove his knife into its face. Twisting his hand he felt the gore and puss settle over his fingers as the thing went dead beneath him.

Another growlin' hissin' sound had his wide, finally fully open, eyes shifting across the water. Another two fuckin' Walkers were makin' their way towards him. Daryl fell back onto his ass, crab crawling towards the ridge as his breath left him in fear-fueled pants.

"Over here," Merle's sing-song voice entered his brain and Daryl's eyes went wide. His head turned and he saw the weapon, settled right at the feet of his imaginary fuckin' brother. He looked up at Merle and the fucker smiled down on him. "But what ya gonna use to shoot him with, eh, Deputy Daryl."

Daryl's hand went to his side, feelin' the arrow piercing his side. It took one second, exactly one, to make the decision. And three and a half torturous seconds to pull the thing through his body. He cringed and sucked in a harsh breath as he felt the feathered ends tearing into his body and through that already sore and pierced oblique. His brain didn't register the pain though, all he registered was how fuckin' close those geeks were gettin'.

Settling the crossbow between his feet he pulled hard to get the thing set. His hands were shakin' with the amount of adrenaline pouring and poundin' through his battered body. His vision was sharp, focused, and intent when he looked up after placing that bolt into place. He took stock of the situation, figured which shambling fuck he needed to line up and fired. The bolt sliced through the geek in front and sent it sprawling into the water, right in the path of the second.

Daryl used the moment of disorientation to his advantage and shoved hard to his feet. Swinging his crossbow 'round in his hands he lifted it up high and smashed the butt end of it into that second geek's face. The resounding whoosh of air that left Daryl's lungs mixed in with the sound of that geek's head snappin' to the side. Daryl went down with the fucker and smashed his crossbow twice more into its face, obliterating that bastard's head until all that was left was soft squishin' insides spattered over that rocky edge he'd been layin' on.

"That's my fuckin' boy!" Merle's voice rang out and Daryl fell to his hands and knees over the now dead Walker. The rush of adrenaline began to ebb, and Daryl watched the world tilt and spin around him. He tried not to, he really fuckin' did, but he tipped to the side and rolled back onto his back.

His eyes again closing tight against that bright fuckin' sunlight overhead. Daryl lifted his right hand and dragged it over his body to where his side had been torn to fuck by the pull of that bolt. Coughing out against the horror that was his dry fuckin' throat he tossed his head to the side and squinted up at the sun. Sun that was immediately blocked out by the now distinct shape of his brother as he sneered down at him.

"Pussy," Merle rasped out, his foot shooting out and kicking Daryl right in his bleedin' side. Daryl groaned at the impact and pain that shot through the entire left side of his body and let his eyes close again.

_But I can't run if I can't walk,_

_And I won't love if I can't stop,_

_Every minute the pressure drops_

_From your first breath 'til your heart stops_

Birds were chirppin' when Daryl woke again, this time his head feelin' less like a dead weight. His eyes fluttered open and he squinted at the light, but it didn't blind him. The birds were chirppin' and the wind was rustlin' and the smell, fuck that smell was waftin' into his nostrils and wakin' him up the rest of the way.

Daryl lifted his head and let out a sigh of relief at the sight of the dead Walkers layin' on the ground next to him. Letting his head fall back to the ground he took in three deep fuckin' breaths and used his right hand to push himself up, while his left remained plastered to his bleeding side.

Blinking past the pain in his head and thinking twice before shakin' his head against it, he lifted his left arm and tested his mobility a bit. The pain seared through him, and he winced but pushed past it. Grabbing his crossbow he pushed at the ground and got his knees under him.

That's when he heard it, the strange whistling noise that wasn't birds chirppin'. Not unless they was some fuckin' trained pet birds that knew The Hag. His eyes skipped up and sure enough there was Merle sittin' his ass on a fallen tree, cleanin' his dirty nails with his knife. Both hands sittin' in the sun as he whistled that same fuckin' tune he'd been whistlin' the day they left the trailer behind and hit the road away from home when this shit-storm all began.

That same fuckin' tune he always whistled.

The one he knew Daryl fuckin' hated.

Daryl snarled as he got to his feet, staring hard at the imaginary man settled upon that fallen tree. He knew it had to have something to do with the multiple fuckin' hits he took to the head the two times he tumbled down that fuckin' ridge. Knew that it wasn't really Merle sittin' there. Knew it, yet it didn't stop him from talkin' to him.

'Cause it was Merle.

And he wanted to talk to Merle again.

"Hate that song," Daryl said idly to the imaginary man settled upon the log. Merle didn't respond, merely started whistling louder. Daryl turned as he grabbed his knife from the ground and watched Merle smile widely at him as he continued to clean his nails and whistle. Daryl turned away from him and shuffled his ass over towards the ridge.

"_I'd like to hold my head up_," Merle sang in a low and rumbling voice, his eyes following Daryl as he sat upon the rocks and worked to unbutton his shirt. "_An' be proud of who I am."_ Daryl was snarling as he slid his shirt off, the movements hurting more than he'd care to admit. He glared over at Merle as he balled up his dirty shirt and pressed it into his wound. Merle stopped singing after that last line and resumed his oddly melodic whistling of the song.

"Why don't you fuckin' go away?" Daryl seethed as he slipped the shirt under his tied sleeves around his midsection. He untied the sleeves and then tied them again tight around the ball of fabric at his suckin' in a harsh breath through his teeth. His breath left him in a hiss when he lowered his arms again and he looked up and over at the now quiet Merle sitting on the rock, just fuckin' smilin' at him.

"You're the one thinkin' 'bout me, little brother." Merle said lowering his knife and putting his hands to his knees where he sat. That smile on his face was gettin' bigger and Daryl couldn't help but sneer at him. "Make me."

"Fuckin' asshole," Daryl huffed out as he pushed to his feet. He looked down at his wounded side, marveling at how much better it actually felt and he shook his head. "Fucker was right."

"Like there was a doubt," Merle's voice sounded this time from right beside him. "Ol' Merle ain't never steered you wrong 'fore. Wouldn't do it now, bro."

"Get the fuck outta here," Daryl said quietly as he swatted at the imaginary man near him and forced himself to turn towards the geeks on the ground.

"Time to man up, brother." Merle said as Daryl stared at those Walkers. The fuckin' sum'bitches that almost got him. He stared hard at 'em. "Time to get back to your roots, boy. Remember where you came from. Ain't no one gonna come help your ass outta here. Ain't no one gonna come searchin' for you." Merle pushed into Daryl's shoulder, rocketing his world into a spin and causing Daryl to slip a bit in his footing. "Need nourishment, idiot. Lost too much blood. C'mon. Think, boy." Merle flicked the wounded side of his head and Daryl's vision sparked.

Swattin' his arms around like a fuckin' fool at the man that wasn't there, Daryl stumbled towards the banks. He'd caught some squirrel. He remembered doin' it, just didn't know where the fuck it was. It took a bit, but he found the string of carcasses settled in the water.

Daryl moved his eyes around the area as he stabbed into the gut of the squirrel and cut it open. Merle was gone. Disappeared in the sun like some fuckin' bad dream. Daryl plunged his fingers into the squirrel's belly and pulled out some offal. He didn't think twice before shoving it into his mouth and savoring the tangy taste and the immediate response of his clenching stomach. He ate a few more bites, and continued to search the area.

Merle might have been gone, but his words lingered on. _"Time to man up. Ain't no one gonna come help your ass outta here."_

"Don't need them fuckers anyway," Daryl said glaring at the world around him. His eyes slipped to the bodies of the Walkers on the ground and as he popped another piece of offal into his watering mouth. "Get back to my fuckin' roots. I'll show you back to my fuckin' roots." Daryl pushed off of his seat on the log and walked his ass over to the first of the Walkers.

Bending down, fighting against the pull of the concussion makin' his vision blur a bit around the edges, he grabbed the fucker's shoe and pulled out the lace. Nodding his head and snarling a bit he used his new found resolve to kick the sum'bitch onto it's back. He unsheathed his knife and began cut that ugly bastard's ears off.

The whistle that filled the air this time was followed quickly by the low rumbling chuckle that he knew so well. And Daryl didn't even need to look up to see the grin that was probably roarin' to life on his brother's face as he hooked that ear onto his lace and moved on to the next. Six ears settled upon that thin little brown shoelace.

Six ears settled upon his neck.

Laughter that was as annoying as it was comforting rollin' in his mind as he slipped his eyes up that ridge. He didn't need any of them fuckers. The laughter got a bit louder, and before Daryl could open his mouth to shout out for Merle to shut the fuck up his ears picked up another sound.

Another bit of rustling and shuffling that killed the vestiges of Merle's laughter. It was behind him. Splashing slow through the shallow water, staggered strained steps and low hissin' moans. Daryl's lip curled as he gripped the handle of his knife tight.

He waited. Waited for the thing to get close. Givin' it that illusion that it was gonna get what it wanted, even though deep down Daryl knew the thing didn't feel that sense of elation that he imagined it would if it were alive, he still relished the feel of stealin' the things meal. He waited, until its dead fingers touched to the back of his shoulder. Then he spun, fast and sure, his knife flyin' straight on target and into the side of that fuckin' dead sum'bitch's head.

It wasn't until he twisted the blade, and watched the spark flicker out in those dead eyes, that his slightly pain-blurred vision cleared. His eyes focused so sharply and so quickly that it stole the pain right out of his head leavin' nothing. Absolutely fuckin' nothin' but raw disbelief and a whole different kind of pain shooting through his body. The world around faded and all he was left with was her face and her hair; those bright red strands that had tangled into the fingers of the hand he'd used to plunge his knife deep into her skull.

Her dead eyes were staring at him, his face reflected back in the milky depths. Her lips were cracked and pale, pulled back and parted in a growl of hunger that looked more like a silent scream of pain. A memory of her staring at him, hazel eyes dipped down and pink staining her cheeks as she handed him a lukewarm cup of shitty coffee flew into his mind. Thoughts of the way she laughed off his anger, takin' cues from Callie and realizing his bark was worse than his bite in certain circumstances.

Thoughts of her starin' at him in a rapt sort of grateful awe when he told her that her daddy had been a good man.

It was that point that her body started to fall, the dead weight of it being held up only by the blade of his knife. His hand moved the blade out slowly, feeling those red strands of her hair tickling at his hand as it slipped away from her. Her body fell to the water and Daryl followed with it, his knees buckling under him and sending him crashing down onto them in the shallow water.

Daryl's breathing had stopped at some point, and the pain in his chest from holding it in was starting to become too much to handle.

"Now that's a damn shame there, brother." Merle's voice, his hot breath fanning right into Daryl's ear as he leaned over his shoulder and stared down at Jenna's dead body more unwelcome than ever. "Always liked, Red."

Daryl's breath rushed out and he fell forward, his hands crashing down into the water in front of his knees as every pain, every bump, _everything_ crashed down around him. He felt that bubble, the one he'd built up 'round his heart months ago, felt it swell under the pressure. And then without warning it burst into a million tiny pieces and sliced through his insides shredding them until they were as raw as the wounds on his outside.

Merle's chuckle filled is ears as Daryl sat there in the water, his head bobbin' under the insane pressure that had built there. Daryl felt the sting of the tears welling in his eyes, the pain of holdin' them back so intense he found himself snarlin'. Merle came into focus again, this time kneeling beside Jenna's body in the water and lookin' down on her with a sick sort of smile. Daryl 's eyes stayed on Jenna, black gore pouring out into the water from the place in the side of her head where he'd driven his knife.

"C'mon now," Merle said that damn chuckle lingering in the air around them. "Get your prize there, brother mine. C'mon," Merle said smacking his leg with his hand. "Got yourself 'nother set of ears for your pretty little necklace there." Merle chuckled and Daryl shifted his eyes to his brother. "Maybe you can give 'em to Jail-bird. Little 'sorry for offin' your kid' present, hmmm."

Daryl felt the growlin' hate burnin' up inside of him, felt it rippin' through his chest and tearin' out of his throat. But he'd be damned if he knew exactly what the hate was aimed at. Coulda been Merle and his laughin' ass. Coulda been Jenna. Coulda been the world at fuckin' large. Coulda been at himself.

Whatever it was, it tore outta him with a fierce sort of howl that shot his head back and thrashed his arms out of the water and out around his body. That howl echoed long and loud in that ravine and drowned out the lingering sound of Merle's laughter, and drove that fucker outta his mind.

_Will you let them pass; Will you let them pass _

_Will you let them pass across this killing floor_

_Where every shadow is cast in stone_

_But I can't run if I can't walk_

_And I won't love if I can't stop_

_Every minute the pressure drops_

_From your first breath 'til your heart stops_

Daryl didn't know how long he'd been sittin' in that water, just starin' at Jenna's lifeless body glitterin' in the sun. Didn't know how long, but knew it had been too long when his legs started feelin' stiff and pinpricks of that needly sensation started ridin' his thighs and numbin' his toes.

His hands were settled on his thighs, his right still clenched tight around the hilt of his knife. The pain of his wounds and the poundin' in his head was throbbin' more powerfully now, slowly comin' back to the forefront of his mind. His eyes roved over the girl's body, the water she was layin' in helpin' to wash away some of the dirt, mud and blood from her body. Her bare feet shone bright in the sunlight, the scratches and gouged out flesh lookin' so painful he wondered how she'd managed to get 'round at all. Her abdomen was blown out below where her ribcage was, most likely the exit wound of the bullet that had torn through her.

Fucker shot her in the back.

Daryl's hands clenched tight on his thighs as he continued to stare at that horrid wound. All he could think about was how much pain that girl had to have been in when she passed. How scared she musta been layin' in that grass bleedin' out. His eyes caught on the bits of white bone, her broken and shattered ribs exploding out and catching in the dark green fabric of her shirt. A shirt he immediately recognized as Callie's; the one he'd stripped off of her that night at the box truck and subsequently hid in his back pocket. Their first night together.

His stomach rolled a bit and he snarled as his jaw clenched tight.

Daryl's eyes slipped up to her face, and he immediately looked away. Closing his eyes he took a deep shuddering breath in and as he let it out he looked back to her face. The wound on the side of her head was a large gaping gash. The bullet tore through breaking the bones but not hittin' the brain.

Just another fuckin' pain that girl had to endure alone.

"You gonna just sit there and stare at her for the resta your life," Merle's voice slipped over him and Daryl growled as his chin lowered to his chest. Merle's feet came into view right by Jenna's head, her red hair fannin' out around her in the water and brushin' off of Merle's dirty boots.

Daryl lifted his right hand at that point, using the back of it to wipe at his own blood stained mouth. His eyes slipped over Jenna's body again, and he began to nod his head idly as he pushed to his feet. His legs protested, the pins and needles flyin' painfully through them as he stood to his full height. Daryl sheathed his knife and wiped the back of his left hand hard over his eyes and then under his nose. This time he did shake his head, shook it hard. Hopin' that the nausea and dizziness of his concussion would wipe away the vision of that girl layin' dead in the water.

But it didn't.

And then Merle was fuckin' hummin' that damn song again and Daryl was growlin' low in the back of his throat again. Daryl stalked up to where Jenna's body was, and knelt down in the water beside her. His wound was flarin' back to life, the pain marchin' through his body in droves as he lifted his hands and worked them towards her. They were shakin' like leaves as they reached out towards her, and he flinched back the second his fingers touched her. His eyes skipped up to her face and he snarled as Merle kept on hummin' in the background.

With a flourish of movement Daryl reached out and slapped his hand over her eyes, his rough palm workin' to pull those lids down over the dead milky used-to-be-hazel orbs. He snatched his hand back quick, feelin' the burn of a fire that wasn't there and pressed the back of that hand into his mouth again.

"_When they let me outta prison_," Merle's voice sang low somewhere behind him and Daryl stared hard at the girl as he tried to drown him out. "_I held my head up high. Determined I would rise above the shame._"

Daryl shook his head again, scramblin' up all those fuckin' black and white flecks until the image of Jenna blurred to the point of bein' unrecognizable. He reached out then, as the sound of Merle shiftin' in the water somewhere behind him reached his ears. His hands pulled at Jenna's dead body, workin' hard to lift her out of the shallow water. He pushed up on his left knee, feelin' the harsh pull of his torn side screamin' at him. He pushed and groaned under the weight, heftin' her body up into his arms.

He staggered under her weight, but worked to keep his footin'. The pain in his body was throbbin' a hundred times worse than it had been before, his arms shakin' like twigs that were 'bout to fuckin' snap. He didn't care.

He couldn't leave her there.

He had to take her back.

"_But no matter where I'd travelled_," Merle's voice continued to sing low in the background as Daryl staggered and fell to his knees with Jenna's lifeless corpse falling from his arms and splashing back into the water. Daryl fell to his hands and knees in the water again, his breath comin' out in painful gasps and puffs as he stared at that mucked up water. "_The black mark follows me_," Merle continued on in that same low singing voice. "_I'm branded, with a number on my name."_

"I can't," Daryl said to the water. To Merle. To Jenna. To Callie. "I can't," he breathed out a few rushed pants and lifted his head to stare at Jenna, now settled on her side. Her face was half in the water, her red hair tangled about her head.

"What's that little brother?" Merle asked from somewhere behind him. Daryl's head shook from side to side and he glared at the water.

"I can't," Daryl panted out his head shakin' from side to side. "I can't carry her."

Merle chuckled, and his hand fell hard down on Daryl's already heavy shoulders.

"Now that's the first smart thing you said all day, brother." Merle smacked his hand against his shoulders and nearly sent Daryl face first into the water. Two more hard thwaps and Merle's hand was gone, leavin' Daryl to shift and settle back onto his heels in the water again. "You can't carry them. It's 'bout damn time you figured that shit out."

Daryl stared at Jenna's lifeless body for a few seconds more before pushing back up to his feet. He continued to steal glances at her body as he made his way around collectin' his scattered shit from the ground. His crossbow was in place on his back, his knife back at his belt. Sophia's doll was tucked back into the space between his belt and his pants and he was ready to go.

His eyes remained on the form of Jenna, her red hair wavin' in the water and he felt the distaste growin' in his mouth as he got further from her. Shakin' his head he looked away and blinked those fuckin' tears away. Snarlin' he spun on his heel and staggered over towards her, his hands reachin' out quick and steady and he flipped her onto her back. He tried not to think about it as draggin' her, but that's what he was doin'. He was draggin' her through that water, each step sending a wave of pain through him that he pushed past.

He wasn't leavin' her face down in the fuckin' water.

He settled Jenna's body up on the bank of the water, and fixed her arms over her wounded abdomen. He stared at her face for a minute, his finger hookin' on a strand of that red hair of hers and pullin' it off of her face.

She'd always been a pretty girl. Now she wasn't nothin' but an ugly shell. A stark reminder of what this world was now, and what they'd all eventually become.

Daryl sneered at her and stood up, his head dipped down as he trudged over to that ridge and the he looked up. Determination fueled his muscles and his body, clouded his mind and made him forget about the pain of his wounds as he climbed. He kept his mind on one thing, and one thing only, the simple task of gettin' his ass up that ridge.

He was so fuckin' close.

Once he did that he could get to the farm. Get to Rick and tell him he'd found Sophia's trail. Give Carol that doll. Then he could rest up, and come back for her. Come back and get her so that she wasn't alone out here for long. He'd get her and bring her back for Callie.

His steps faltered bit, his arms holdin' tight to the branches he was grabbin' on to. He felt himself swingin' out a bit and snarled. He wasn't fallin' again.

"C'mon now Darylena," Merle's voice rang out from the top of the ridge and Daryl snarled up at him as he readjusted his stance. Merle chuckled and slipped to the side so that he stayed in Daryl's blurry field of vision. "That all ya got in ya? C'mon, throw me that purse an' climb, boy."

"I liked you better when you was missin'," Daryl seethed out through his clenched teeth as he worked around, his hands searching for a good hold to help him up.

"Now don't be like that," Merle said laughing as he tisked him. "I'm on your side."

"Yeah, since when?" Daryl snapped back, his breaths coming in sharp pants as he felt his feet slipping in the dirt. He held tight, and pushed through the pain.

He was not fallin' again

"Since the day you were born, baby brother." Merle said in a matter-of-fact tone that had Daryl shifting to look up at him. "Someone had to look out for your worthless ass."

"You talk big game," Daryl said workin' harder to get to the top. Once he got to the top, he was gonna beat the shit outta that laughin' motherfucker. "You talk big game, brother. But you weren't there. You didn't do jack shit for me."

"I made a man of you," Merle snapped back. "Made you the man you are."

"Nah, I did that," Daryl said grabbin' hold of a branch. "I'm my own man."

"Oh really? And what type a man is that, brother mine?" Merle sneered out at him and Daryl felt his lips twist in an angry snarl. Merle scoffed at Daryl and leaned over the ridge a bit starin' hard at Daryl as he struggled to find a good foothold. "You ain't nothin'. You ain't no better than me."

"I ain't you," Daryl shot back his voice cracking as his fingers yet again slipped off of the branch he was reaching for. "I ain't," Daryl looked up at the smirking face of his brother just starin' down at him in hateful spite. "I ain't no meth-head. I ain't a murderer."

"And what you call what you did down there?" Merle said before he sucked in a bit of air through his teeth. He spit at the ground right in front of Daryl and glowered at him for a moment before a sick sort of smile twisted his features. "What you gonna tell our little Jail-bird? You gonna tell her you put her girl down; put her down like some rabid dog without a twinge of regret."

"Shut up," Daryl spat angrily his hands grabbin' frantically for a hold as he began to shake his head and mutter to himself. "She'll understand. She's had to do it. She'll understand." Merle was laughing now, standing up right, arms out at his sides just beggin' Daryl to come on up there and try to take him down a peg.

"You know, you're right, brother." Merle was leaning further down and Daryl was starin' up at him as he sneered down. "You ain't me. You ain't nothin' but a pussy bein' led 'round by your dick, and lovin' every minute of it."

"You best shut up," Daryl snarled up at him, reachin' and grabbin' and draggin' himself up along that loose dirt towards the top of the ridge.

"Or what?" Merle said shakin' his hands out at his sides and laughin'. "You gonna come an' shut my mouth for me?" Merle got down low, and Daryl glared at him. "Or you gonna get your boy Rick to do it for you again?" Merle said harshly, his lips moving up in a snarl as he wiggled his fingers at Daryl. "C'mon boy, show me what kinda man you really are." Merle said as Daryl worked at grasping up towards him. "C'mon! Reach out and grab your friend Rick's hand."

Daryl's hand flew up towards Merle's and slammed hard down into the dry dirt at the top of the ridge. Using what was left of his strength Daryl pulled his aching body up to the top and staggered onto his feet. Breathing hard he let his eyes slide around the area searching for any sign of his brother. His world tilted a bit, hazed around the edges and he almost staggered back a step before realizing he was still at the edge of the cliff.

Stumbling forward a few paces he turned and stared down that ridge. He glared down at those branches, picking his way through the slats of sunlight until his eyes landed on the dark shape layin' at the bottom.

Wiping the back of his hand along his blood stained mouth he nodded at that ridge a few times before tuning and scanning the woods around him. He was alone again. The blood pounding through his head, and the pain searing through the wounds in his flesh his only companion. Just like every other fuckin' day of his life. Taking in three deep breaths he staggered forward a few steps, his hand comin' to rest on a tree as he worked to catch his breath.

Daryl pushed off the tree and staggered a few more steps, picking up a bit of speed and assurance with each bit of distance he put between himself and that fuckin' ridge.

He'd show him.

He'd show Merle what type of man he was. If it was the last thing he ever fuckin' did; his brother would see what type of man he'd become.

_Carry me, carry me_

_But you take _

_Take _

_It's never enough_

_You just take_

_Take _

_It's never enough_

_You just take _

_Take _

_Every part of me_

_All of me_

_~River Styx / BRMC (Black Rebel Motorcycle Club)_

_AN: Well, there you go. I know a lot of you out there were really looking forward to this, so I can only hope it didn't disappoint. The entire thing was so perfect in the series, that I felt almost 'wrong' for trying to take it on. But here it is. In reality, this is the first time that I've had the opportunity to sit and write out a conversation between Daryl and Merle (a real honest to God one that's just the two of them). I put a lot of the original dialogue in there because I really wanted to stay true to the characters for this. I'd love to hear what you thought of my take here. :-D _

_For those interested: The song Merle is singing (the one that Daryl hates) is Branded Man by Merle Haggard (AKA The Hag). Kinda fun that y'all got two songs for this chapter… but I guess it makes sense ('cause you got two Dixons!) _

_For those keeping score, I know I've used quite a few songs from BRMC. The sound and the words man, they really have the sound that I'm going for and the words are just haunting in respect to the flow of the story. If you aren't familiar I'd recommend you checkin' them out. It may not be your cup of tea, but for me it just fits. _

_A'right, so now that I got that part of this story out there. It's time to get Daryl back…and see how that all plays out _

_See ya next chapter!_


	34. Hallelujah

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_Well, I hope I haven't lost y'all with the way we're going about all of this. Sometimes I get the feeling I'm dragging this all out too much. But when it comes down to it, I couldn't see doing this any other way. So… long-ass chapters HUZZAH!_

_A warning-religious mix in this chap. Not wanting to offend, or off put, there's no forcing of religious beliefs intended here…just an honest representation of what I felt the characters might discuss. I boast no great higher understanding, nor do I actually give a lesson….I leave you to your own interpretations._

_As always read, review and most of all enjoy!_

_~michelle_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Hallelujah**

"_I bring them down like lambs to the slaughter_," Hershel's mumbling voice caught Danny's ears as he stood on the porch. He shifted slightly, settling his crutch to the side of the screen door that lead into the large dining room, and smirked as he put his hand to the door and pulled it slowly open. Hershel's low rumbling voice echoed as he finished the line, Danny's lips twitching with the familiarity of the man's cadence. "_Like rams and he-goats_."

"Jeremiah," Danny said, startling the elder man's attention away from the Bible opened on the table in front of him. Hershel's eyes, red-rimmed and tired from an evening of utter horror and dismay, lifted and squinted around the bright sunshine at Danny's back. A glint of metal spinning idly between Hershel's fingers had Danny squinting back, his eyes catching the shape of a coin as it rested on its edge between the elder man's thick fingers for a second before spinning again. Danny smiled when the man furrowed his heavy white brows at him and he limped forward slowly, a single finger extending and pointing down at the Bible. "Good guy. Personally, I'm more partial to the earlier areas of his work though."

Danny pulled out the chair next to Hershel, ignoring the man's raised brow and smiling as he fell into the chair. He stretched his is left leg out before him and he rubbed at the painful, healing swell of his wound, his eyes settled up on the toes of his worn-out, blood-stained Converse.

"_Build ye houses and dwell in them,"_ Danny began his voice low and a tiny smile pulling at his lips. He heard Hershel shuffle a bit in his chair but didn't look up. He was too lost in his own memories to give the man any real mind. "_Plant gardens and eat the fruit of them. Take ye wives and beget sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters, that you may be increased there, and not diminished_." Danny snorted to himself and ran his hand over his bearded cheeks, scratching idly as he searched his mind for the rest. "_And ye shall seek Me and find Me when ye shall search for Me with all your heart. And I will be found by you_," Danny shifted his aching leg before continuing, his eyes lifting up to catch the narrowed brow of Hershel. "_I will return you from captivity and gather you from all the nations and places whither I have driven you. And I will bring you back into the place from whence I caused you to be carried away captive_."

"Thus saith the Lord," Hershel finished eyeing Danny skeptically. Danny lifted his finger and tapped the side of his nose before pointing it at the other man. Hershel spun the coin in his fingers one more time before settling it to the table and placing his palm over it. "You missed a bit," Hershel said a tiny almost imperceptible smile tilting one corner of his lips upward.

"Eh, I hit what I wanted to," Danny said waving his hand around, but keeping his eyes on the man. Hershel nodded, shifting his attention from Danny to the book spread out upon the table and then back again. "Go ahead," Danny waved his hand again and let out a laugh when the man sighed.

"Dan was it?" Hershel asked with a slightly humored expression. Danny froze and shook his head, working to bring the smile to his face.

"Danny," he answered; realizing only after he said it that his name came out on a harsh bark. Danny tried to shake off the feel of Hershel's inquiring gaze and cleared his throat before continuing. "Dan was my father. I'm not him." Danny said as flippantly as he could. Hershel held Danny's gaze for a good long minute before giving a slight accepting nod.

"Well, Danny, age alone tells me that I've been studyin' this longer than you," Hershel said sliding his hands a bit along the table, the sunlight again glinting off the coin he held before it was hidden from sight under his right hand. "But I can't boast bein' able to quote the word as well as you just did."

"Ain't something I really boast about there, Hershel," Danny said smirking before nodding his head idly at the man's expectant expression. "Would you believe I used to be a Choir boy?" Danny said, watching Hershel's brows raise. Danny laughed and tossed his hands into the air. "I know, fuckin' nuts, right?" Hershel's eyes closed and his head shook just a bit at Danny's language. Danny settled his arm on the table and stared at his finger as it tapped near the Bible, before continuing in a quiet voice. "My dad was a Deacon."

Hershel's brows rose and Danny found it just a bit comical that the man was aghast. He must have just had that sort of way about him that made his upbringing fuckin' comical. Danny closed his eyes and shook his head deciding to just let the matter drop. Not really wanting to delve into that abyss.

"That's a mighty fine Bible you got there," Danny said tapping his finger again. Hershel leaned back and regarded him with a steady straightforward gaze that Danny just fuckin' loved. He smiled, realizing this was the first real conversation that the two of them had held. Danny didn't really count the odd stilted conversation they'd shared when he first arrived at the farm and the older man had looked over his healing wounds with those heavily browed eyes of his. Stating in very plain terms that Danny would never have the same mobility in his left leg that he'd had before. Danny shook his head and rubbed his fingers along the swell of bandages on his leg and tried to shake the feelin' that while Garrison may not have killed him outright with those couple of bullets, he'd certainly shortened his life expectancy in this new fucked up world they lived in.

"Mine was yanked from a nightstand," Danny continued, tossing his thumb over his shoulder towards the door. "Not as nice as a good ol' family Bible as that, but it's got a good bit of sentimental value to it now." Danny bit at his cheek and looked down at the Bible as Hershel slowly closed it. "Kinda wish I woulda grabbed mine from the shelf before I left home, but the Lord Almighty and I had just had this massive blow up and I wasn't really returnin' his calls at the time. But thinkin' bout it now," Danny took a breath and smiled sadly. "Jake always loved that one. He'd search through the branches of the family tree scratched in there for hours."

Hershel's brow rose and Danny slipped onto his hip and pulled out his picture. One-sided conversations weren't anything new for Danny, and really it had been exactly what he'd been expecting from the older man. It was almost exactly how he and Callie had conversed early on in their little adventure, him jabberin' on and her just listenin'.

"S'my boy," Danny said settling the picture on to the table and sliding it over a bit. "He'll be eleven in November," Danny said slipping one finger over the side of the picture. Hershel peered down at the folded and crumpled photo of Danny and Jake and then lifted slightly more intrigued eyes up to Danny. And now, Danny patiently waited for the elder man to fuckin' join the conversation, a tiny leading smile tilting his lips.

"Where's your boy now?" Hershel asked quietly, his eyes narrowing a bit at the photo. He shifted the photo a bit closer and inspected it, adding almost in an afterthought, "Are you related to Rick?"

"Nah," Danny said waving a hand and smiling. "We seem to get that a lot though." Danny looked down to the photo and smiled. "Jake does look a good bit like Carl, don't he?" Danny traced the edge of the photo before picking it up and staring into his son's green eyes. Leslie's eyes. "He's -" Danny cleared his throat as his voice cracked and he folded the picture up. "I don't really know where he is, Hershel. Been looking for him since this whole shit-storm happened. He was with his mother," he frowned at his hands. "Found her."

He didn't want to say any more about that, and thankfully, the smart Doctor settled at the table with him seemed to figure that out.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Hershel said softly, his eyes watching closely as Danny slipped the photo into place in his back pocket. Idly Danny began to rub at his leg again and Hershel slipped that little coin he was desperate to hide into the front flap of his family Bible. Danny smirked just a bit as the older man pushed his Bible towards the center of the table, letting his fingers tap the edge of it before sliding off and clasping together in front of him. "I'd be a fool to think you came here to quote scripture and discuss family Bibles with me, son." Hershel said tapping his first two fingers together as he stared over at Danny.

"Nothing foolish 'bout ya, Hershel. I gotta say, there's one thing I've always loved about cantakerous old coots like you, and my boy Dale out there," Danny said flippantly, watching Hershel's head tilt in that way that said 'oh really?' and had Danny chuckling. "Y'all never have any qualms about speakin' plainly and cuttin' to the chase. Fuckin' _adore_ that."

"That so," Hershel said still following Danny's movements like a hawk. His brow twitched slightly as Danny once again worked his hand over his outstretched leg.

"Yeah," Danny said idly rubbing at his leg. He stared at his hands and then looked up. "I didn't sleep much last night," Danny said quietly. "Up dealing with my own idiot teenager. Thinkin' too damn much and worryin'," Danny took a breath and tapped his fingers on his leg. "Restlessness on my part often leads to more trouble than I'd like," Danny continued finally lifting his eyes up and piercing Hershel with his own straight forward gaze. "I overheard the tail-end of your conversation with your boy this mornin'."

"He is not my boy," Hershel said shortly, earning a stifled laugh from Danny. Danny sat forward and shook his head.

"Yeah he is," Danny said smiling and earning what would have been a withering glare from the man. Would have been, if Danny wasn't so damned good at deflectin' that type of shit. "Yeah he is. Just like Miles is mine and Callie's problem. You are that boy's family now. You are his moral compass, you are his rock."

"I-" Hershel took a breath and firmed his lips before lifting a finger to Danny. "I cannot condone that boy's actions."

"He knows that," Danny said leaning forward and wincing slightly. "He's lost. He's tryin' real hard to come to terms with it. With everything."

"You're defendin' him?" Hershel said almost incredulously, and Danny shook his head.

"No," Danny said quietly, his voice cracking as he thought about the way Jenna must have died. The fear. The pain. "I just can't condemn him for his ignorance. He's a child." Hershel sat back in his chair and settled an assessing sort of glare onto Danny. Danny ran his hand over his hair and across his mouth. "Don't get me wrong, I'd love nothing more than to string his ass up and beat him like my own personal birthday piñata," Hershel's brow rose and Danny smirked. He held Hershel's gaze for a few moments before tapping his fingers again near the Bible. "_Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. 'Judge not, and ye shall not be judged. Condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned. Forgive, and ye shall be forgiven'_."

"Luke," Hershel said eyeing Danny. Danny again tapped the side of his nose and Hershel simply stared at the strange young man seated next to him. "Have you done something that you need to be forgiven for?"

"Haven't we all," Danny said lifting a brow and earning another assessing look. A beat of silence flowed between them, and Danny shifted in his seat. "Your boy went wandering off early this morning," Hershel sat up a bit but Danny lifted a hand to stay him. "He's back now," Danny said idly shaking his head. "Must have gotten back when we were all at the well dealin' with-" Danny cut himself off running his hand along his sore midsection, ignoring the look that Hershel was shooting at him. "Looks like he was running through the woods; got himself all shades of mucked up again. I spotted him as I was headin' in here to find you. He's just sitting down at that old barn of yours, staring at it."

Hershel got to his feet, leaving Danny to settle back more comfortably into his chair. The two men stared at one another for a few seconds, gauging the other with a level eye and a weary, tired expression. Hershel made to leave, but stopped and faced Danny again.

"I don't quite understand you, Danny." Hershel said as he stared hard at Danny perched on his chair and staring at the Bible in the middle of the table. "Why does this matter to you?"

"My father disowned me," Danny said quietly his eyes still settled on his own tapping fingers. "I wasn't a horrible child, just too intelligent but not really smart enough to know how to use it. I was a disappointment to him in many ways; eidetic memory and a 163 IQ and I still managed to fuck it all up," Danny shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair. He could feel Hershel's eyes on him and he shook his head at it. "Got my girl pregnant at 17, pretty much ended whatever high-hopes he had for me with that. The last time I saw my father he condemned my wife's soul to hell because we weren't married before Jake was born. He only met his grandson once, and his disappointment in me was so heavy that he couldn't even look at him let alone hold him." Danny shifted his eyes over to Hershel catching the older man's eyes and holding his gaze. "After that, my life spiraled out of control in ways I didn't even think it could. And there was no one there to catch me when I fell. And boy did I fuckin' fall." Danny shifted and winced just a bit, he pointed a finger out the door. "That boy needs someone to be on his side. Especially now, in this new fucked up world we're all livin' in. He doesn't need you to agree or be proud of him; he just needs you to be there. Needs it, before he does something that no amount of forgiveness on anyone's part can help."

Hershel stared hard at Danny for what felt like hours. The piercing quality of his gaze almost unsettling Danny. But then, Danny was already unsettled so what the fuck? Add another log to the pile, right? Finally, Hershel shifted his gaze to where Danny was idly rubbing at his leg and he let out a long sigh.

"You said you were headin' in here to find me when you spotted him," Hershel said and Danny smiled just a bit as he settled back into the chair. "Did you need something?" Hershel said watching Danny yet again rub at his leg. "For the pain?"

"No," Danny said a little too quickly. He laughed it off and waved a hand. "I don't do painkillers," Danny shifted his hand so that his index finger was settled upon the Bible on the table and he tapped it twice. "I'm sure you understand." Hershel lifted a brow and firmed his lips.

"What did you need?" Hershel's voice no longer held any real vestige of companionship. No sense that Danny was welcome in his home and that was just fine with Danny. Danny pushed to his feet, grimacing as he worked to stretch out the torn and destroyed muscles in his thigh. Hershel watched him, but made no move to help him and for that Danny found himself fallin' just a bit in love with the old bastard.

"Honestly," Danny said lifting his hand to his cheeks and rubbing with a fierce sort of grin settled on his lips. "I was wondering if you had a razor I could borrow?"

* * *

Andrea slipped up to the top of the RV, her eyes shifting over a bit and catching sight of Danny's slowly limping form. She stopped once she reached the top of the ladder but remained on it, angling her body a bit so that she could watch him walk. It was obvious, even from this distance that he was having trouble getting around, yet he refused to use the crutch.

"Stubborn son of a bitch," Andrea muttered as she shielded her eyes from the blaring sunlight overhead. She continued to watch Danny, his slow stilted progress leading him towards the other side of the house.

She'd felt bad earlier. Felt…she wasn't quite sure if it was remorse, or shame, or something else, but she'd felt bad for the way that Danny had looked when she'd walked away with Shane and Carol. She knew that Danny was just trying to be a friend. Maybe something more. Something she wasn't quite sure she wanted to get into just yet with him.

The both of them had so much to get past before either of them would be ready for that kind of step. And maybe that's really what had been going through Andrea's mind the last few days. Why she'd been actively avoiding him, and his kindness. His obvious want to be there for her.

She'd avoided him, and let her mind wander to other possibilities.

Possibilities that Danny believed she didn't have any business even considering.

When she'd overheard Shane talking to Lori about leaving the day that they had stumbled upon that church ground, at first she'd been confused. But as time moved on, as their group became stretched thinner and thinner by the horrors of this world, that notion slowly began to make sense. The idea of breaking away from these people; people that only served as a reminder day in and day out of Amy.

Of the fact that Amy was gone.

That notion didn't seem like such a bad idea. And then with the loss of Jenna, it pretty much cemented that into place in her brain. She needed to get away. She needed to find herself in this world, find out what type of person she was without Amy and without Jenna.

Without these people that just wanted to coddle her and treat her like some kind of fragile doll. People like Danny and Dale.

Shane hadn't said much about leaving for a few days, but she could tell that the idea was still planted firmly in his mind. Anyone could see that he was having trouble dealing with the decisions that Rick was making for the group. God, Andrea was still reeling from the fact that they'd so easily given up their weapons.

Well, accept for Callie. Danny had fought hard for that, a fact that still had Andrea and half of the group mystified.

Rick made the decision as their leader to give up their weapons in during wartime. It was ridiculous. Hadn't they just had to deal with a horde of Walkers up on that highway only days ago? What were they supposed to do when another horde blew through here?

Hide and hope?

Like they had last time, when they lost Sophia and Jenna.

Andrea shook her head and rolled eyes along the house, following Danny as he slowly slipped his way around the house and finally out of sight. Yeah, while she wasn't making any moves just yet, she wasn't going to let the opportunity of a clean break slip away. She'd bide her time, keep her eyes peeled and wait for Shane to make the next move.

But in the meantime, she was done sitting around waiting for the next shoe to drop. Slipping her foot off and up to the next rung Andrea shifted her eyes to the top of the RV.

"Hey, Ben—" Miles' voice called out and Andrea raised a brow watching as the boy slipped his gaze over his shoulder and looked at her. He smiled a bit and wiped his hand under the brim of Jim's old hat settled on his head. "Sorry. Thought you were-"

"Hey," Ben's voice rang up from below. The ladder shifted a bit and Andrea angled her eyes downwards to see the boy glaring at her as he worked to get up. "C'mon. Move it or lose it, Andrea."

Andrea raised a brow back at Miles who was chuckling and shrugging and she slipped up the rest of the way. She stepped out of the way and watched the little boy scramble up the ladder, shooting her what could only be described as an incredulous annoyed glance as he moved over to where Miles was set up on the folding chair at the other end. The rifle, the only gun they were allowed to have, was settled between the kid's knees. Andrea shook her head at the fact that somehow this boy had gained more respect than her in handling a weapon and been given the authority to shoulder such a heavy responsibility for the group.

While she was usually settled among the rest of the female throng doing laundry, or cooking.

Andrea watched Ben settle down next to Miles, grabbing a peach out of his shirt and offering it up to the older boy. Miles declined and rubbed at the bridge of his nose before peering at Andrea.

"Somethin' up?" Miles asked shifting a bit to look at her as she walked up to the cooler settled behind him. Andrea shook her head and bent to pick up the straw hat from the top of the cooler. She felt the gaze of both boys on her as she settled it on her head, and it wasn't until her fingers slipped off the brim that she'd realized why.

"S'Jenna's hat," Ben grumbled a bit between his bite of peach and Andrea stilled. The boy was peering at her over his shoulder, and she felt her mouth fall open in response.

"I'm sorry," Andrea touched her fingers to the brim and started to remove it but stopped when the boy shrugged.

"Ain't like she's usin' it," Ben said shifting his eyes towards the tree line again. He took a large bite out of his peach. Miles plopped his broken hand to top of Ben's head and ruffled his hair a bit before slipping his eyes back to Andrea. He gave her a small smile and raised a brow, and suddenly Andrea was hit with the fact that perhaps she'd been so involved with her own problems that she'd just simply missed the point when Miles grew into a man.

"You need somethin'?" Miles repeated giving Ben's head another playful push that the boy swatted off before gingerly grabbing up the binoculars from the spot under the folding chair. Miles shifted his attention back to the grounds, lifting the black plastic to his face with his broken left hand and giving the entire area a once over. Apparently satisfied with what he saw he handed the binoculars to the waiting hands of Ben and shifted in his seat again. "Andrea?"

"I came to take a turn at watch," Andrea said, suddenly feeling like she was the child and he the adult. The look that crossed Miles' face at her words didn't really help alleviate that feeling and she found her anger bubbling anew. Crossing her arms over her chest she glared at him until finally he pursed his lips and slowly got to his feet.

"Hey don't look at me like that," Miles said shifting the rifle in his hands and holding it out to Andrea. "Can't expect me to not be surprised. It's not like you've ever done it before."

"Well, I'm doing it now," Andrea said snatching the rifle and looking at it. Miles watched her study the weapon and smirked shifting on his feet a bit.

"You know how to -"

"Don't even think about finishing that question, Miles." Andrea warned as she gripped the rifle tightly in both hands. Miles lifted his hands to the sky in surrender and let out a small chuckle. Scratching the side of his head where his brow was split open he squinted at her and grimaced a bit. "Go." Andrea said waving a hand at him. "Go. I can handle it."

"Whatever," Miles said again tossing his hands to the sky and working his way towards the ladder. "I'm not gonna say no to a break." Miles slipped to his knees and watched Andrea as she moved to the chair, standing in front of it holding the rifle and just staring out at the rolling fields.

Beside her Ben shifted his gaze away from the raised binoculars and squinted up at her. Andrea looked down at him with a bit of a confused expression on her face and Miles firmed his lips as she shifted on her feet.

"What are you doing?" Andrea asked watching as the boy slipped the binoculars back to his face and again scanned the area.

"Bein' useful," Ben responded in a quick tone that had her brow lifting. He slipped his eyes away from the binoculars and over to her again and she could have sworn he channeled Daryl Dixon when he glared at her in that questioning way. "What're you doin'?"

Miles barked out a laugh from his position on the ladder and Andrea snapped her glaring eyes over to him, catching sight of his blue blood-stained ball cap as it disappeared over the edge. She could still hear him chuckling and shifted her eyes back to Ben, who was looking at her with both brows raised. Waiting for an answer to his question.

"For Christ's sake," Andrea muttered shaking her head and shifting the hat -Jenna's hat- on her head. From his position at her feet Ben shrugged and Andrea rubbed at the bridge of her nose feeling the headache brewing. She could still hear Miles chuckling as he settled his feet onto the ground below and she shifted her eyes over the side to see who he was mumbling to.

"What's with the Annie Oakley routine?" Dale's voice chirped up and she caught the older man's humored eye as he peered up at her.

"Oh Dale," Miles said laughing and shaking his head a bit. "Do not poke the bear right now," Miles said tossing his hands into the air and walking away. "Swear Glenn's right," Dale chuckled and put a hand to the boy's shoulders watching him make his way slowly over towards where Glenn was sitting with T-Dog. Dale waited for Miles to get a bit further away before angling his gaze up to where Andrea stood beside the sitting Ben.

Ben shifted his eyes down to Dale and offered a smile before slipping his binoculars back up to his face. The boy was taking his role as lookout very seriously, and while he wasn't allowed to really do much more than scout the area with the binoculars it still gave him purpose. And as Danny said when he first suggested it at the highway; as long as the kid had purpose he wasn't going to be wandering off and getting into trouble.

"Seriously," Dale said shifting around so that he was standing near the far end of the RV where Andrea and Ben were settled. He watched Andrea lift the rifle, placing the scope to her eyes and testing the weight of it. Beside her Ben watched with a bit of a raised brow as he munched on his peach. "What's the deal?"

"I don't want to wash clothes anymore, Dale." Andrea spat back lowering the rifle and glaring at him. Dale let out a sigh and shook his head. "I want to help keep the camp safe. That alright with you?" Dale sighed again and disappeared inside the RV. Andrea watched him go and heard Ben scoffed a bit as he took another bite out of his peach. "What?"

"Callie does both," Ben mumbled between bites of his peach. "And she don't complain 'bout neither." Andrea let out a long tired sigh.

"Eat your peach, Ben." Andrea muttered shifting and settling herself into the chair.

Ben shrugged a small shoulder and munched into his peach, one hand settled on the binoculars at his face as he continued to scan the area. The sounds of the camp ebbed and flowed around her, at times lost in the light breeze as it swirled around her head and under the flopping brim of Jenna's straw hat. Ben tossed his peach pit to the ground, his eyes never leaving their post at the binoculars he held. Andrea watched his little sandy-blonde head as it shifted this way and that as he scanned the area. His hair was getting a bit darker, not much, but a bit so that even in the sun she could see that the blonde wasn't quite as dominant as it had been months ago.

Then again, she supposed it could just be dirty. The kid apparently shared more than Daryl's attitude nowadays; he also seemed to have picked up the man's habit of not bathing regularly. How Callie dealt with-

"Want a peach?" Ben asked slipping another out of his shirt and holding it up to her. He'd lifted a haughty little brow at her as he smirked up at her, the binoculars still held up so that he could shift back to them in a second if needed. Andrea shook her head, realizing that she'd been staring at him instead of out at the grounds, and that he'd caught her doing it. The boy was gloating at her apparent 'uselessness' and she found herself growling at the sight of the peach he held up to her.

Andrea shook her head roughly and let her eyes wander back out to the grounds, the sound of Ben shuffling and slightly chuckling beside her grating on her last nerve. Honestly, when had she been downgraded from useful member of society to being babysat by a seven-year-old? Amy would be rolling-

Andrea's eyes picked it up at the same time as Ben's did and both of them were shifting from their spots. Ben had stood up, the binoculars pressed hard into his small face as he glared into the shifting sunlight reflecting along the lenses. Andrea propelled herself to her feet.

"Andrea," Ben's small voice echoed out in her ears. And she missed the telling questioning edge to it. The only thing going through her mind at the moment was the way his voice had sounded when the two of them had been trapped in that small bathroom of the RV. The fear. And that fear started to ebb away her resolve just a bit. "Andrea, I can't-"

"Walker!" Andrea yelled, her hands reaching back for the rifle she'd placed at her side. She squinted through the sunlight into the fields that stretched out from the tree line and listened as the camp began stir. "Walker!" Andrea said again as she lifted the rifle to her eye.

"Jesus!" Miles' voice from down below echoed up and she peered over the edge at him. "How many?"

"One," Ben said immediately, the binoculars still pressed firmly into his face. "But I can't—"

"Let's go!" Shane was yelling and drown out whatever Ben was about to say. The boy began to shake his head and squinted harder through the binoculars at the shambling figure. Andrea shifted her eyes to the boy for a second, wondering what his problem was, and then moved her head back to the rifle she held. Andrea stared through the scope of the rifle watching in a sort of rapt horror as the slowly moving dead man as he approached their camp.

"Shane!" Rick's voice was calling out as he came to a stop near Miles who was staring up at Ben and Andrea. "Only one?" Rick asked shifting his attention up to Andrea, she nodded as she looked down at them.

"Yeah," Andrea said putting her eye back to the scope on the rifle. "I bet I can hit it from here."

"No," Rick said, drowning out Miles' hushed 'for fuck's sake' as he moved to grab his bat from where he'd settled it near the back end of the RV. Rick shook his head and stared up at Andrea hard. "No. Don't," Rick's attention shifted from Andrea to Shane who was already running with T-Dog towards the trouble. Glenn had stopped mid-stride his wide eyes sliding back to Rick. "Shane!" he yelled, causing the man to turn to face him. "Hershel wants to deal with Walkers. We should wait-"

"What for man," Shane yelled back a slight tip to his lips that had Rick shaking his head and rushing to follow behind the faster moving Miles. "We got this." Shane shot back. Rick let out a sigh of frustration before rolling his eyes and starting off after them.

"No!" Ben was yelling after them, his hands moving the binoculars down to stare after them as he shook his head. He slammed them back to his face and growled low in his throat. Beside him Andrea was shifting to lay down, her eye still held to the scope. "Idiots," Ben growled as he squinted in the glaring sunlight.

"What is it, son?" Dale's voice echoed in Ben's ears as the old man worked his way up the smaller ladder at the back of the RV. Dale was half hanging from it, his eyes settled upon the outstretched field but he looked back to Andrea.

"I can hit it," Andrea muttered and Dale shook his head his eyes catching on Miles still staring at Ben.

"No," Dale said firmly causing Andrea to scoff and shake her head. Ben stared harder through the binoculars, his head shaking back and forth. "Andrea. Don't." Dale continued, his eyes slipping back to the obviously perturbed Ben. "Ben, what is it?"

"It's," Ben huffed out a breath not quite understanding what wasn't sitting well himself. He didn't remove the binoculars from his eyes as worked his tongue around in his mouth searching for the words to explain himself. "It ain't movin' right." Ben shifted his attention down to Dale and then to Miles who furrowed his brow and shifted his attention to where he could barely make out the shuffling form in the sunlight.

"Go," Dale said to Miles when the boy looked back to him, his hand waving in an arc that sent the teenager on a mad-dash out to the field. Youth and a background in running track gave Miles an edge that none of the elder men had and Dale watched the boy catch up fast. "Ben—"

"I don't know," Ben was aggravated now, his young mind unable to form what he was thinking he was seeing. Dale watched the boy press the binoculars hard against his face again, his small mouth drawn into a tight frown. Beside him Andrea was staring through the scope. "It ain't movin' right." Ben repeated, and Dale frowned as he looked out at the field.

Ben stared hard, the sun reflecting strange and blurring the image in his binoculars. It wasn't moving right. It wasn't. He was smart and he paid attention, just like Callie, Danny and Daryl had always told him too. And it just wasn't right. There wasn't any reason for that single Walker to be bee-lining for their camp. There wasn't any blood. They hadn't made any sounds. That thing was walking in an almost perfect line for them, not shambling about searching out food. It just wasn't…right.

His eyes hit on something hanging off the back of the Walker, the weighty dark mass shifting this way and that with its shambling steps. He squinted hard through the binoculars, half-listening as Dale continued to try and drill home the fact that Andrea wasn't supposed to shoot. And Ben rolled his eyes, tryin' to figure out what part of 'no' was she havin' trouble with. Ben shook his head, and watched as Rick, Miles and the rest stopped close by the Walker.

The Walker that had stopped immediately and made no move to reach for them.

"It just isn't right," Ben muttered again shaking his head as he stared. He watched Rick lift his gun and point it at the Walker, which made the Walker shift just a bit. Shift in just that way that let Ben's eyes focus on that dark mass that had been bobbing around behind the figure.

A crossbow.

Daryl's crossbow.

Ben began pulling the binoculars away from his face slightly so that he could speak properly to the two adults beside him. He was still half staring at the figure, watching Rick's gun slide down as he apparently discovered who was out there. Ben smirked a bit and watched the rest of the men circle him. He watched and felt his worry, the worry that he'd felt since he'd watched Daryl take off earlier. The worry that had kept him up on top of the RV all day watching for the man's return. Felt that start to flow away.

"It's okay," Ben said quietly nodding as he looked through the binoculars. "It's-"

The sound of the rifle going off beside him made Ben's entire body jump in fright. And he watched through his binoculars, in rapt horror, as Daryl's head snapped back and he fell to the ground.

* * *

Callie shifted a bit in her seated position, and rested her head back against the side of the house. Her eyes focused on her bare toes wiggling in the slat of sun that filtered out over the shaded spot she found to rest in. With her knees drawn up tight to her chest and her arms resting on top of them she continued to wiggle her toes in the sun.

Her right hand loosely held the cigarette she'd been dying to have for days, while the tips of her fingers played with the chain that she'd settled around her neck hours ago. Bobby's dog tags hung like a lead weight around her neck and the thin metal tags felt like they were burning a hole into her chest.

She stared out at her toes in the sun and in her mind's eye she saw the look etched upon Miles' face when he handed them to her. He'd watched her so closely, so fearfully, that she'd had to fight the urge to grab him and hug him. She knew what he was thinking she'd do, knew exactly what thoughts were rolling around in his head when he handed over those tags. His words 'You take me with you', echoing in her mind.

He expected her to run off to that FEMA station, half-cocked and not takin' no for an answer. And before, before everything that had happened at the CDC and at this farm, she probably would have done just that. Left a little trail of dust and quite a few disgruntled men in her wake as she did it too. But now-Callie shook her head and plucked at the chain around her neck again, causing a bit of ash to fall off the end of her still smoldering cigarette.

Now she didn't know what to do. She was lost.

Half of her wanted to go. Wanted to rush headlong into the throng and see what there was to be seen at that FEMA station. She'd sell it good to the people around her. State that it made sense to check. Made sense to go back and get a few more supplies from that station because you just never knew. Sell the action for the good of the group when really deep down she'd know, fuck they'd all know, that she was going for one reason and one reason alone.

Yeah, half of her wanted to go. Wanted to see if her brother was among the lumbering mass of men that had apparently settled in and around that school.

But then there was another part of her. The part that was starting to realize and take hold of the change in herself, in the people around her, and what they meant to her. What she meant to them. She'd started her picking up of strays as exactly what Dale had said it was. Penance. Penance for the men she'd killed, the children-Sammy and Hannah-whose lives she'd ended. That's all it had been, keeping them safe.

But somewhere down the line, during the horror and the pain, it had become more. They'd become more. All of them. Danny, Miles, Mike, Nina, Jenna, Ben and Gracie. Her misfits. She hadn't really noticed until she'd had to put down Nina and Mike.

Callie groaned low in her throat and sucked in a long drag from her cigarette. 'Put down'. Fuck she hated that term, but what other way was there to say it.

Then Jenna-Callie let the single tear slide down her cheek slowly before she wiped it away and took a drag from her cigarette. She hadn't noticed just how much they'd all grown on her until then. They were her family now. Just like Danny had said countelss times, just like Rick had all but yelled at her and just like Miles had uttered only a few hours ago. They were her family. Her kids. Her brother, if she was being honest about the way Danny fit into her life now, and her deep seeded affection and love for him. She owed them more than they owed her, whether they realized it or not.

They'd kept her going. Kept her sane. And for that, she owed them more than just running off to chase someone's ghost. They deserved more from her than that.

And then there was Rick. A man she'd fast come to the realization with that she loved so dearly, loved in so deep a way that it could only be described as unconditional. Another brother added to her strange post-apocalyptic family tree. She owed him more respect than that. Especially now, when he felt like people's respect and belief in him was dwindling like a low burning flame as he tried desperately to find a way for them all to live safely in this world.

And of course, last but not least, there was Daryl. Callie smirked a bit and took a slow drag off of her cigarette, letting the smoke filter out through her slightly parted lips before she snarled. God, hadn't she put him through enough already?

The man had never asked for the life she'd dealt him. He'd been just fine with the way things were before she showed up at the Quarry with all her kids. And even though she knew she hadn't forced him into anything. Fuck, you didn't force a Dixon into nothin'. She smirked again and took a drag from her cigarette. No, she didn't force him into 'playin' daddy' as he had put it, but she didn't discourage it. She didn't tell him to stop.

Which really had been like giving it her blessing if she thought about it. Because she knew, without a shadow of a doubt, if she would have discouraged it-even once-that man would have taken it as a dismissal and walked away. He was a good man, but he had too much trouble seeing it to have bothered to continue pursuing something that he didn't really need messin' up his life. He would have kept them safe, she knew that without a shadow of a doubt, but he wouldn't have become attached.

Wouldn't have let himself-

Callie took another slow drag from her cigarette and again wiggled her toes in the sun as she fiddled with the chain around her neck. He didn't deserve to come back to this farm and find her gone again. Callie continued to fiddle with the chain around her neck, the sound of her brother's dog tags hitting together muffled beneath her shirt echoing loud in her ears.

But then, didn't Bobby deserve some thought in this world? Didn't Bobby deserve to be found? Alive or dead?

She was so fucking torn and she could feel her nerves, frazzled as they already were, begin to fray just a bit more.

Shaking her head she pulled her fingers from the chain and put thumb and ring finger to the bridge of her nose, her cigarette still held tight between her first two fingers. God fucking damn she needed a sign or something. Some throw down from on-high to tell her what she should do.

"Hey," Danny's voice rang out and Callie barked out a laugh before coughing on the smoke she'd just inhaled. She continued laughing and coughing as she shifted her fingers to point to the air and stared at the clouds overhead.

"Oh that's funny," Callie muttered between coughs. "Real fuckin' funny."

"What?" Danny asked chuckling a bit as Callie continued to cough a bit and wave a hand at him. He angled his head over his shoulder and then slipped around the corner fully, taking a few steps on his own before his hand shot out to the side of the house to support his weight. Callie waved her hand at him and settled her arm back along her raised knees as she watched him approach slowly. "What're you doin' out here?"

Callie waved her cigarette at him in an idle manner and watched him scoff a bit, rubbing a hand along his smooth beardless cheeks as he settled to a stop next to her. He looked years younger clean-shaven, and it brought a smile to her lips as she remembered the day he'd shaved his beard when they were on the road.

"Nice to see you again, Danny-boy," Callie said watching him settle his back to the side of the house and wince out a laugh as he slipped to the ground. Danny settled his left leg out straight, his hand rubbing at the mass of bandages hidden below his cargo pants, and shifted his gaze to her. "Feelin' better?"

"As 'better' as I'm gonna get," Danny replied rubbing at his jaw a bit and smirking at her. Callie nodded her head and grabbed up the pack of cigarettes from the ground beside her. Not even turning to look at him she handed the pack over, a slight chuckling from him hitting her ears before he snatched the offering. "Why is it I suddenly feel like ol' Papa Hershel's gonna come out and bust our asses for smokin'?"

"Probably 'cause this is where Maggie used to come with her friends," Callie said idly taking a drag off her cigarette and watching him light one up. Danny's eyes closed as he inhaled and his head nodded a bit, he rested his arm up on his raised right leg and waved his hand around at the sunlit grounds.

"Yeah, she mentioned that when she pointed me out here," Danny said with a chuckle, slipping his eyes to Callie. "I like her," Danny said nodding. "Spunky." Callie chuckled and nodded before wagging a finger.

"Hands off, Casanova," Callie said pointing a finger at the man now sporting a mocking 'who me?' look on his chuckling face. "I do believe she's spoken for."

"Oh yeah," Danny said waggling his brows. "I think 'spoken for' may even be a bit of an understatement. Girl done been claimed by the _Chinaman_."

"You don't say," Callie said raising a humored brow as Danny nodded his head vigorously. He held his cigarette wielding hand over his heart and then lifted the other to the sky. "And when did that happen?"

"When they went into town," Danny said laughing when Callie's brows rose even higher.

"Really?" Callie said chuckling and staring incredulously as Danny continued to bob his head enthusiastically. "Mr. Rules to surviving a raid? Really?"

"Uh huh," Danny said waving his cigarette around before taking another puff. "I swear the boy had to have thrown all of them fuckin' rules of his right out the open, unlocked door of that pharmacy they were in when he did it too."

Callie let out a bark of laughter and ran her fingers through the loose strands of her hair. Unbelievable. Not that she didn't see Glenn and Maggie together; they were so smitten it was fucking adorable. But she really thought she had Glenn pegged as the type not to act on it. Shows what she knew.

"So," Danny said after the laughter died down a bit and they'd been sitting in a comfortable silence. "Haven't really had the chance to talk to you lately," he said angling his gaze to her, watching as she fiddled with the chain around her neck.

"Yeah," Callie said quietly eyeing her bare toes as they wiggled in the sun. "Lot of shit's been happening. Lot of shit that I haven't included you in." She looked to him and he smiled a bit. "I'm sorry about that, Danny." Danny waved her off and she smiled wider at him.

"No worries," Danny said quietly watching her continue to wiggle her toes and fiddle with that chain. "I woulda ended up doin' something I'd never be able to live with if I woulda been with you and Rick and that boy at that church. You made the right call there, Cal." She nodded at him and took a drag off her cigarette.

"You okay?" Callie asked quietly her eyes watching him as he smoked, rubbing idly at his wounded leg. He shook his head and shifted his eyes to her.

"No," Danny said in return shifting a bit so that his shoulder was against hers. "You?"

"No," Callie said back, a small sad smile tipping her lips as she locked eyes with him.

"Well that's fuckin' great," Danny said earning another bark of a laugh from the woman beside him. They sat in silence for another few minutes, quietly puffing on their cigarettes and releasing the smoke to the clear sunny sky around them. Finally Danny shifted again, his shoulder bumping into hers. "Saw you talkin' with Miles," Danny said lifting a brow when she shifted her attention to him. "Anything interestin' come up?"

Callie slipped her cigarette into her mouth and sucked in a slow final drag from it, her eyes settled out on the sun-soaked lawn before them. She removed it slowly, staring at it between her fingers as she yet again fiddled with the chain around her neck. The dog tags hidden from view moving softly under the fabric of her shirt. She closed her eyes as she let out the smoke she'd been holding in and shrugged her shoulders under Danny's questioning gaze.

"Nope," Callie said quietly, her eyes lingering on the smoldering butt in her fingers. She shifted her eyes to Danny, who looked like he believed her about as much as she expected him to. She lifted a brow at him and smiled slyly, causing him to sit up a bit in anticipation. "Saw you chattin' with our host."

"Oh yeah," Danny said sitting back again and letting his head hit off the side of the house they were resting against. "Me and Hersh, we're like this," Danny lifted the fingers of his left hand and crossed the first two. Callie chuckled watching Danny take a long drag from his cigarette as he smiled at her. She shook her head and let him snatch her smoldering cigarette from the tips of her fingers. He lifted the heel of his right foot enough to be able to butt them out, pinching out the remaining ash before pocketing the filters. An action that caused her to chuckle. "What?" Danny said elbowing her. "Our friendship is new. I ain't gonna go tossing my cigarettes 'round on his lawn, messin' shit up."

"Could probably blame it on Maggie," Callie said chuckling a bit, lifting her brows and continuing in a sarcastic tone. "She's a rebel."

"I like her a lot," Danny said smiling widely as he nodded his head.

Callie nodded in return and the two of them fell back into a comfortable, but sad silence. Danny shifted a bit, a low hiss of pain sliding out between his clenched teeth as he did it, and Callie hugged her legs a bit tighter to her chest as she watched him. He was working to try and lift his left knee, only succeeding in getting it bent maybe a fraction of an inch before he gave up and then tried again. Callie continued to watch him, his face etched with pain but riding above that pain was a determination she hadn't ever seen before. After maybe a minute or two he gave up, and snatched the pack of cigarettes from the ground between them. He knocked out two, lit them both with the lighter shoved in the cellophane wrapping and then shoved one over to her. Smiling Callie took the cigarette and let her fingers hook into his for a minute.

Danny shifted his eyes to her and threaded his fingers into her hand, squeezing slightly and taking her offered support without a word against it.

"Ya know," Danny said looking away from her and angling his chin out towards the sunny day and green grass beyond their shadows. "First time I saw this place it reminded me of your place in Georgetown." Callie shifted her eyes away from him and out to the green grass and her toes wiggling in the sun. Danny peered at her and then looked back to the lawn. "That big ol' house of yours with that fuckin' white picket fence."

Callie chuckled at that, remembering well Danny's initial reaction to her family's big old plantation house settled on that big patch of land. That white picket fence bringing out that smile of his. But that smile hadn't lasted long, and the one that had snaked its way on to her face now was soon falling as memories of what had caused his smile to fade came back. Callie nodded her head idly as Danny apparently fell into what he deemed the happy portion of that memory.

"Yeah," Callie responded to him, her cigarette bouncing on her lips with the word as she rested her chin on her knees. His eyes drifted over to her and she nodded while working to smile but she couldn't quite get it there. Because while she'd thought the same thing about this house and the wealth of beauty that surrounded them, the shadow that had been hung over her old home was one that would never let sun shine down upon that house again. "Yeah, it does." Danny's eyes had narrowed at her tone and she shifted her eyes out to the lawn. "The only thing missing are the little graves…"

Callie's head snapped up from its resting position the second the words left her mouth, her cigarette hanging precariously from her slightly parted lips. Her eyes narrowed on the stretch of land that lay before them, and then her head was whipping about to the other side. She unlaced their fingers as she furrowed her brow and Danny watched her with a wary eye as she tossed her cigarette to the ground.

"Oh Cal," Danny's voiced echoed far off in her brain and she shifted her eyes to him but didn't really see him. "Callie?" Danny shifted and tossed his own cigarette off to where hers hand landed and worked to get his body to a standing position.

"There aren't any graves," Callie mumbled half in response to Danny's questioning and half to herself. Her mind's eye went back to that little photo she'd stared at on Hershel's desk. The one of his family. Maggie and Beth, and the boy who she assumed to be his son. '_I understand the devastation of outliving a child'. _The woman beside him in the photo; his wife. "There aren't any graves," Callie said getting to her feet.

The fleeting memory of Beth's horror-stricken face when she'd stumbled upon Callie and Jenna that first night. The firsthand knowledge of this disease and what it could do that had shown in that girl's eyes. Jimmy going back to bury his dead. It was all mashing together in some strange way in her head and had her head turning this way and that.

She half-heard Danny struggling to his feet, his questions of 'what is it?' being shaken off as she continued to search.

"We bury our dead," Callie muttered as she took a step out from the house, her eyes slipped back to Danny as he got his feet. He pressed a hand to the side of the house and held himself up as he stared back, his brow furrowed as he tried to follow what she was saying. "We bury our dead, Danny." He nodded slowly, and she shook her head.

"Cal, I don't understand-" Danny stumbled forward a bit, his hand reaching out to her.

Callie shook her head. It could have been possible that they had died before all this happened. That there was nothing out of the ordinary about the fact that there were no little graves anywhere she'd seen on this property for Hershel's wife and son. It was possible she was reading too much into the look that she'd seen on Beth's face, or the ones she'd seen shared between Maggie, Patricia and Beth when they thought no one was looking. But for some reason, she couldn't seem to shake the bad feeling that had settled in her bones.

"Where's Hershel?" Callie asked quietly reaching out and grabbing Danny's arm. He looked at her for a minute, still trying to process her odd behavior and she shook her head. "Danny?"

"He was inside, but he was heading down to the barn," Danny said tossing his thumb over his shoulder. "Callie what's gotten into you?"

"I just," Callie ran her hand over her face and raked her fingers through her hair. "I just have a question for him."

"I'll go with you," Danny said nodding his head and following slowly behind her as she began to make her way around the house. Callie's head was shaking as she walked, her eyes slipping over her shoulder to watch Danny as he staggered towards her.

"No," Callie said earning a raised brow from her friend. She shook her head and tried to smile but couldn't muster the energy to do it and instead let out a frustrated sigh. "Look Danny, -"

The sound of the gun going off had both Callie and Danny turning towards the RV. Callie's eyes went wide, knowing that she'd left Ben and Miles up there not long ago. Danny had limped his way to her side now, and they both stood frozen for a second staring up at their camp area; distance making it impossible to see what was going on.

"Miles was on watch right?" Danny asked as Callie's gaze slipped to them.

"He wouldn't shoot that gun," Callie said quietly. Danny nodded his head, both of them confident in the boy's common sense. "Not a chance in hell."

And then the yelling started. Agonizing cries that Callie immediately recognized as Ben's had her blood running cold in her veins. She dashed forward a few paces, listening to the pained gasps of Danny as he tried to move with her. She looked back as she ran, and he waved his hand at her angrily.

"Go! Go!" Danny yelled, as he continued to wave her off. Callie nodded at him and then turned back towards the camp that was now bustling with activity. She ran as fast as she could, her bare feet slapping against the hard ground painfully. Her heart was thudding in her chest when she crested the hill, spotting Andrea working her way down the ladder of the RV and Dale holding on to Ben. The little boy's arms and legs were thrashing about as Dale knelt on the ground and worked to calm him down.

Callie fell to her knees beside Dale, one of her hands going to the older man's shoulder and the other coming around to where his hands were clasped around Ben's body. Ben immediately looked up at her, pain etched into his features and tears streaming down his face.

"What happened?" Callie asked her hand slipping to Ben's face, as she wiped away some of the tears. The boy scrunched his face up in a pain-filled expression at her touch, his breathing coming out in harsh gasps. Callie shifted her attention to Dale who let his arms go from Ben, watching the boy struggle with his emotions. Andrea came to a stop behind Dale, her eyes steady out on the field and Callie shifted her attention to follow the other woman's gaze, but Ben's deep inhale had her looking back to him.

"It was Daryl!" Ben practically screamed, his eyes glaring daggers at Andrea before he rammed his entire body into Callie's chest. His last words, mumbled despairingly into her chest had Callie's breath halting painfully in her chest and her heart stopping. "She shot Daryl."

_Maybe there's a God above_

_But all I've ever learned from love_

_Was how to shoot at someone who outdrew you_

_It's not a cry you can hear at night_

_It's not somebody who has seen the light_

_It's a cold and it's a broken Hallelujah_

_Hallelujah, Hallelujah_

_Hallelujah, Hallelujah_

_~Hallelujah/ Rufus Wainwright_

_AN: Okay, yeah…so I don't have much to say here. Those last couple chapters really took it out of me and damn… this one was hard. I honestly have no feel for Andrea, even though I love her character I really can't say I have much of a feel for her at the moment. I'm hoping that changes soon, 'cause she's a role to play! _

_I hope you guys enjoyed this one, which was really, filler with a bit of plot movement. _

_As a special note to you guys, because y'all rock hard! We've reached +320k words for this "little" story of mine, 388 reviews (fuckin awesome!), 62 favorites, and 106 alerts. For God's sake people, you spoil me. I love each and every one of you so much that it quite honestly hurts. I don't know what more to say other than thank you all from the very bottom of my heart for your support of this story. It's become more than a story for me, it's become a life-line that I really didn't know that I needed. _

_So again, thank you so much!_


	35. Blue Veins

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_Howdy! So, the consensus from many of the reviews was a mad love for our little Mini-Daryl, Ben. I'm really glad that you enjoyed the way that all worked out, and can only tell you that there's gonna be more Mini-Daryl comin' so ! This chapter Daryl's bed-bound and Callie's working through what I like to call a bit of Karma biting her in the ass (which you'll probably understand the more you read if you're not there with me now)_

_A note: BLUE VEINS IS AN AWESOME SONG. If you're payin' attention to the sound of the songs (listening at all to them) you'll see a sort of old folk influence that I'm sticking with for the majority of these chapters. To me it's really fitting, and if you haven't checked-out the songs that are the soundtracks for the chapters, I'd suggest it. I spend half my time finding the perfect song…so ya know, if you're interested… GO FOR IT._

_As always read, review and most of all enjoy!_

_~michelle_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Blue Veins**

_When I was surrounded by the world_

_You were the only one who came_

_And you were the only one astounded_

_Which kept me grounded_

He was dead.

He was fuckin' sure of it this time.

Because he was in pain, excruciating and searing pain that seemed to ebb and flow from his head in waves. A pain that settled deep into every muscle he'd used and pulled and pushed to the brink to get back to the farm house; a pain that was flarin' to life with each stab of whatever the fuck was pokin' at him. He was in pain, but he was fuckin' settled on something soft and cushy; something that smelt good –unlike his own smoke-infused sheets and bedding.

He was in a world of pain that he'd never felt before, and fuck if he hadn't had his fair share of pain in his life, but he was settled on something comfortable while he had to endure it.

And she was there again.

He couldn't see her, but he could feel her hands slipping across his brow. His face scrunched involuntarily as she skimmed her fingers over his head brushin' his hair back and holdin' it away. Then there was that stabbin' pain in his side and a motherfuckin' push to the area of his head that had apparently exploded. He growled, and he swore he heard her chuckle a bit.

And he knew.

He was dead, and this was fuckin' hell.

He worked his eyes a bit, fleeting awareness coming back, and his vision swam in a bit of a fuzzed out tilt. She was settled on her hip on the comfortable thing with him, her fingers still holding his hair away as she looked at someone over his shoulder. Her eyes skipped down to him and in his hazy bit of vision he saw her smile. Sweet and soft, her fingers sliding through his hair gently. That bit of tenderness during the pain again cementing his current predicament.

Daryl worked his tongue in his mouth, tryin' to get words out of his dry mouth. It fuckin' hurt to even move his jaw at the moment and he winced out what he would never admit to bein' a fuckin' whimper. But that's what it fuckin' was. She smiled at him, the darkness around the outside of her form pulsing and threatening to overtake his vision again. Her mouth was moving and he strained to make out the sound through the rush of blood in his aching head.

"He's awake," Callie said, her voice sounding as if it were echoing in a tunnel when it finally reached his ears. She bent towards him a bit, her fingers raking gently through his hair again. Flyin' quick and soft over the bumps he'd gotten when he fell down the fuckin' ridge. Twice.

"This hell?" Daryl asked her his own voice sounding foreign to his own ears. He squinted, trying to keep the vision of her smiling face in focus. "You the devil?"

"Always said he was a sweet-talker," Callie muttered shifting her attention over his body. Daryl blinked his eyes a few times, listening to the rumbling chuckle of someone else and the low humored voice that followed.

"He ain't even talkin' to you, Cal. 'Cause boy ain't even here." Danny's chuckling tired voice slid over him. "I know where he is," Danny said and Daryl shifted his head a bit to try and see the fucker. Callie put her hands on both sides of Daryl's face holding his head steady and keeping him from moving, her eyes slipping to a figure over his shoulder. Another searing pain shot through his temple causing his eyes to water and close. "That's pain Hell. I been there," Danny's voice again, somewhere in the dark abyss of wherever the fuck he was.

Daryl forced his eyes open, forced past the pain and bleariness and focused on Callie's face. Because if this was hell, he was gonna take what joy he could get before the real torture started. The tiny hint of a smile on her lips had him tryin' to smile back but he just couldn't get past the pain. He stared hard at her, until she sharpened into focus as she leaned a bit closer to him. As if she realized that his vision wasn't quite good enough to see her properly.

"Hey, relax." Callie said to him, her voice still coming from a far off place even though her nose was almost against his. He could feel the whisper of her breath on his lips and his eyes closed again. "I think he's fading again."

"It's better that way," another voice, one that he didn't recognize fully boomed loud in Daryl's ear and had his eyes opening again. "I'm going to run out of sutures at the rate you people are gettin' injured."

The fuzzy vision of Callie settled near him, her hands slipping from his face ebbed and flowed in the darkness that threatened the edges of his vision. He heard her chuckle a bit and watched her eyes slip back from over his shoulder to his face. Her fingers slipped off of his cheeks and Daryl felt himself reach out as she pulled back. He grabbed onto her hand, the pull of the torn muscle in his left side sending a searing breath seething through his clenched teeth. But fuck if he cared. He reached out and grabbed her fingers and pulled her closer. He needed to tell her. He needed to.

Callie moved forward at his pull, her face etched with worry as she came close and let him pull her ear to his lips. He licked at his lips, almost losing his nerve as he pulled her hand up between them holding it to his chest. She squeezed his hand lightly and slipped her fingers from his, using both hands to settle his arm gently back to a resting position over his body as it lay on his side on the soft cushy bed. She opened her mouth, but his head was rushing with that poundin' intensity that had his eyes closing and he missed exactly what she said. Daryl shook his head past the rush of blood and opened his eyes, feeling her hands soothe over his left arm to settle him down. He worked his right arm down a bit, its position against the mattress hindering him a bit but he got his fingers to her belt loop and pulled her closer again.

Callie leaned in close again, her ear at his lips and he took a breath. Working his mouth a bit he pulled her by that belt loop and then gripped tight onto her hip.

"Jenna," his voice broke on the name and he cleared his throat, his face contorting with every bit of pain he felt and all the shit he was holdin' in. He took in a deep breath, feeling her fingers grip his arm a bit and then slide up until they wrapped around his neck. She put her cheek to his and he felt her nod, her thumb moving around to press against his still working lips.

"I know," Callie said quietly as she pressed her lips to his ear. The breath he let out shuddered through him and a spasm of pain rocked him. He opened his eyes and watched her pull away and look at him. "I know, Daryl. Rick told me. We're gonna go get her." He started to shake his head, the motion almost too much to bear but necessary. 'Cause she couldn't go.

She couldn't see her like that.

See what he'd done to her.

Daryl started to move, his entire body flaring to life in searing pain with each tiny twist. Callie was trying to settle him, while two other sets of hands were grippin' him from behind. Two other sets of hands from people he couldn't fuckin' see.

Finally he settled, Callie's hands pressing firmly into his chest pressing him back. Her hands slipped up, slender fingers wrapped around his neck, thumbs smoothing over his throat as it constricted. The world titled and his eyes closed.

"Daryl," her voice echoed around him and he clenched his eyes tight tryin' find any little bit of strength he could. "Daryl."

"It's the meds," another woman's quiet voice echoed near his head. "Hershel's right. Let him sleep. We need him still to stitch this all up."

His head fell back from hers and he stared up at Callie's worried face. She slipped her fingers gently over his face brushing his hair back again and smiled sadly at him. The black around the edges of his vision started closing in, and he saw her slip her eyes over his shoulder to whoever the fuck was at his back again. He stared at her, and only her until that black took over most of her face. He felt his eyes close and he fell into that darkness with one thought in mind.

This was hell. He was sure of it.

* * *

Callie walked out of the room, that same fucking room that Jenna had been in, and staggered her way towards the sound of the voices of the rest of the group. She settled her forehead to the doorjamb for a moment, slowly inhaling and exhaling, listening to the cacophony of voices from the dining room just beyond.

There was just too much in her head right now. Too many emotions. Fear. Pain. And whole lot of fucking anger. She waited at that doorway and listened to Andrea's voice as she apologized, and Rick's voice as he dismissed her and sent her off. Callie's brain went back to moments ago. The point where she'd had to excuse herself from the room where Daryl was laying seemingly lifelessly, letting Rick, Danny and Hershel work to get him undressed. She'd made her way out the back, avoiding everyone she heard and then ended up running smack dab into Dale and Andrea.

Andrea had been upset, undeniably upset and utterly beside herself when she realized the mistake she'd made. And a part of Callie had wanted to comfort her as Dale was doing. To sit down and tell her that Dale was absolutely right; they'd all wanted to shoot Daryl at some point.

But another part was just sick of it. And fuckin' pissed off.

And as she'd made her way off the porch, actively ignoring both Dale and Andrea who watched her as she descended the stairs, it was that part of her that had kicked in.

"Callie," Andrea called out but Callie refused to turn. "I'm so sorry. If I'd have known—"

Callie lifted a hand and stopped Andrea mid-stride and mid-sentence. Her eyes closed and she wiggled her toes on the ground as her head shook slightly. Ben and Miles had assaulted Callie with their rendition of how that shot had gone down, and Dale's muted silence during the boys' telling had told her that what they boys said was the God's honest truth. To say she was irked with the woman for her apparent plea of ignorance was putting things mildly.

"Andrea, let it go for now. Let's go back to the RV." Dale's voice broke in, his tone obviously meant to pull Andrea away from yet another act of stupidity. But in true Andrea fashion, she moved ever forward.

"I was only trying to protect the group," Andrea said shaking her head and looking at Callie with wide eyes. "You of all people have to understand that. I wanted to help."

"You _needed_ to _listen_," Callie spat back her head shaking and her eyes snapping open as she turned to face the woman. She really didn't feel like doing this now, but if Andrea was going to keep pushing then Callie would happily push back. Andrea stepped back and Callie pointed at her. "I understand you wanted to protect the group. I get that. I really do." Callie said emphatically, because she did understand that. Straight down to her core. "But Jesus, Andrea, there's more to protecting the group than pickin' up a rifle and standing up on the RV. There's more to it than just takin' out a Walker when it rears its head."

"Callie," Dale's kind and calm voice called out but Callie shook her head and held up her hand to him.

"No, she needs this Dale. You wanna treat her like a child and placate her, that's fine. But she's a grown ass woman and she deserves a bit of the hard truth." Callie had continued to stare at Andrea whose eyes had gotten wider with each word Callie spewed out at her. "I understand that you're feelin' like you need to assert yourself, and that you need to find a place in this group outside the apparently menial tasks of the other women."

"You-"

"Uh uh," Callie shook her head and finger as if chiding a child, because really she felt like she was. "I talk. You listen." Andrea balked at that and Callie advanced a bit. "I know you thought because Miles was up there that you just automatically should have been able to take a turn. Prove yourself. And good for you, Andrea, for finally fucking takin' charge of your life. But you know what," Callie had stepped a bit closer to the still shocked woman. "Miles was up there, because he never would have taken that shot that you took today. Never. Because he knows how to _listen_. How to make calls based on more than just fear and hurt pride. He earned that spot."

"And you don't think I've earned it?" Andrea said incredulously. Callie watched as the woman's jaw clenched tight and her hands fisted.

"I think you're acting like a child, and that you have been ever since Amy died." Callie said in a tone much calmer than she'd been expecting. Andrea's eyes widened again and her head began to shake slowly and Callie just shook her own head in return. "I think you expect things, and feel you deserve things, that you don't. Things that you haven't even tried to really understand yet. And that you climbing that ladder today was a very ill-thought temper tantrum; thrown because you thought people were telling you that you were less than someone else. I think you almost killed someone because you were too pig-headed to just fucking listen."

Callie had taken a breath then, watching in her periphery as Dale grimaced and shook his head at her a bit. Andrea had been damn near shaking with anger, or frustration, or something at that point but Callie didn't care. She'd just shaken her head at both of them and lifted a hand.

"You wanna protect the group, Andrea?" Callie said as she turned her back on the woman. "Grow the fuck up and learn how to do it right."

At that point Callie had walked away, leaving Andrea to take what she said however the fuck she wanted to. Callie had stopped at her and Daryl's tent and grabbed him some fresh clothes, and when she'd made it back to the house Andrea and Dale were nowhere in sight.

A gentle hand settled at Callie's elbow startling her from her memories of earlier and back into the present. She lifted her head from the cool wood of the doorway and settled her eyes upon the softly smiling face of Carol.

"C'mon," Carol said softly, her hand gently tugging Callie away from the door and towards the dining room. "You should sit for a minute."

Callie followed along nodding idly and blinked away the wetness in her eyes and the pain brewing in her head. She lifted her hand to her head, intent on rubbing at the pulsing point at the bridge of her nose but stopped short. She stared at her hand, her feet freezing just inside the dining room. Callie swallowed hard and brought her other hand up, the wrap of bandages around her left hand marred with blood. Blood that wasn't hers. Blood that had stained her fingers a sickening shade of red.

She needed to wash her hands.

"Sit," Rick's voice came from nowhere, his hand taking the place of Carol's as the woman's slipped away. Callie lifted her eyes watching as Carol walked towards where Maggie was already busy wetting a towel, and then over to Rick staring intently at her. "C'mon. You need to sit down."

"Sorry," Callie said shaking her head and continuing to stare at her bloody hands as Rick led her to the table. She sat down, and Rick took the offered towel from a slightly grimacing Carol, before he sat on the chair next to her. Rick took her hands in his and slowly began to wipe at the blood on her fingers. Maggie settled a small silver bowl of fresh water beside him and Rick gave her a quick smile and nod. Callie stifled a bit of a chuckle and shook her head as she worked to take the towel from Rick. "It's alright," Callie said huffing as Rick brushed off her fingers. "You'd think this wouldn't bother me so much anymore. Kind of silly at this point."

"It's not silly. No one should ever be comfortable with blood on their hands, Callie." Rick said quietly. Callie's eyes lifted and met his as he stared at her. "No matter what kind of world we live in."

"Is he okay?" Ben's agitated voice boomed out and broke Callie's gaze away from Rick and over to where the boy was bouncing on his feet. Miles was doing a good job of keeping him in place, but obviously he was beginning to lose the battle with the younger kid's nerves.

"He's gonna be fine," Callie said wincing as Rick removed Callie's stained bandage, his muttered 'sorry' lost as he began to poke at the stitches. Callie slipped her hands away and smacked at him a bit and finally the man backed off, settling the stained towel and bandages into the bowl. Ben slipped over, Miles in tow hands still at the boy's shoulders, and Callie gave him a small smile. "He's lucky. Very lucky."

"Lucky Andrea's a piss poor shot," Miles muttered.

"Enough," Callie snapped at him and Miles just shook his head and rolled his eyes. Ben huffed out an annoyed, obviously concurrent breath, with Miles and Callie snapped her fingers at both boys.

"Can I see him?" Ben asked quietly his eyes slipping to the doorway and back to her.

"Hershel and Patricia need room to work, Ben. Daryl's got a—" Callie firmed her lips at the memory of all the battery she'd seen to that man's body when she helped to clear him of all the blood and dirt that had covered him. "He's got a lot of injuries. They need to stitch him up and they aren't going to be able to do that with you there." Ben's face fell and Callie leaned forward. "But I tell you what. When they're done, and Danny says it's okay. You can go in." She smiled at him and leaned forward. "I grabbed his boots," she whispered to him, causing a sly little smile to slide onto his lips. "They're by the door. I'm putting you in charge of him while we're gone."

"Where are you going?" Ben asked wincing a bit as Miles' hands clenched into his shoulders. "Watch it," Ben struggled a bit in his hold and Miles muttered out a 'sorry, kid' before drumming his fingers along Ben's shoulders.

"To get something Daryl dropped," Shane said succinctly his tone almost acerbic. Callie's eyes snapped to him, watching as he leaned over on his bulky arms palms flat to the table. His fucking shirt was still unbuttoned leaving his torso bare for all to see in an almost perfunctory slap in the face to any sort of common decency to being in another man's home. Shane stared at Ben holding the boy's confused gaze for a moment before slipping his eyes to the now glaring Miles. Callie shook her head at the man as his eyes slipped to her.

"Shane," Rick's voice was tired and angry and he shook his head as he shifted in his seat to pierce his former partner with a glare.

"What'd he drop?" Ben asked, his innocence piercing Callie's heart as she turned to face him. She stared for a single second before taking a deep breath.

"Jenna," Callie said quietly. The world seemed to stop for that moment, Ben's eyes slowly getting wider before his bottom lip began trembling just a bit. Callie firmed her lips and watched the myriad of emotions fly over the boy's face, his youth doing him a disservice as each and every one was easily read on his face. Finally his head bowed and Callie reached out and put her hand to the top of his head, giving Miles a look.

"C'mon Ben," Miles said shaking the sad little boy a bit and pushing him out of the room. "Let's go grab those boots, and go see Carl. Bet he's gonna want a rundown of what's goin' on." Miles slipped his glare to Shane and then nodded at Callie before leaving. "Your boots are under the front cab of the RV."

"I know," Callie said waving her hand at him and nodding as he left.

"Was that really necessary?" Maggie said from her spot at the back of the room. The sounds of pots in the kitchen could be heard behind her as the rest of the women were working to try and finish up the dinner that they'd planned. Although the mood of the hopefully heartwarming and group building event had been slightly darkened. Callie spotted Gracie's head of curls settled next to Lori and Beth and she let out a sigh before rubbing at her temple a bit.

"Boy deserves the truth," Shane said shifting to a standing position and crossing his arms over his chest. "World we live in." Shane shook his head and raised a brow at Maggie who just stared back. "Ain't no room for sugar-coatin' shit."

"You're a piece of work ain't ya?" Maggie said shaking her head and spearing a sheepish looking Glenn with a glare before exiting back into the kitchen. Rick moved to stand and deliver what was sure to be a wondrous speech to Shane but Callie placed a hand to his arm staying him.

"He's right," Callie said, earning a raised brow from Rick and a huffed out snort from Shane. "A fuckin' tactless prick, but he's right." Shane glared at her but shrugged and let his arms fall from their standoffish position at his chest. "You guys figured out where we need to go?"

"From what we can figure," Glenn said, shifting his eyes from their ping-ponging between Rick and Shane and over to Callie. "Daryl probably went down somewhere around here," Glenn moved the map towards her and Callie leaned forward to watch him tap his finger on the map. "Maggie said that this ridge area here," he tapped again and looked up at Callie's expectant gaze. "Runs along the spot that me and Daryl were tracking Sophia from that house. She said we can take a couple of horses," Glenn looked between Rick and Callie and then over to Shane. "Depending on who's all coming." He took a breath and slid his finger back and then around a ways to the area he was just tapping at. "We can take the horses and hit the ravine area here. Flat lands, easier travel."

"Probably shoulda told Daryl 'bout that 'fore his ass left this mornin'." T-Dog chimed in from his spot at the corner.

"Hindsight is twenty-twenty, T." Callie said tiredly as she rubbed at the bridge of her nose. "When are we leaving?"

"Callie—"

"Don't," Callie held up a hand and waved it as she closed her eyes hoping to drown out that horribly concerned look on Rick's face. "I'm going. After all, that thing Daryl dropped," she shifted her attention to Shane and snarled at him. "Was mine."

_Then I looked over_

_Just in time to see you smiling back at me_

_And saying everything's OK_

_As long as you're inside my blue veins_

_Your blue veins_

* * *

Rick wiped his hand over his face, his fingers sliding over his sweaty brow and then down to clench into his chin. He held his palm over his mouth for a few seconds as he watched Callie slowly bend down and kneel beside Jenna's prone lifeless form.

From his position behind her he could see her hands shaking as she reached out to touch the girl's face. Fingers reaching and then retracting from the gaping wounds at her temple. One a garish gash caused by an ill-aimed bullet from a child who didn't know any better. And one a simple and precise puncture inflicted by the knife of a man who did.

Callie's shaking fingers pulled back without touching the face of the girl, and settled at her lips. Rick closed his eyes, working to quell the rush of tears that he felt over taking him. He took in a deep breath and let his hand fall from its position over his mouth and settled it on Callie's shoulder. She jumped beneath him, and he squeezed as he crouched down to put his lips to her ear.

"Take your time," Rick said quietly listening to her inhale a breath and then feeling her hair move along his lips as she nodded slowly.

"I'm fine," Callie said and he pulled away a bit to look down into her now upturned face. Her eyes skimmed his face, and then slipped over the area around them, catching on the ridge. She shook her head and blinked a few times. "Jesus, Rick."

"I know," he said squeezing her shoulder and looking around at the dead Walkers, Jenna's body and the height of that ridge. "I'm gonna go grab the blankets. We should head back."

Callie nodded, her eyes slipping back to Jenna. Rick stood and slipped his hand behind his neck, rubbing at the sore muscles there as he watched her for a few moments more. His gaze slid to Jenna, and he had to look away. Turning on his heel he splashed through the shallow water and over to where Shane was working to unbuckle the blankets from one of the horses.

Shane's eyes shifted to him at the sound of his splashing steps and Rick lifted both brows before shaking his head. They didn't speak as Rick joined his former partner and worked to get the straps off of the other side of the horse. It had been a silent trip, one heavy with the weight of what they were doing.

A shuffling noise caught Rick's attention as he lowered one of the blankets to the ground and he turned to see T-Dog and Glenn working their way through the bit of forest behind them. The two men were talking in low tones to one another as they tried to find any sign of Sophia in the brush. T-Dog put a hand to Glenn's shoulder, the companionable motion causing Rick's jaw to clench and his eyes to slip back to where Shane was rounding the back end of the horse.

Shane's eyes were on Glenn and T-Dog as well, and his head was shaking as he looked back to Rick with what could only be described as a tired expression. Rick closed his eyes and prepared for what he knew was coming.

"Don't you think it's time we discussed this search?" Shane started and Rick immediately sighed and shook his head. Shane sighed and put his hands to his hips. "It's gettin' a bit ridiculous," Shane said plainly and Rick lifted a hand.

"Don't," Rick said quietly his eyes slipping over his shoulder to where Callie was still knelt down beside Jenna.

"Rick, man, c'mon." Shane said in an exasperated tone his hands falling from his hips and raising in the air in wonder. Rick stared at his friend, knowing that what he was saying wasn't meant to be cruel. He was stating a fact, one that Rick didn't really want to come to terms with, but knew that eventually they were going to have to. He knew that. But as he looked over at Callie again, Rick's pique grew a bit at his friend's sense of timing.

"For God's sake, Shane," Rick seethed through clenched teeth. "Not now." He said taking a step forward so that his harshly whispered words would reach only the ears of the man they were meant for. Ducking his head he looked at Shane and clenched his jaw tight, the words crisp and unmistakable. "Not _here_. And not _now_."

Rick shook his head watching Shane wet his lips before firming them into a line. Shane's brows lifted and he inhaled deeply through his nose while Rick turned to face Callie. Hands on his hips Rick watched the woman's shoulders rise and fall with deep heavy breaths.

"This coulda been worse," Shane said in a calm direct voice that had Rick sighing and turning towards him. "Rick," Shane moved a bit closer and angled his face into Rick's field of vision. "Daryl coulda died out here." Rick's head began to nod and he let out a breath; because he knew that. It was the first thing that crossed his mind when they stumbled upon this little ravine and looked up at that ridge. He knew that. Callie knew that. Damnit, everyone knew that. But the truth of the words didn't make their setting any different. "It's time to start re-evaluatin', man. Time to start figurin' out how to move on. That's all I'm sayin'."

"Yeah, and I'm sayin' drop it," Rick said angrily, his eyes locked with Shane's. "This ain't the time or place, Shane."

"And when is the time, Rick?" Shane asked stepping back and sniffing back his anger as he shifted his wild angry eyes around them.

"I'll let you know," Rick said sharply before turning and walking off towards Glenn and T-Dog.

Shane watched Rick stalk away, watched him settle his hands at his slim hips and hang his head a bit as he met up with Glenn and T-Dog. It was obvious Rick was starting to doubt whether they'd find Sophia at all. Alive wasn't even a part of the equation anymore really. Not after what had happened to Jenna. The only thing Rick wanted was to find the girl, give some closure, give some peace of mind to her mother.

Give himself some fuckin' peace of mind for leaving her and Jenna in them woods to begin with.

Shane sniffed and shifted his attention from Glenn, T-Dog and Rick over to where Callie was kneeling. He firmed his lips and watched her settle the back of her hand to her mouth as she just stared down at the dead girl.

Peace of mind. He shook his head. Sometimes, it just wasn't worth it in the end.

Bending quick Shane snagged the two blankets from the ground and made his way over to where Callie was kneeling. His steps started out sure and strong, knowing that after her begrudging moment of agreement with him at the house earlier, Callie was beginning to see things for what they were now. Knowing that she might be able to help him convince Rick that it was time to move on.

Knowing that it was time to get her to try, where he apparently kept fuckin' failin'.

But as he got closer, and as his eyes were better able to focus on the horribly disfigured body of Jenna layin' in the dyin' light of the sun above his steps began to falter a bit. His feet stilled for a moment in the shallow water a few feet away from Callie.

His head went back to the day Callie and her crew showed up at the Quarry. The way that Callie had gone off and went back for the car that had belonged to Jenna's brother. Facing unknown odds to bring back that last little bit of that girl's brother to offer her some kind of peace of mind.

Shane shook his head and let out a slow breath as he watched Callie work to collect herself as she sat there beside the dead girl. He wet his lips and shifted his eyes to where Rick was now looking at the map that Glenn had spread out on the ground. Slowly Shane made his way towards where Callie was, his steps taking him to the other side of the girl's prone body. He crouched down, settling the blankets to the ground beside him.

He didn't really want to look at the girl, but he felt it woulda been disrespectful not to. As soon as his eyes settled upon the face of the girl, the back of his hand lifted to his mouth and he felt the hot press of tears. He felt Callie's eyes on him after a moment, and he looked up and over Jenna's body to meet her steady gaze.

There wasn't any malice in it, which surprised him to no end, because the two of them hadn't been on the best of terms as of late. No, there wasn't any malice, just a steady assessing look that rocked him a bit more than he figured any bit of anger would have. She settled her hands to her knees after a minute and firmed her lips before shifting her attention back down to Jenna.

"I don't think I can lift her up," Callie said quietly, and Shane's brow twitched a bit in confusion. "I don't want to ask," she continued, shaking her head and waving a hand—her bandaged left hand-out at the body. She settled that hand over top of Jenna's hands. Hands that had been reverently placed over the gaping wound in her abdomen by a half-dead redneck hours before. "But I don't think I'm strong enough to lift her by myself."

"You don't have to," Shane said quickly, her eyes slipping back to him. The shining tears he saw in those hazel depths had him reaching out putting his hand over hers on Jenna's. "We're all in this together. We all carry each other's weight and burdens now, right? Ain't no reason for you to ever think you gotta carry anything on your own anymore."

Shane lightly squeezed Callie's hand and she smiled at him sadly, a single tear slipping down her face. He shifted and lifted his other hand brushing it away with the back of his knuckles. She shifted away then wiping at her face and shaking off whatever had passed through her in that moment. Shane put his hands to the blankets and he began slowly unfolding them, his eyes again catching on Jenna's face.

"That's an important thing to remember, nowadays," Callie said causing his eyes to shift back to her and his brow to furrow in confusion. "And an easy thing to forget."

Shane stared hard at Callie for a moment, his mind's eye slipping back to hours earlier. When he'd been watching her sit with Miles in hushed conversation by the Hummer. He and Callie stared at each other for a long moment before the sound of splashing steps approaching had him breaking eye contact and slipping his attention back to the blanket. Callie reached out and took the half of the blanket that he handed to her and together they covered Jenna's body. His hands stilled a moment under the girl's chin, the blanket clenched tightly in his fingers. He stared hard at her pale dead face before slipping the blanket up and covering her.

"Anything?" Callie asked, her voice hoarse from the force of holding back her tears. She wiped at her face again and let Rick help her up to her feet. Rick shook his head, his eyes locked on the covered body at his feet before sliding over to meet Shane's gaze.

"No, but we got a place to start. Gonna cut the search area in half," Rick said idly running his hand through his hair and Callie nodded tucking a stray strand of her own hair behind her ear. "We should get back." Rick said quietly nodding at Shane and bending down to start working the blankets around Jenna's frame. "We need to regroup. Re-evaluate."

Shane nodded and shifted his eyes for a moment to where Callie had settled on her haunches beside him. Together he and Callie shifted Jenna's body onto her side and worked the second blanket under her. Shane's eyes lifted to Rick across from him, their hands damn near touching as they held the dead girl's body in place as Callie settled the blanket on the ground below her.

Their eyes remained locked and the heavy silence that hung in the air between them seemed to grow denser with each word left unsaid. It would be interesting to see what Rick's idea of 're-evaluating' was.

_Yeah and the feeling that you gave me_

_No matter what I do or where I go_

_It always will remain_

_And those who would enslave me to get to me must get past you and will have no luck_

'_Cause you'll protect me from all pain_

_The most beautiful, yeah the most beautiful thing 'cause anything else can't compare_

_Must be the blood that's running through your blue veins_

_Your blue veins_

* * *

He was awake.

Not full awake, but at least aware of his surroundings this time. Aware of where he was.

Aware that there was something movin' at his back.

Daryl was still layin' on his side, his right arm propped up under his head holdin' the pillow tight to his head in a vain hope that it would help the pounding subside some. But if fuckin' didn't. And he was left with a pulsing sort of blackness under his eyelids that threatened to take him back down into unconsciousness any minute.

But then that thing was movin' at his back again, the bed shifting just a bit as something—or maybe someone—moved around. And his brain was workin' a bit past the pain to try and figure out what or who was movin' around. Something sharp poked his shoulder, sending a fresh wave of pain through him as all of his muscles protested the slight movement.

Another poke and he was stirrin'. Instantly his thoughts went back to a time years and years ago, when he'd gotten shitfaced drunk and passed out beside the couch. Not on the fuckin' couch like he'd planned, but beside it. 'Cause his drunk-ass had missed the cushion and plummeted to the hard floor and he didn't have half the mind needed to lift his ass back up. He thought back to that night, and remembered the feel of Merle pokin' at him with his rifle repeatedly tryin' to gauge if Daryl was alive or not the next mornin'.

He remembered Merle's shit eatin' grin when Daryl had turned his head, his nose bloody and broken from its impact with the floor.

"_Get up boy," _Merle had said poking at him with that fuckin' rifle again and chucklin'_. "Unless you want me to put your sorry ass outta its misery." _

Daryl had groaned then, pushing stupidly at the floor to try and get his ass up. Merle had got to his feet, but hadn't moved away. He'd chuckled a bit as he gave a rough kick to Daryl's hip. _"Get up dumbfuck, we're goin' huntin'."_ Then the bastard had moved away, whistlin' that fuckin' song by The Hag-

Daryl's mind opened up at that point, no longer remembering Merle pokin' at him at home. No, now he was back in that fuckin' ravine, listening to Merle whistle and hum that damn song, pokin' and prodin' at him with his words not his rifle.

Somethin' poked him in his lower back, right above where that fuckin' bolt had pierced his side. It wasn't a hard poke, but it jolted him and had his eyes snappin' open. His left arm swung out, smackin' into whatever was at his back, his mouth spoutin' against the man he figured it had to be.

"Fuck Merle, quit it." Daryl said his hand dropping to his injured side on a painful sigh.

The next thing he heard was a thud, followed by the door opening a crack, and a giggle.

It was the fuckin' giggle that had him turning, painfully fuckin' turning, to see what the fuck was going on.

He saw Carol in the doorway, a plate in one hand and glass in the other, her eyes on the ground at the side of the bed. Daryl shifted a bit more, his body rolling so that he could lift his head a bit and see what she was lookin' at.

The soles of small shoes met his gaze, wiggling and shifting from their position at the edge of the bed. Daryl pushed painfully up a bit, and was able to angle his head down to see Ben. The kid's head and shoulders were scrunched, makin' Daryl figure that the thudding sound had to have been the kid's head hitting the floor, while his legs remained up in the air propped up against the side of the bed. Daryl instantly felt shame at smackin' the kid and worked to get to a better position, his left arm slowly moving to the boy's feet. Ben was still chucklin' as Daryl's fingers touched his shoes and the boy squirmed this way and that to shift his feet off the bed.

Carol shook her head at the little boy, as he sat up and rubbed at the back of his head. She shot Daryl a glance and watched him try to sit up and fail, falling in a heap back to the pillows.

"Ben," Carol said in that motherly tone that had Ben grinnin' a shit-eatin' grin, one that kids reserved for special for those chidin' adults.

"Doc Greene said to wake him up every so often," Ben said still rubbin' at the sore spot at the back of his head. The kid shifted his smiling eyes up and caught Daryl's raised brow and grinned wider.

"I doubt he meant for you to poke at him to do it," Carol said shifting her weight from one leg to another. If her hands would have been free, Daryl was sure the woman woulda crossed her arms over her chest by now.

"Worked didn't it?" Ben said, and Daryl couldn't help but scoff out a laugh at the kid's lip. Fuck he was a bad influence on this boy wasn't he? Carol sighed and shot Daryl a look that said she was thinkin' the same fuckin' thing, and Daryl shifted a bit more before just quittin'.

"Dinner's on the table," Carol said quietly jutting her head to the open door behind her. "Go wash up."

"But Callie put me in charge of him while she was gone," Ben whined as he jumped up to his feet. Daryl's brows rose, his mind tryin' to piece together where the woman would have - his body slumped further into the mattress and pillows behind him as remembered. His eyes closed for a moment and reopened to find Carol's eyes on him.

"And she put me in charge of you," Carol said in a matter-of-fact tone as she looked back to the now poutin' Ben. "Now get." Ben's head snapped over to Daryl, his little brows lifting on his forehead as he waited for Daryl to bail him out.

"You heard her," Daryl muttered tiredly as he shifted a bit more. "Get." Ben pouted a bit more and Daryl gave a single shake of his head. Ben grimaced, but firmed his lips and nodded as he made his way past Carol.

Carol waited until Ben was out of earshot before sliding further in and closing the door a bit, the slat of light from the hallway outside bathed her back and head in a strange yellow glow that had Daryl squinting at her. She settled the plate of food and glass she carried on the small bedside table and then wiped her palms down her thighs.

"They ain't back yet?" Daryl asked, his tongue working in his mouth as he eyed the plate and cup. He felt his stomach roll at the thought of putting food in it, but the water had him fuckin' salivatin'. He reached out slowly with his left hand, feelin' every pull of his torn oblique like a fuckin' blast of fire under his skin.

"They are," Carol said stepping forward and grabbing the glass. She took the two necessary steps to close the distance between her legs and the side of the bed and pushed Daryl's hand down. Leaning forward she moved the glass to his lips and he glared at her.

"I can fuckin' do it," Daryl said angrily reaching up. Carol shoved his hand down again, and his brow furrowed at her.

"No you can't," Carol said forcefully as she pressed the glass close again. "And unless you want to risk layin' in a wet bed all night, I suggest you let me help you."

"When'd you get a fuckin' backbone," Daryl muttered as he put his lips to the glass.

"The day you handed me that axe," Carol responded, and Daryl's eyes lifted to her. A beat of silence slipped between them before she shifted her eyes away and to the glass in her hands. "Now drink." Carol tipped the glass and he took two slow sips. He pulled away, his stomach clenching a bit and shook his head when she held the glass close again. She settled it back to the nightstand and stared at Daryl.

"What?" Daryl spat, workin' to resettle himself into the bed, hopin' to sink back into the comfort of that mattress and those soft sweet smellin' pillows his head had been resting on. Hopin' that he could just fall back into the darkness and forget for a while. But he knew he wouldn't be able to.

Because she was back.

She was back and she wasn't here.

Daryl groaned as he shifted a bit and glowered as Carol shifted on her feet.

"Ain't gonn ask again," Daryl muttered snarling when she smiled sweetly at him. She leaned forward and helped to adjust his pillows.

"You're a good man," Carol said quietly and he snarled as he turned from her, pulling his sheet up a bit and workin' himself further into the comfort of the bed. His head shook almost in a reflexive motion to her words and he heard her sigh. "You did more for my little girl today than her own daddy did her whole life." Daryl's eyes slipped over his shoulder to her and he felt his mouth twitch.

"Didn't do nothin' Rick or Shane," Daryl snarled a bit and shot a look down his body. "Nothin' Rick wouldn't have done." Carol scoffed out a laugh and her head nodded a bit at his choice of words. Daryl again averted his gaze when she looked at him.

"You're every bit as good as them," Carol said quietly and he felt his face twitch and his shoulders hunch as she moved closer. "Every bit." She put a hand to his shoulder as she leaned in. "Callie's not the only who sees that." Her lips pressed to his head and he shied away, shifting too fast and rushing a wave of pain through him.

"Watch, I got stitches," Daryl muttered groggily as he turned from her, and again Carol smiled. She patted his shoulder and he pulled away from the delicate feel of her hands on him. All that kept echoing through his head was that if he was so good a man, and if Callie really felt that way, why wasn't she the one here bringin' him dinner and holdin' his water glass?

Daryl hunched in on himself, the pain ebbin' back into his head and pulsing behind his eyes. Dizziness threatening his sense of being as he lay there. He listened to Carol shift a bit and the door creak open. He held his breath, for some unknown fuckin' reason when he didn't hear it pull closed again. Shifting he looked over his shoulder just as Carol's mouth opened again.

"They're diggin' her grave," Carol said quietly and his eyes blinked open fully as he watched her eyes drift down to her feet. "Gonna bury her in the mornin'." Carol's eyes lifted to his, and he knew she could see the shinin' unshed tears in his eyes so he looked away quickly. "Half of that's for her," Carol said causin' him to turn to her again. "So don't eat it all. Woman hasn't eaten all day worryin' for you."

Daryl's jaw clenched as Carol exited the room, closing him into the darkness again. Only this time, his eyes were open, and the dark didn't penetrate all of his senses. He settled into the pillows and stared at the horridly upholstered chair facing him and waited for her to appear.

* * *

Callie lifted her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, trying to stave off the chill that had settled deep in her bones. She stared at Danny as he argued with Glenn, T-Dog and Rick. The low light of early evening had settled over the farm, and bathed them all in dusky hues of brows and yellows. She was a good distance away, far enough that she couldn't make out every word that was said between them, but Danny's raised voice reached her ears just fine.

"Damnit, Glenn," Danny yelled, his balance thrown off for a second by his arms as he thrashed a bit. Rick steadied him and held tight as Danny hopped on his good leg for a second. He went to pull from Rick's grasp, but Rick being fucking Rick, held tight and shook his head. "I'm not sitting here watchin' while y'all dig her grave. I know I can't do much, but at least let me get it started."

Callie's chin settled to her arms upon her knees and she smiled sadly as Rick patted Danny's shoulder and Glenn handed over the shovel. The sound of footsteps on the grass behind her had Callie shifting to look over her shoulder.

Hershel stood back a distance from her, his arms crossed over his chest as he watched Danny struggle to press the shovel into the dirt. Rick, Glenn and T-Dog were flanked around him as he did it, waiting to catch him when he stumbled. Callie peered up at Hershel, watching his face contort with some emotion she still couldn't read. Finally the older man sighed and stepped a bit closer to where she sat.

"He's an interesting man," Hershel said quietly not shifting his eyes from where Danny struggled to shovel dirt.

"That's one word for him," Callie said quietly, watching as Hershel's eyes shifted down to her. Callie smiled back up at him and he smiled back. Apparently that conversation that he shared with Danny earlier in the day had succeeded in something forming between the two men. Something Callie was sure she never had any hope of understanding. Callie lifted her head a bit before continuing to speak to the man still slightly behind her. "I wanted to thank you for-" she waved her hand out at the scene playing out before them.

"I don't want your thanks, Callie." Hershel said quietly his head nodding as he lifted a hand to wave off her words. "You and Rick damn near killed yourselves buryin' Jimmy's family. People I knew and cared for. It's the least I can do to give you a resting place for your girl." Hershel stopped then, his eyes shifting from her back out to where Danny continued to shovel slowly. "It's important to bury our dead."

"Yes it is," Callie said shifting her eyes to the man standing beside her now. The bright light from the porch far off behind them was at his back as he stood stone still staring at the men working to dig Jenna's grave. Callie's mind instantly flew back to her earlier conversation with Danny, that burning question lighting a fire in her brain that wouldn't seem to fan out. Just as Callie opened her mouth to ask her another voice rang out.

"Hershel," Patricia's voice slid out into the slow growing night and Callie turned to see her smile slightly. "Lori's askin' for you," Patricia said taking a step closer. "Said it's 'bout Carl." Callie's eyes went wide and she shifted a bit to see Rick heading towards them.

"Is he alright?" Callie asked, moving to get to her feet. Hershel's hand went out and steadied her to the ground as he shifted to look at Rick approaching.

"He's fine," Patricia said smiling. "Just a question about the stitches and if he could get up for—" Patricia nodded her head to Rick as he came to a stop near where Callie was sitting. "Your boy wants permission to get up for the burial tomorrow." Patricia said to Rick smiling tightly when his head began to nod.

"I think he should be there," Rick said quietly, settling his hands on his hips as he looked over to Hershel. "But I'll defer to a professional's opinion before I allow it."

"I'll go take a look at him and speak with Lori," Hershel said squeezing Callie's shoulder quickly before sliding his hand off. "I'm sure it shouldn't be a problem. He should get up and try and walk around a bit. He's got a ways to go yet, but the air and exercise will do him good. Your other man," Hershel looked down at Callie. "I don't think he's gonna be up and about for a while."

Rick and Callie nodded and followed Hershel's form as he disappeared with Patricia inside the house. Shifting his eyes down to Callie he watched her continue to stare at the house. Rick sighed and raked a hand over his head before settling down on the ground beside her.

"Can't help so you figure you'll just stare at them 'till they feel bad?" Rick asked with a bit of a smirk, his elbow jabbing lightly into her shoulder. Callie shifted her tired, wet eyes to him and he shifted closer to her.

Callie had been sidelined by not only Rick, but Danny, Hershel, Glenn, Dale, Carol. Pretty much everyone had told the woman she wasn't allowed to dig that grave. They'd ordered her to sit and eat, and God bless her she sat. But she didn't eat, and after a few minutes she'd excused herself. Rick had followed her, finding her settled on the ground staring at the boys working to find the right spot for Jenna's grave.

When Danny had started going off about helping is when Rick stepped over to help himself. Of course, he'd been sidelined by just as many people as Callie had so his words pretty much bounced off of a brick wall. Watching now, Danny stumbled back using the shovel as a crutch to hold him up as he bent at the waist and breathed hard. T-Dog was at his back and Glenn was patting his shoulder as he took the shovel. Danny shook off T-Dog's hands and practically fell in a painful heap to the ground as he watched Glenn start to work at the bare hit of a dent Danny's labored movements had made in the dirt. T-Dog stared at Danny for a moment before Danny tossed a hand out and angrily shooed him over to help Glenn.

Rick shifted his gaze back towards Callie, her mouth settled against her raised arms and her eyes stuck to the morbid scene playing out before them. Night was falling quickly, but bare hint of light remaining made the slight wetness staining her cheeks stand out. Rick shifted closer so that his arm rested against hers, and he saw her lips lift in a bit of smile behind the barrier of her arms.

"Why are you out here?" Rick asked quietly, watching her eyes slip over to him her brow raised a bit.

"Somewhere else I'm supposed to be, Officer?"

"Yes," Rick said chuckling a bit and running his hand through his hair. "Yes there is. And you know where that place is."

"Hi Pot," Callie said lifting her head and extending her hand to him. He raised a brow and she smiled. "I'm Kettle. I hear we're both black." Rick chuckled and lifted his hand and shook hers.

"Let's not play that game tonight, hmm?" Rick said holding on to her hand and pulling it towards him a bit. "What's wrong?"

Callie was silent for a moment, her eyes slipping over his face as she worked out what she wanted to say. She was an honest person, almost to a fault. But she was good at dealin' out honesty while leavin' out details. He envied her that a bit. Finally Callie slipped her hand free of his and settled both behind her, her eyes switching back to the grave being dug not far off.

"I could have lost him," Callie said quietly her eyes blinking a few times as whatever she was really thinking came at her full force. "I'm having a hard time with that." She chuckled and shook her head as she peered over at him. "Karma's a bitch."

Rick laughed and nodded his hand rubbing at his face and then scratching behind his head. Her chuckles died out soon and they sat in silence for a bit, listening to the sound of the dirt being forced from the ground and T-Dog and Glenn groaning with each push of the shovel.

"You two are idiots," Rick said finally and Callie snapped her eyes back to him. The look on her face was downright comical, wide unblinking eyes and a wide-ass grin spread across it. Rick smiled back and lifted a finger to jab at her. "Y'all are playin' chicken with that word," Callie lifted her brow and Rick wagged his finger. "Don't give me that look, you know exactly what word I'm talkin' about." Callie sighed and looked away for a second before shifting an exasperated expression to him. "The feelin's are there," Rick said again lifting his hand and holding off her response. He smiled widely, silently reveling in the fact that for once she was gonna be on the receiving end of a good talkin' to. "They are. Everyone sees it. I know you two see it," Rick said shaking his head. "Yet you continue to play that game. Both of you waitin' for the other to crack and say it out loud. Why?"

Callie regarded him with a quiet assessing look for a long time. Rick stared back, trying desperately to see what she was working to hide. She sighed as she worked her bottom lip between her teeth. Shifting her head back out to the field beyond them she let her forehead fall to her arms.

"I don't know," Callie said quietly and Rick smiled as he leaned into her.

"You're a horrible liar," Rick said into her ear and shifted back when she pierced him with a half-hearted glare. The middle finger of her left hand slipped up and he barked out a laugh as he pushed it back down. "Go inside. Be the chicken."

"Why do I have to be the chicken," Callie almost whined her head falling back into her arms.

"Have you met Daryl?" Rick asked bumping her shoulder with his. She rolled her head and smiled widely at him and he leaned forward placing a small kiss to her forehead. "Now go. I'll watch Danny for you."

_And I know you won't deceive me_

_Like the rest and there's nothing you need to explain_

_You always were the first to believe me_

_When I said to you girl_

_I think it's gonna rain_

_But I could be wrong_

_Yeah but all of these things _

_All these things_

_They're all truly nice but ain't nothing _

_Ain't nothing compared to the love that's running through your blue veins_

_Your blue veins_

_~Blue Veins/ The Raconteurs_

_AN: Wow. Alright. I know a lot of you were pulling for a Callie/Andrea beat down, but really, it just didn't fit. I've tried to establish Callie as the type to deal with things on a verbal level before resorting to violence. And I feel the treatment here was apropos to the character. Let me know if you think otherwise! _

_There are gonna be a few smaller chapters coming up, vignettes that I've had in mind for a while and can't really wait to get down on paper. We're slowly working towards Barn-mageddon so keep your pants on and enjoy the ride. _

_I LOVE YOU ALL! We've hit 400+ reviews. Y'all rock so hard it hurts! -couple Guest responses below:_

_Guest (reviewer of chap. 33) Hey there, thanks for leaving a review. Glad you enjoyed Daryl's 'wet dream' and the visual autopsy that he performed on Jenna. Tough scene to write. Happy reading!_

_Dido (review chap. 34) I couldn't agree more with your assessment of Andrea as a character. It's hard to write someone who really hasn't established herself much. FLIP FLOPPERS! And yeah, Callie did have herself a bit of an AH-HA moment there, that I thought was a bit original and was quite happy with. Ben's quick become a little fan-favorite for everyone. And I'm super happy about that. Thanks for takin' the time to review. Happy reading!_


	36. Vignette - Distance

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_I first have to say WOW on all the new readers and reviewers. Wow, and welcome to the crazy people. I can't thank you all enough, new and old, for all the love that you guys send me. You are my bread and butter, and keep a smile on my face even through the rough days. THANK YOU!_

_This chapter was a tough one. I second guessed EVERYTHING I put on the page here…so I really hope it's not total shit. That said…I suppose, if you were the labelin' sort, you could call this a bit of fluff… if you were the labelin' sort that is. :) _

_As always read, review and most of all enjoy!_

_~michelle_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Vignette –Distance**

_The sun is filling up the room_

_And I can hear you dreaming_

_Do you feel the way I do right now?_

_I wish we would just give up_

'_Cause the best part is falling_

_Call it anything but love_

"I told you it was fuckin' cute," Miles muttered from his position beside Callie in the doorway of the dimly lit room. Idly Callie nodded her head, a smile tipping the corner of her lips at the sight she found it hard to tear her gaze away from.

Cute was a bit of an understatement. Cute was when she'd stumbled upon the half-slumped form of Miles settled on the floor beside the closed door to Daryl's room. His head bobbing up and down as he tried to keep himself from falling asleep fully. Cute was the sleepy dazed look on the kid's face when he'd looked up at her and rubbed at the back of his head. Cute was the sheepish look he'd shot her as he slipped up to his feet.

What she was looking at now. Well, it was just fucking adorable.

Daryl was still settled on his right side his back to the door, though now he'd shifted so that he was closer to being on his back. A pillow, placed most likely by Hershel or Patricia when they'd checked on him last, had been set at his back to make sure he didn't push all the way over or roll too much. His right arm was tucked under the pillow that was shoved to his head, while his left arm lay limply over his wounded side.

Settled upon that pillow at Daryl's back, was Ben, his sandy-blonde hair in total disarray over his head. The boy was curled on his side, his back barely settled against the small of Daryl's back. He had rolled a bit so that he was almost on his stomach, his left arm dangling off the bed. Threaded between his dangling fingers were the laces of Daryl's boots, which he'd apparently been dragging around with him all day.

Callie slipped a bit further around the bed. There she was; the other bit of the fucking adorable she'd been warned about.

Tucked up right under Daryl's stubble-covered chin was Gracie's little head of golden-brown curls. She was facing Daryl, as she tended to do with Callie when she slept as well, her little body curled in but not too close as if she'd just snuggled into him after he'd fallen asleep first. Which if Callie were a betting woman, she'd put her money on in a heartbeat. Gracie's little cheek was awkwardly pressed into Daryl's bare chest, both of their breaths bouncing one curl back and forth over the girl's slightly parted lips. And as if that wasn't cute enough, Gracie had somehow worked her hand little hand around the pinky and ring finger on Daryl's limp left hand and held those fingers tight even in her state of deep slumber.

"I was gonna grab the camera," Miles said stifling a yawn as he rubbed at the back of his head with his broken hand. He sent a sheepish sort of smile to Callie's lifted humored brow and then shrugged. "Then I figured he'd probably been through enough today."

"Big of you," Callie said shifting her attention back to the fucking adorable scene settled before her.

"You want me to grab Ben, and you can-"

"Not sleepin'," Ben's slightly groggy voice whispered out, muffled slightly by his shoulder shoved up close to his lips. Both Callie and Miles looked at the boy, watching his eyes peek open slowly to stare up at them. Callie smiled, knowing the boy had been awake. Ben had a distinct way of sleeping, a spread-eagle formation that had been the bane of Danny's existence since he'd started to share a tent with the boy months and months ago. She shook her head and slowly worked her way around to the other side of the bed to grab up Gracie.

"You want me to take those for you, Ben?" Miles said getting down on his haunches and tapping the boy's hand. Ben curled his fingers tighter around the laces and shook his head lightly, and Miles smiled as he pushed up to his feet.

Callie smiled over at Miles before sliding her hands down to Gracie. Her fingers skimmed slowly over Daryl's arm and then down to where Gracie had tightly grasped Daryl's fingers. Callie watched Daryl's face as she slowly began to peel the girl's fingers away, knowing the man was a light sleeper, but he didn't twitch more than a bit. Once free his fingers seemed to try and reach out to the girl's for a single moment before they unfurled and slipped down to the bed. As slowly as she could Callie shifted Gracie away, chuckling a bit at the tiny little drool mark left against Daryl's chest from the girl, and lifted her up onto her shoulder.

Miles worked his way around the bed and took the sleeping little girl into his own arms.

"You stayin' in here?" Miles asked Callie watching her eyes roam back over to Ben who was sitting up slowly onto the edge of the bed.

"Yeah," Callie said quietly putting a hand on Miles' shoulder. "I'll send Ben out in a bit. We're gonna chat first."

"I'll put Gracie in with Carol and Andrea," Miles said nodding and shifting his eyes back to Ben for a second. "Then I'll wait on the porch for you, buddy. We can go sit with Danny if you want." Ben nodded idly rubbing at the back of his head and shifting his eyes over his shoulder to where Daryl was laying. Miles gave a bit of a smile to Callie and then ducked out with the sleeping little girl.

Callie moved over and shut the door, leaning her back on it and crossing her arms to watch Ben shift off the bed. The boy stood there, the laces of Daryl's boots still held in one hand, and just stared at the unmoving mass of man in the bed before him. After a minute, Callie shifted, pulling the soft sweater she'd found in Jenna's belongings tighter over her body. She'd changed only moments before coming back into the house, needing fresh clothes and a shower to get the feel of the day off of her. The comfort of her sweatpants and tank top were wanted, while the warmth and memories of the sweater were needed.

Making her way towards the boy, Callie put a hand to his head and pushed him along to follow her to the other side of the bed. The chair, the same fucking chair she'd sat in when Jenna was settled in this room, had been placed by Hershel. Knowing that Daryl wasn't going to be facing the that side of the bed anytime soon, the older man had pretty much taken the chair out of Callie's hands earlier when she'd tried to move it.

Callie settled herself down on the chair and let Ben lean his backside across from her on the edge of the bed. She tilted her head to the side and watched Ben's eyes flick over his shoulder to Daryl and then back down to the boots he'd been dragging along with him. And she waited.

And surprisingly, she didn't have to wait long.

"I don't feel good," Ben said his little mouth twitching to the side as if what he was saying wasn't exactly what he wanted to say. He lifted his eyes, keeping his chin settled on his chest and stared up at Callie through the fringe of his lashes and grown out hair. Callie shifted a bit, leaning forward and tilting her head to catch his gaze, waiting for him to continue. "I just—" he shifted his eyes over to Daryl again and then back to her. "I don't know."

The boy drew the fingers of his other hand through his hair, a motion that had her smirking a bit because she wasn't sure which of the men he'd picked that one up from. Rick, Daryl, Shane, Danny. That was a habit they all shared when they were frustrated. Even she did it more often than she'd care to admit. He shook his head as if angry at himself and then slid down so that he was sitting on the floor by the bed, his head tilted down to where Daryl's boots now sat between his legs.

"Feelin' sick again?" Callie asked leaning down and putting her hand to his head, which he immediately shook his head and dislodged with a bit of a huffed out shrug. She dipped her head and when she failed to catch his eye she slipped off the chair and settled on the floor. Her knees were up and her arms were wrapped around them as she looked at him. Ben lifted his eyes and watched her for a moment before lifting his knees and mirroring her pose. Leaving Daryl's boots settled on the ground between them. "C'mon buddy, you were waiting up for me," Callie said watching his eyes slip to her and his lips tip to the side as he bit at the inside of his cheek. "C'mon you know what you want to say."

"I don't feel…right," Ben said quietly, his eyes slipping to the side quickly. Callie followed the motion of his eyes and finally started to understand. Her gaze worked up to where she could barely make out the figure of Daryl still sleeping on the bed, his slumber most likely aided by the heavy dose of antibiotics and pain meds he'd been dealt when he woke the last time. Callie shifted her eyes back to Ben as he squirmed a bit and ducked his head onto his raised arms.

"Is it like this hard sort of lumpy feelin' in your tummy?" Callie started, watching Ben's head tip up and his expression change just a bit to regard her with a slightly surprised look. She lowered her knees to an Indian-style position and put her hand in a fist right under her ribcage. "Sort of feels like you tried to swallow a rock and it got stuck on its way down."

"Kinda," Ben said shifting his feet down to match her pose again and putting his hand over his own little torso. Callie smiled sadly watching him grimace a bit and rub at his tummy. "It hurts."

"Mine too," Callie said letting her hands fall back down to her knees.

"Yeah?" Ben asked shifting a bit as he drew up his knees again and tucked his face into his arms. Callie nodded and Ben shifted a bit more on his little butt and she waited for him to get comfortable with what he needed to ask. "Are we sick?"

"Kinda," Callie said shifting her eyes up to the man sleeping on the bed. She stared at him for a minute, his body still in the exact same position as when she entered and she wondered if he was really sleeping. Ben lifted his head and looked up as well but then looked down at her with a brow raised. "I was kidding, Ben. We aren't sick." He glared at her a bit and she couldn't help but chuckle. "Sometimes when you-," Callie stopped, searching for the word she wanted to use in place of the one she probably needed to. "Sometimes when you care about someone so much, and you see them hurt or in pain or sad, you feel it too. Does that make sense?"

"So 'cause I-" Ben scrunched his face and squinted at her and Callie's hand lifted to cover her smile. It was the first time she'd ever seen what everyone had commented on. Ben really was taking on quite a few of Daryl's little quirks. She wondered if the man had seen those little distinctive movements for himself, and what he thought about that. "So 'cause I _care_ 'bout Daryl, and he's hurt, my tummy hurts?"

"Yep," Callie said feeling the oversimplification was just what the boy needed to make him understand.

"Does it help to tell the person that you care?" Ben asked quietly looking down at Daryl's boots. Callie's brow quirked and she just stared at him. He squirmed under her gaze and knocked his head around a bit on his little shoulders, obviously feeling uncomfortable talking about the stuff he was feeling. "Ya know does it make it better if the person knows ya care? Then maybe they'll know that they're hurtin' you too and they won't go off an' get hurt no more."

"No," Callie said as honestly as she could and he let out an angry huff. "It takes a bit of the weight off, but—" Callie took a breath and ran her fingers through her loose curling waves shaking her head. "But once you care about someone that much, it never goes away buddy. It just tends to grow." Ben's eyes lifted to her and she was the one squirming under his gaze this time. They'd had a similar conversation, so many months ago now it felt like years. About how sick he was feeling after his parents had died and how that feeling wouldn't ever go away, but that he'd learn to carry it with him in time. And Callie knew that some of this talk was flowing back to that night and that boy's sense of survivor's guilt that she and Danny had tried so hard to squelch. "Ben, it's not wrong to care about him. It's not wrong to let him know that you do either."

"Did you tell him?" Ben asked his head lifting a bit. She stared at him for a moment and he clarified. Bless his fucking heart. "'Bout your tummy hurtin' too?"

"Not yet," Callie said with a bit of a pained expression and Ben shifted a big grin to her. "Not a word, little man. Not one word." Ben smiled a bit longer but then shifted his eyes down to Daryl's boots at his feet. He kicked one over to her and Callie watched his expression turn sour and cold again. In the dim light of the small lamp on the table by the door Callie could just make out the hint of shining unshed tears in his eyes.

"I was cleanin' them up," Ben said kicking the boot to her again and this time she reached out for it, her fingers catching on the laces. "The toe," Ben said with a loud sniff. He wiped the back of his hand harshly over his eyes and sniffed again and Callie angled the shoe so that she could inspect the toe.

Deep indentations scoured through the leather revealing the steel toe underneath. Small indentations, that as she skipped her fingers over she realized were made by teeth and nails. Callie's breath caught and her eyes skipped over to Ben and then up to the sleeping son of a bitch in the bed.

"He really almost died," Ben said quietly, his voice cracking a bit before he sniffed again. He let out an angry huff of a breath and shoved his hand along his eyes again before glaring at the boot in her hand. "Not just a close call or somethin' with Andrea's piss poor shot," Ben grumbled out and Callie shook her head a bit her fingers still smoothing over the toe of Daryl's boot. "He was that close," he pointed at the shoe. "Ain't no way a Walker woulda been able to get its teeth on him otherwise. No way. He almost died, Callie. Out there. On his own, where he always tol' me he was jus' fine. He almost died. And we wouldn'ta found him. Wouldn'ta known what happened. I woulda lost him without bein' able to-" tears were fallin' down Ben's face now and Callie gave up on letting the boy be tough. She grabbed his arm and pulled him to her settling his little frame in her lap and letting him cry into her shoulder. After a few seconds he let out a little sniff and settled enough to mumble the rest of what he was thinking into her chest. "I wouldn't'a been able to tell him thank you, or how much I loved him, or how much he meant to me. He'da just been gone."

Ben crumbled into a heap in her lap, his head settled against her chest and hands reaching down to play with the frayed hem on his jeans. Callie's head tipped up as she placed her hand on top of his head, her eyes searching the ceiling as she blinked back her own unshed tears. She really wasn't equipped for all of this. She dealt with scrapes and bruises. And she'd dealt with the little things; bullies on playgrounds when Sammy and Hannah were little and she'd visited them in Savannah. But this stuff.

The real stuff.

Shit, she hadn't even gotten a handle on this stuff in her own fucked up life.

Callie felt Ben shift in her lap and she let him wiggle his way out. He propped himself up against the bed again and wiped his eyes and nose with the back of his arm. They sat in that bit of silence again, Callie's eyes shifting over his head to the bed again, watching Daryl's face for any signs of wakefulness. Her eyes moved to Ben and she smiled a bit tossing Daryl's boots up on to the chair. Shifting around she moved towards the pile of clean clothes she'd brought in for Daryl earlier. Smiling slightly at the sight of Rick's badge settled on top, she slipped her fingers into the back pocket pulling out the photo she'd found in his other pants before she'd taken them out to be washed.

She shifted back around to face the now interestedly raised eyes of Ben and smiled as she handed the photo over to him.

"He carries that with him everywhere he goes," Callie said quietly watching Ben shift and take the photo. It was crumpled and torn just a bit, and the fold down the center had pretty much obliterated Daryl's face but his form was unmistakable between the two kids. Ben stared down at the photo for a long time, his mouth twitching to the side again before he looked up at her.

"Just like Danny carries his photo of him an' Jake," Ben said his eyes shifting to the photo again as Callie nodded her head. Ben sniffed and then got to his feet, holding the photo out to Callie with his little mouth pressed into a firm line and his head nodding. "And how you carry photos of all of us in your bag?"

Callie nodded again, smiling a bit at the boy as he gave away her little secret. Ben nodded again and Callie shifted taking the photo from the boy's outstretched hands.

"He's got just as much of that weight in his tummy for you Ben. And he's just as uncomfortable as you and me." Callie held up the photo and Ben stared at her for a minute before nodding. It looked like he wanted to say something but he scrunched his face and shifted his eyes up to the bed and the moment was gone. "Miles is waiting outside for you. I'll take Daryl duty tonight," Callie shifted forward and smiled. "You're officially on Danny duty."

Ben nodded his head and scrubbed his hand at the back of his head a bit. His eyes shifted around the floor a bit, catching on Daryl's boots nearby and just when she figured the boy was going to leave he surprised her again. Tossing himself at her he gave her a quick hug and then shoved away again. Callie shook her head as he made his way back around the bed towards the door. Ben stopped after a few steps and looked back at her with a grimace.

"Hey, Callie?" Ben asked his voice barely above a whisper. She looked up at him from her staring match with Daryl's worn out photo. The boy grimaced and shot a look to the prone man on the bed. "Can you not tell him what I said, or 'bout me cryin' and stuff? I don't want him ta know 'bout that stuff right now."

Callie lifted her hand and crossed her heart and zipped her lips; her voice caught somewhere in between her mouth and her stomach, most likely on that large lump that just seemed to fucking grow daily for her. She nodded her head at him as he gave a quick couple bobs of his head.

Ben left the room, the door closing behind him with a click that seemed to echo in the dimly lit confines of the room. Callie looked down at the little photo in her hands and smiled.

_And I'll make sure to keep my distance_

_Say "I love you" when you're not listening _

_How long can we keep this up, up, up?_

_And please don't stand so close to me_

_I'm having trouble breathing_

_I'm afraid of what you'll see right now_

_I give you everything I am_

_All my broken heart beats_

_Until I know you understand_

Daryl heard the door close and let out a long low breath. Pressin' that pillow to his head a bit harder he worked to steady his breathin' and not let her know that he was awake just yet. He took a chance at slippin' one eye open just a fraction of an inch. The top of her head barely visible through the fringe of his lashes.

He knew she wasn't lookin' at him, 'cause he could fuckin' feel when she was now, but he didn't want to chance being wrong and her catchin' him just yet. She was still on the floor, lookin' at something—that photo probably—and he could hear her steady breaths echoin' around him and he tried to match his own to hers.

One breath. Then another. Then that third that was supposed to steady his pulse and calm him down. But it didn't. The pounding in his head wasn't quite as intense as he opened his eyes fully to stare down at her as she sat on the floor by that chair. Her face blurred a bit in his vision and whether it was from his fuckin' concussion or something else he wasn't sure. But if she pushed it, he'd say it was the concussion without hesitatin'.

The dim light of the lamp behind him sent shadows over her features but he knew when she started to smile. Fuckin' felt it. This was the first time he'd opened his eyes and knew he wasn't dreamin' of her. Knew she was actually there, and that she wasn't some tormenting vision in his head just there to fuck with him. She was there. And all he wanted to do was drag her to him and hold her, but he couldn't seem to get past just lookin' at her at the moment.

He'd woken as soon as he heard her and Miles, but hadn't fully gained consciousness until the instant her hand had skimmed over his where Gracie had been holdin' on to his. He remembered bein' surprised by the strength in that bitty-little baby's vice-like grip when she'd grabbed on to his fingers. He'd been tempted to pull away, but hadn't had the strength. Fuck, that was a crock of shit; he'd had the strength but not the will. Instead he'd let the strange sort of comfort that the two kids all curled up next to him had caused to take over. He'd done a bang up job at that point of shuttin' imaginary Merle the fuck up and let himself drift off to sleep with 'em. And it had been a deep fuckin' sleep too. One that had apparently allowed Gracie the opportunity to slip her head off the pillow and onto his chest without him even flinchin'.

But all of that comfort had been quashed the instant her hands had touched his skin. His senses had immediately woken up, thoughts of her delicate fingers on him eliciting such a strong response that his stomach had immediately clenched and tightened. He'd been tempted to grab her hand at that point, his fingers curling just a bit towards hers and Gracie's, his eyes still closed so as not to give himself away. But he didn't.

Couldn't.

He'd listened to her hushed conversation with Ben, his eyes closed and his mind desperately workin' to control his breathing. He'd felt bad about it for a bit but he knew something in him wanted to hear this. Some part of him wanted to know but another part was still too fuckin' scared to open his eyes and let her know.

And now that he'd opened his eyes, he was too fuckin' scared to do anything else.

_Pussy._

Daryl firmed his lips at the sound of his brother's voice in his head and fought the urge to shake his head. Callie was smiling a bit more, her head shaking just a bit and he furrowed his brow a bit.

"You gonna just lay there," Callie's voice echoed out low and slightly humored as she raised her eyes to meet his. "Or you got somethin' to say?"

Daryl smiled, he couldn't help it, he smiled and blinked his eyes a bit as he watched her watch him from her position on the floor. Licking his lips, he worked to move a bit of saliva around in his dry throat and said a little prayer that his voice wouldn't break when he spoke.

"Man can't just enjoy the show?" Daryl said, his voice raspy but strong. Her head dipped and he instantly felt that he'd said the wrong thing. He snarled at himself, and he started to move as his head began to shake.

"Is that what that was?" Callie muttered back, her voice muffled a bit by the fact that her chin was against her chest. Daryl growled at himself and worked past the slight bit of dizziness and nausea he was feelin' at his rushed movements so that he could get off the fuckin' bed. 'Cause he wasn't fuckin' having this conversation-if they were havin' it-while she was on the floor and he was laid up in a bed. Callie's head lifted at the sound of his rustling movements and she moved to get up. "Hey, what do you think you're doing?" She was getting to her feet now, her hands held out in front of her, the photo forgotten on the ground. She moved closer and then backed up as his feet swung towards her.

It was at that point that Daryl realized he was fuckin' naked. He grabbed up the sheet and blanket around his waist and tucked them around him. His bare feet were hanging off the bed one bandaged thigh-the fuck? Oh yeah he remembered the rock that did that one-out in the open. He glared up at her as she stood up to her full height and crossed her arms over her chest, just smilin' down at him as he worked to keep himself covered.

"Not a pleasant feelin' to wake up to, huh?" Callie said smiling a bit more. Obviously she was thinking back to the couple of time she'd been near death and stripped in her unconscious state. Daryl glowered at her chucklin' and winced as he lifted a hand to angrily wave her off.

Daryl never slept naked. Neither of them had. They may have gotten carried away by the rush of heat that seemed to spark anytime they touched, but neither of them had ever been stupid enough to stay naked after. No matter how much Daryl woulda liked to enjoy the soft feel of her naked body pressed into him all night, he knew better. And she knew better too. This world wasn't made for lounging at ease with the woman you-

Daryl's mouth twitched and he lashed his arm out a bit at her.

"Either help, or get out the way, woman." Daryl growled low in his throat. Callie shifted her weight from one foot to another a single brow raised at him, almost daring him to get up. He slipped a little bit further out of the bed managing to get one of his bare feet on the ground, and finally she shook her head.

"Stubborn sum'bitch," Callie muttered turning around and snatching a bunch of clothes from the ground. She held them to her chest and lifted a brow at him. "Boxers or no boxers?"

"Gimme that," Daryl snapped snatching for the clothes. The movement sent a fresh wave of pain through him and he ended up bent over, leanin' heavy on his good side with his right hand plastered to his throbbin' left side.

"A _severe_ concussion," Callie began in a low tone as she stepped forward and set part of his clothes on the bed. He watched as she crouched down at his knees. "A bolt through the muscle that tore it up damn good on the way in and out. A bullet to the head. Not to mention multiple contusions and abrasions," Daryl shifted a bit, glaring at the woman as she slapped at his ankles, he begrudgingly lifted each foot ant let her slip his boxers over his feet and onto his legs. "Big, deep, crazy contusions," Callie said as she slipped his boxers up over his knees her finger tapping gently on the bandage around his thigh.

Daryl tightened his grip on the sheet he was holding and then glared at her when she inched the fabric up further. He pushed back as she pushed up and she chuckled. She fuckin' chuckled.

"C'mon, you ain't got nothin' under that sheet that I haven't seen." Callie smiled a bit wider as he glared down at her. "Hell buddy boy, you ain't got nothin' half the people in this house haven't seen at this point. Rick, Danny, Hershel, Patricia-"

"Bitch," Daryl snarled, his head lolling to the side as he shifted awkwardly before tossing the sheet aside.

"Sweet talker," Callie chuckled, and this time Daryl didn't snarl at her. He slipped his left hand gingerly onto her shoulder and then slowly pushed to his feet as his right hand stayed steady over the mass of bandages at his side.

"Ain't never had a woman help me _into_ my clothes 'fore," Daryl muttered as he winced and put his weight fully on legs that felt like fuckin' Jell-o. Her hands slipped further up and Daryl tipped his head up and stared at the ceiling as she slipped his boxers up and settled them at his hips.

"First time for everything I guess, Casanova." Callie said, her breath fanning on his midsection for a moment before she snapped the waist band against him. She smiled as she helped him sit back down slowly, and he kept his hand at her shoulder while she settled back down to her crouched position between his legs. "Pants?" she asked, and he shook his head groaning a bit as the world spun.

They sat that way for a few minutes, Callie's head down so that he was left staring at the top of her fuckin' head again. Daryl's hand slipped up from her shoulder to the side of her neck, his fingers knotting a bit in her loose hair at the nape of her neck while his thumb smoothed over her jaw.

"M'sorry," Daryl said quietly, causing her eyes to slip up to him. "Wasn't a show."

"How long were you awake?" Callie asked tipping her head into his palm a bit before averting her gaze again. Daryl could count on one hand the number of times he'd seen her embarrassed and self-conscious, so to see it now was a bit surprising.

"Since ya walked in," Daryl said quietly and he felt her head bob twice as she let out a long low sigh. "Woke up fully when ya touched me." Her eyes skipped up to him, and he smirked as he pressed his palm into her cheek. "When'd you figure out I was up?"

"When you finally looked at me," Callie said shaking her head. "Jackass," she muttered and he scoffed out a small laugh at her. She was avertin' her gaze again, and he could feel her biting at the inside of her cheek as she worked to get a hold of herself. "So you heard-" She shifted her head away a bit and looked up at him. "You heard Ben?"

There was a heavy beat of silence before Daryl worked up the nerve to answer.

"Yeah," Daryl's voice cracked a bit and he cleared his throat as he stared into her shinin' hazel eyes. "Yeah I heard Ben."

Callie let out a shuddering breath that ripped through his heart, and stole the air from his lungs. She stared at him long and hard, and he felt the urge to look away from her. Avert his eyes from the stark truth of her feelings for him just flat out visible in those watering depths. But he knew if he looked away she'd close it up again. Knew because that's exactly what he wanted to do.

He'd been longing to hear those words from her, those three words that in his hazed delirious mind he'd sworn he'd heard the figment of her sayin'. Words that he knew she was strugglin' with. Not because she didn't feel it, but because of the fear of what would come after.

He well understood that fear.

She took another shuddering breath and his finger continued to smooth over her jaw. He slipped his thumb over to her chin and under her full bottom lip. She stared at him, her thoughts an' feelin's readin' like a fuckin' open book that he couldn't seem to put down and turn away from. Then she opened her mouth to speak and Daryl's breath hitched and his heart stopped.

He couldn't let her.

"Daryl I -"

"I strike you as a man who values words over actions?" Daryl said cuttin' her off before she could actually utter those three words. Her mouth hung open a bit, the tip of her tongue poised at her top teeth ready to say that one word he hadn't really heard said to him much in his life. Her eyes held his and he lifted a brow at her. She slipped her tongue in and bit her bottom lip just a bit, tryin' to hide the bit of a shaky smile she that had broke out on her face. She tried to shake her head but his hand at her neck stopped her and he tugged her up towards him. "C'mere."

His lips met hers and something crashed in his chest. Another one of those glass bubbles he'd put up shattered and pierced him in a million different places. His nerve-endings exploded as he pulled her up to him, and those shattered pieces in his chest fell down to that hard lump in his stomach twisting painfully deep into it. He didn't even feel the pain of his wounds anymore, all he felt he was her warm lips on his, her gentle fingers sliding over his shoulders and pressing into his sore muscles. He dropped his right hand from that mound of mutilated flesh at his side and grabbed her hip pulling her to him. She tried to pull back, obviously worried about hurting him but he pulled harder causing her knee to slip onto the bed at his hip.

He wasn't satisfied until she'd straddled him completely. Wasn't content until he'd slid his hand up from her hip and pressed her body flush to his. Her hands had settled on either side of his face now, her mouth frantically moving to keep up with his own ridiculous movements. He felt her knees tighten around his hips, and he slipped one arm away to lower himself as easily down on to the bed as he could.

The press of the mattress, soft as it was, served to remind him why Patricia had placed that fuckin' pillow behind his back. The wave of pain that shot through his torn up side had his mouth pulling from hers on a howling groan. Callie pulled back immediately, her hands lifting from his face to hover over him as she shook her head.

"Don't you move," Daryl growled when he felt her legs startin' to lift so that she could move off of him. He half rolled her to the side so that he could get off of that tattered mound of flesh and held her tight. "Don't you fuckin' move. I got this."

"Daryl," Callie said her voice a bit hoarse as she pressed a hand to his face. His eyes were closed, 'cause he found that helped to get his focus and his head was shaking.

"I dragged my fucked up ass outta a ravine," Daryl growled out, his voice coming from deep in the back of his throat. "Up that fuckin' ridge. Traveled fuckin' miles on foot bleeding from my gut while the world tipped upside down around me to get back here. Get back to you." He shifted a bit under her, feeling her lift her hips away a bit and he tugged her back down. "You think any of those little bumps and scrapes I got are gonna stop me from fuckin' you half stupid right now, you got another thing comin'. Ain't nothin' I can't handle."

"I know that," Callie said, but he heard the chuckle in her voice as before her forehead slipped against his. "I saw what you had to handle to get to me," Callie said quietly, and that was all it took.

And fuck her for knowing it would.

His eyes snapped open, his mind reelin' for a second as he slowly came back to the reality of what she was sayin'. He'd forgotten. Somehow, in the midst of all the strange dreams, odd hallucinations, pain and nausea that he'd felt in the past few hours he'd actually fuckin' managed to forget. Not about Jenna. No that shit would haunt him till the day he died.

He'd forgotten that she'd gone to get her. Forgotten that she saw what he'd done to her.

"Daryl," Callie's voice rang out, and he realized then that he'd frozen under her. His eyes were staring at her but he hadn't really been seein' her. His head began to shake and he instantly grabbed for her hands on his face and pulled them away as roughly as he could.

"G'off," Daryl muttered trying to turn away, his grip on her wrists tight but not painfully so. He worked to pull her hands away but she pressed on and put her forehead back to his.

"Stop it," Callie said harshly and his eyes slid from where he'd rolled them up into his head back to hers. "Stop." Daryl took in a deep breath, he felt his chest shudder with it and knew she fuckin' felt it to. He was suddenly angry that she was so close. Angry that he couldn't hide that rush of emotions from her. She didn't say anything, just stared into his eyes, her knees tight at his hips.

He took a breath and firmed his lips against his emotions but couldn't resist the need to explain.

"I didn't know it was her," Daryl said quickly, almost pleadingly and he shook his head against the anger brewing. "I didn't. She came up behind me," Daryl shook his head and his last words came out a harsh whisper. "And I killed her."

"You didn't kill her," Callie said her hands tightening on his face. He furrowed his brow angrily at her and tried to shift her off. Get away from her placating words.

"Yeah I did," Daryl spat. "I drove my knife right into her head, and killed her. You ain't got to sugar coat that and make me feel better 'bout it." Callie sat back and slipped off of him staring hard at him.

"Have you ever known me to sugar coat things," Callie said back, settling herself on the bed beside him while he worked to get up. She helped him up a bit and he tried to pull from her but she didn't let him go. "You listen, and you listen good, Dixon. You didn't kill her." Daryl stared hard at her, workin' hard to not pull away when she touched his face again. "You're gonna beat yourself up like you did. I can't stop you from doing that, it's just the man you are. And I lo–" she took a breath and shook her head at his sharp look. "You didn't kill her. That Walker that scratched her killed her. And I would rather have you here with me, beatin' yourself up for surviving, than have to try and go on even a day without you." Her eyes were shinin' again all those unshed tears sparkling along her lashes and he clenched his jaw tight against the sight of it. She took another one of those deep shuddering breaths and he felt her fingers slide off his face down to his chest. "You could have died, and I wouldn't have been able to-"

She cut herself off and stared at him. Her words echoed Ben's from earlier and he felt the impact of them just as deeply as he had when that boy had sobbed them into her chest moments ago. She tapped her finger on his chest and he took in a deep breath, not really up for sayin' anything. Suddenly he felt the pull of his throbbing head and all the hurt of his beat down body. She must have seen some of that in his eyes because her hand was moving and she was shifting away.

"I'll leave you to your brooding," Callie said sliding away.

"Don't," Daryl managed to croak out, his hand lifting on a wince as he reached for her. She looked back at him and he worked to situate himself back into his settled in position on the bed. "Don't leave. I-," he shook his head and stared at her hard hopin' she'd just read his mind like he knew she could.

"Lay down," Callie said moving her hands down his body to help get his feet settled on the bed. She leaned over him as he leaned back and repositioned his pillow at his back. He trailed his hand along her hip as she worked to pull the blankets up around him again. Callie sat beside him for a moment, her hand slipping over his shoulder.

"She was the first," Daryl said quietly, and Callie closed her eyes as she nodded her head understanding. Empathizing in a way he knew only she could. Jenna had been the first person he'd cared about that he'd had to take out in this new fucked up world. And they both knew he wouldn't be forgetting that anytime soon. "I ain't broodin'," he said pulling on her a bit. She slipped down and snuggled into him where Gracie had been before, her head laying on his bicep as he snaked his right arm around and held her to him. "I get it now. Your list," he said quietly as he put his lips to her head. "I get it."

Callie's head nodded a bit as her fingers trailed over his chest, delicately picking a path along the scar that ran just under his collar bone from his right shoulder to mid chest. Her fingers slid over the scar and his eyes closed as he just lay there breathing her in. He was just drifting off again when he felt her smile against his chest, his eyes opened as her fingers trailed off of his skin.

"I didn't notice before," Callie said quietly, his eyes sliding down to her face as she stared at a spot on his chest. His brow furrowed and she slipped her eyes up to him. "We match."

Daryl lifted his head just enough to see where her fingers were settled along the thick scar on her own chest. The scar that ran just under her collar bone from her left shoulder to the middle of her chest. He winced as he slipped his left hand up to grab her fingers, placing her hand back onto his chest and holding it there.

"Other half," Daryl muttered sleepily and she chuckled. She fuckin' chuckled and he groaned.

"Softie," Callie muttered snuggling her head in to him. He lifted his right hand from its position on her hip and gave her head a small smack that she chuckled at more.

"Shut up, Callie." Daryl stumbled as he worked to get those words out past the lump in his throat. His own nature competing with the words that he wanted to say to her. Three words that hung in the air around them waiting for one of them to break and face their fears.

_And I'll make sure to keep my distance_

_Say "I love you" when you're not listening_

_How long can we keep this up, up, up?_

_And I keep waiting_

_For you to take me_

_You keep waiting_

_To save what we have_

_So I'll make sure to keep my distance_

_Say "I love you" when you're not listening_

_How long can we keep this up, up, up?_

_Make sure to keep my distance_

_Say "I love you" when you're not listening_

_How long til we call this love, love, love?_

_~Distance/ Christina Perri_

_AN: I think I officially hate this chapter. Not for content, but for the ache in my head from writing it. I really hope that what I was working towards shone through all the crazy…SAY IT, SAY IT moments. I also really, really hope that y'all enjoyed it for what it is. _

_The song is awesome, and when I heard it I pegged it for exactly how these two were acting. _

_I've got a good bit of PM's and Reviews to respond to. Don't worry. I haven't forgotten you lovely people, just been bogged down by this THIS AHHHH._

_Alright, that's all I've got. _

_~See ya next chapter._


	37. Amen

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_Such a big huge HUG for all of you for the awesome response to the last chapter. These past couple have been ROUGH on me, and I love you all for making sure I don't lose steam. We've got a shit load of filler to work in before we get to Barn-mageddon. Don't worry though, it'll be useful…I think. (I hope) Some bonding, some long overdue confronting, and the start of a battle that may just spell their end… SO YEAH…good shit, but filler. _

_As always read, review and most of all enjoy the ride!_

_~michelle_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Amen**

It had finally happened. Danny's ass was finally in worse pain than his leg and abdomen combined.

Shifting on the cold, hard ground he rubbed a hand over the tattered mound of flesh at his thigh and grimaced. He probably shouldn't have sat on the ground in the first place, but he'd just been so…spent. So fuckin' spent that he couldn't do anything but stagger a few steps away from the grave. The fuckin' grave that he hadn't even been able to do more than take a few shovelfuls of dirt out of before he'd been bested.

He'd fallen to the ground, shrugging off T-Dog's consoling hand and just stared as Glenn and T-Dog finished what he'd barely been able to begin. It had been a long time since Danny had felt disgusted in himself, months since he'd looked as himself as a burden to the people he cared about in this new world. But sitting on that cold ground, his leg thrumming with pain as his torn muscles protested any tiny twinge, he felt that disgust settle deep in his stomach.

What use was he going to be to Callie and the kids, not to mention any of the rest now? His gimp-ass couldn't even work a fuckin' shovel into the ground for longer than five minutes. Danny stared at that fuckin' hole that T-Dog and Glenn had dug and snarled.

"You okay man?" Miles' voice piped up around him and Danny slipped his eyes over to where the kid had settled himself at the base of a tree nearby. On his lap sat a spiral notebook, no doubt one of Jenna's, while another was open in his hands. The kid had been reading and re-reading the words scrawled upon those pages all night by the light of the little camping lantern beside him.

Danny lifted his eyes from the notebook to meet the worried gaze of Miles and he felt his lips twitch with a bit of a smile. Nodding his head, because he didn't quite trust his voice yet, Danny waved a hand out in dismissal of the kid's worry.

Miles snuffed out something akin to 'right' and then started sifting through the marked up pages of the notebook again. Danny watched him out of the corner of his eye, marveling a bit at the change that had come over the boy in just a day. He'd apparently cornered that anger and whatever else had been plaguin' him and taken control. Whether it was from his little conversation with Daryl or the small chat the boy had with Callie, Danny didn't know. All he knew was that the kid didn't look like he was about to snap anymore.

And for that Danny was grateful.

Miles had become less of a child to him and more of a brother. In the beginning the kid's age alone had always panged a bit of that parental response in him, but since the CDC there had been a marked change in the boy that no one could deny. And the way that Miles was dealing with Jenna's death.

Fuck, Danny actually envied the boy on that one.

Because with Jenna Danny's parental response had never gone away. She had always been a kid to him. And now she was just another one that he'd failed. Danny's hand came down hard on his arm and he felt Miles' eyes twitch, the sunlight filtering down from the slowly rising sun lighting up the blonde hairs atop the kid's head in patches.

Snarling Danny shook his head and rubbed at his arms, shifting slightly under Miles' oddly perceptive gaze. As he turned he picked up the sight of a figure heading towards him. A tall leggy blonde figure wearing a straw cowboy hat.

"Oh fuck," Danny muttered reaching his hand back and slightly shaking the sleeping Ben sprawled spread-eagle on the lawn behind him. Ben snorted and swatted angrily at Danny's hand earning a chuckle from the fuckin' peanut gallery. Danny glared over at Miles lifting his middle finger before waving the chucklin' son of a bitch over towards him.

"I'm guessin' you want some alone time with Andrea then," Miles said rolling the two well worn notebooks so that he could shove them into his back pocket as he got to his feet.

"I'm guessin' you no longer value your life way you're goin' on 'bout it," Danny spat back smacking Ben's hands as they sleepily smacked at him. "Hey," Danny snatched his hands back from the rolling groggy Ben and gave a slight chuckle. "Fuck kid, gettin' too strong for this shit." Ben rubbed at his head and scrunched his face before shifting his eyes about.

"S'mornin'?" Ben half-asked his eyes slipping to the approaching Miles. Miles and Danny both nodded and Ben groaned and sheepishly looked around. "I tol' you not to let me fall asleep."

"Yeah. Sue me," Danny muttered his eyes slipping up to Andrea as she came to a stop near the grave dug not far from them.

"Huh?" Ben responded pushing to his feet and yawning. Miles settled his hand on top of Ben's head and then shifted his eyes to Andrea.

Danny watched Andrea's eyes as they settled on Miles, and it was interesting to see the bit of shame that flew into those blue orbs. They stared at each other for a few seconds and finally Andrea huffed out a sigh and jutted her hip which made Miles sigh and shake his head. Letting out a chuckle Miles turned Ben, and his tiny little glarin' eyes away, and started off.

"I'm gonna take Ben inside," Miles tossed over his shoulder to Danny. "You need help up?" Danny waved a hand again his eyes never leaving Andrea as she watched Miles go. "Right. I'll bring you back some coffee, wake your ass up a bit before-" Miles stopped talking and at that point Danny shifted his eyes over his shoulder to the boy. Miles let his gaze slip to the grave.

"Thanks," Danny said his voice loud enough to break the kid's stare with that fuckin' hole. Miles slid his eyes over to Danny and then back to Andrea. "See if Gracie's up too, would ya."

"Yeah, yeah," Miles waved a hand and started off. "Like I'm gonna let 'em wander 'round." Danny heard the kid mutter as he shook Ben a bit as they walked. "C'mon, short-stuff. Let's go wake up the love-birds." Ben's responding chuckle was the last thing Danny was able to make out before the two disappeared into the glare of the rising sun.

"Do you need help up?" Andrea asked quietly, bringing Danny's attention back to the woman staring at him from the grave site up ahead.

"No," Danny shot back rolling to his good right leg and bending his knee under him. He heard her shuffling steps and looked up at her from his position on his knees.

"Do you want it?" Andrea asked raising a brow and extending her hand down to him. Danny stared at her for a moment taking in a few slow breaths through his nose. Finally he lifted his hand and gripped tight letting her pull slightly and help him to his feet.

Wincing slightly Danny pulled himself up to his full height right in front of her. She gave a half-hearted tug on her hand, attempting to pull it out of his iron grip but he held tight. He stared down at her, lifting his other hand and tipping that stupid hat of Jenna's back so that he could see her eyes. Eyes that she worked to hide because of the unshed tears shining there. Danny shook his head.

"Danny," Andrea began, but he didn't let her finish. He didn't really know what she was going to say, but he figured it was going to be something stupid. Something about how sorry she was. Something about how she was there for him.

Danny pulled on her hand and dragged her into his chest, offering her silent support. Knowing that she'd never ask for it. Never break down in front of him. Never show that kind of need, and that kind of weakness to him. Not again.

Not this Andrea.

She dragged in a breath against his chest, and he held tight to her hand while wrapping his other arm around her shoulders. His fingers tangled into her hair, and the hat slipped off of her head and to the ground at their feet.

She wouldn't ever ask for that support, he knew that. But that didn't mean he wouldn't give it to her anyway. He held her tighter, letting out a breath when he finally felt her hands slip up and grip into the fabric of his shirt. She was gentle and careful not to hit at the large stitched area in his side but she pulled him closer to her.

She wouldn't ever ask for support. Just like Callie wouldn't. And just like Callie, Andrea needed to learn that she didn't have to ask. Danny slipped his head down so that his mouth landed at her neck and he felt her shudder just a bit against him, her hands gripping a bit tighter.

"Are you alright?" Danny asked quietly, his mouth moving against the rapid pulse in her neck. She jerked her head a bit away and then nodded a few times at him. His thumb moved up to slide away a tear that had managed to escape and she shot fully away from him.

"I'm fine," Andrea said quickly both of her hands flying to her face to work the rest of the tears away. "I'm fine. How are you?"

"I'm buryin' a kid today," Danny said in a matter-of-fact tone that had her back stiffening and her mouth hanging slightly open as she stared at him. Danny bent, groaning at the pull of his stitched up side, and snatched the hat from the ground at their feet. He looked at the worm straw hat and let his fingers slide over it. "How'm I supposed to be?"

"I'm sorry," Andrea said, staring down at the hat in Danny's hands. He let his fingers glide over the brim a bit longer and then handed it back to her. She took it and he felt her eyes follow him as he worked slowly over towards the empty grave he'd been starin' at all damn night. "Were you out here all night?" He nodded his head and listened to her let out a sigh. "Did you sleep at all?"

Danny looked over at her and held her gaze for a moment before shaking his head and running his hand through his hair. He slipped his hand over his cheeks smirking a bit at the feel of the light stubble covering them.

"You carried Amy for me," Andrea said, her voice quiet but for some reason her words echoed in his ears. Danny turned to her, staring at her as she stared at the grave. She blinked a few times and lifted her eyes to him. "You covered her, and carried her, and put her into the ground so gently." Andrea's jaw clenched and her head tilted to the side a bit as she gave him a small wavering smile. "I want to be able to -" she shook her head and lifted her hands only to let them fall helplessly at her sides again. "What can I do for you?"

A long beat of silence filled the air around them.

"Stay," Danny said finally, his voice surprisin' the fuck out of him with how strong and clear it was. Her eyes widened just a bit, and he nodded at her. "Stay with me." Andrea stared at him for a long time, and he watched her hands clench and unclench at her sides. She smiled just a bit at him as she nodded her head before putting the stupid straw hat back in place.

Danny slipped his eyes away from hers and then back to the large hole in the ground before him. He got lost in his thoughts for a moment, and didn't even hear her approach. But he felt her hand slip into his and squeeze and he smiled when she rested her chin against the back of his shoulder.

* * *

"Carl!" Ben's voice shouted out as he dashed out from under Miles' hand on his head and towards the other boy.

"Easy," Rick's voice called out as Ben rocketed towards the slowly staggering, but up and walking Carl. Carl's face broke out into a slightly pained grin as Ben came forward and Rick lifted his own smile up to Miles who stood back and watched Ben slide to a stop by Lori. Lori smiled down at Ben and then over at Carl whose face scrunched a bit in pain when he apparently jarred himself the wrong way.

"Maybe we should take a break," Lori said with a grimacing look up at Rick on the other side of their son.

"What do you think?" Rick said angling his face down to Carl and missing the bit of an exasperated look that crossed Lori's face. Miles shook his head as Carl shifted his attention to his father and steeled his spine a bit, pushing through the pain. "You wanna stop for a bit?"

"No," Carl said firmly jutting his chin. "Let's at least make it to the porch."

"A'right then," Rick said smiling down at Carl and tightening his grip just a bit at Carl's arm, his other hand supporting his shoulders. Rick looked over at Lori and gave her a smile that she just shook her head at. "He knows what he can do. Let him push through it if he can."

"I just don't want him pushing too hard," Lori said looking down at Carl and catching his eyes.

"I won't," Carl said nodding at his mother and then looking over to Ben. "I got this mom. I just want to make it to the porch. Then I'll take a break."

"I'm gonna go see Daryl," Ben said smiling at Carl as he passed by. Rick shook his head and Miles did the same.

"Knock first," both Miles and Rick called out after the disappearing form of Ben as he dashed out of view. Ben tossed his arm over his head waving them off and Rick lifted his smiling gaze to Miles. Miles pushed off of the wall he'd been leaning on by the screen door and nodded a good morning to the Grimes'.

"Gonna be up and runnin' in no time, man." Miles said settling his hand gently onto Carl's shoulder. Carl's head nodded and his face contorted in a bit of pain as he worked to get outside.

"Yeah," Carl said holding Miles' gaze for a minute before pushing the door open and using it to keep himself up. "No time," Miles followed the boy's slow progress over towards the chair near the door and watched the kid settle himself gently down.

"Danny still outside?" Lori asked quietly as she caught the screen door before it could close fully. Miles nodded and ducked his head when she put a hand to his shoulder. "You okay?" Miles nodded again and crossed his arms over his chest as she patted him. Lori slid a glance to Rick before sliding out onto the porch.

"You need somethin'?" Rick asked quietly his hands settling at his hips as he ducked his head a bit and looked at Miles. "Danny need somethin'?"

"Coffee," Miles said smirking at Rick. "Danny needs some fuckin' coffee."

"I'm sure he's not the only one," Rick said and chuckled. His head nodded a bit and his eyes slid towards the hallway where Ben had disappeared. Miles watched a weight settle over Rick's shoulders and he grimaced a bit shifting on his feet, which caused Rick's eyes to slide back over to him.

"You get those two; I'll take care of gimpy outside. Deal?" Miles said holding out his good hand to Rick.

"Why do I feel like I got the short end of the stick in this deal," Rick said shaking his head as Miles laughed as they shook hands. "I'm pretty sure Maggie or Patricia's still in there makin' the coffee, but I'm sure they wouldn't mind you waitin'."

"Yeah?" Miles said angling his head towards where he knew the kitchen lay. He grimaced a bit, thinking about how he'd been acting of late, and knowin' that the Greene family wasn't really lookin' at him in the best light right now. "Maybe I'll just-"

"Go," Rick said giving a little push to his shoulder. "Honestly," Rick said holding his hand on Miles' shoulder for a minute and squeezing. "No one is blamin' you for the way you acted. You were upset. Rightly so. And quite frankly I'm damn impressed with how you've bounced back from it, Miles. I really am. And I know Callie is too."

Miles nodded his head and shifted his eyes at the mention of Callie. His thoughts instantly went back to his conversation with the woman yesterday. The revelation that those dog tags had in fact belonged to her brother. And the promise that she'd made him.

"Go," Rick said giving another little push to Miles' shoulder and sending the boy on his way. "Get Danny some coffe I'm sure he needs it."

"You want a cup?" Miles asked turning and walking backwards watching Rick shake his head. "You sure? You look like you could use it too, man."

"Thanks," Rick said running a hand through his hair and waving his hand. "But I'm good."

"That's a damn lie," Miles said turning from Rick's smiling, tired face and waving his hand over his head. "I'll have them make you an extra fuckin' strong pot." Miles didn't turn but smiled as Rick's chuckling 'Thanks Miles' reached his ears.

Miles continued on, working his bandaged left hand through his thick shaggy hair and brushing it off of his forehead and out of his eyes. He was gonna have to ask someone to trim it up for him pretty soon or he'd end up lookin' like a fuckin' Muppet. Miles laughed suddenly at the thought of the pet name his mother had always called him as a child, when the summer months would hit and she'd let him do whatever he wanted with his hair. The grown out locks always thick and unruly.

Her little Muppet.

Voices sliced through the memories of his smiling mother as he got closer to the kitchen, and he shook his head away from the last memory he had of the woman who'd birthed him. Her body flying back as the bullet he'd put through her head ended her second existence in this world. Miles clenched his jaw tight and lifted his eyes from the ground as he entered the kitchen.

Shane stared back at Miles with an interested air, his head bowed as Patricia slid her fingers over his head and the small on the top. They stared at each other for what felt like hours. Patricia's voice was echoing loudly in Miles' ears as she inspected Shane's miniscule wounds, wounds left by her husband's clawing desperate fingers, with a small smile on her lips.

A fuckin' _smile_.

"You're lucky this wasn't deeper," Patricia said quietly letting her hands fall from Shane's head. "Head wounds can be tricky. You said you caught it on a broken window right?" Shane nodded idly his eyes never leaving Miles. "It's healin' up fine. And your leg seems to be doin' good as well."

"Thank you, ma'am." Shane said finally shifting his eyes away from Miles just as Patricia shifted hers to the boy.

"Oh, Miles," Patricia said waving a hand at the boy. "I didn't see you there. C'mon sit down. Since I'm apparently makin' the rounds this mornin', come an' let me check your hand out for ya."

"No, it's," Miles looked at his hand and cleared his throat before looking up at her. "I'm fine. It's alright. You don't—"

"C'mon now," Shane said getting off of the stool he'd been sitting on and heading over to Miles. Miles felt his jaw clench tight and his hands ball into fists at his sides. Shane reached out and Miles tried very hard not to pull away from him. Shane's hand slipped in that oh so familiar way around to the back of his neck and he shook him in what should have been a friendly manner as he pulled Miles towards the stool. "You don't look a gift horse in the mouth boy. Let her check ya out. Gotta get you back into fightin' shape right. Gonna be movin' on soon."

Shane's eyes flitted to Patricia and she smiled tightly at him. Miles watched the woman shuffle towards him and reach out a hand for his. Shane's hand remained at Miles' neck holding him in place as Patricia worked to unwrap the bandage.

"From what I hear," Patricia said idly, her eyes slipping up to Miles briefly and then up to Shane. "Rick has asked for y'all to be allowed to stay on here through the winter. Hershel's not quite keen on the idea but—" Patricia shrugged and again looked to Miles. "He's not a man to throw women and children out in the cold without damn good reason. He's took in me and Otis-" she paused and dipped her head to her chest and Miles clenched his jaw.

Shane's hand clenched almost painfully around the back of Miles' neck and he struggled not to wrench himself free of the man. Patricia looked up again, tears shining unshed in her eyes as she finished removing the ace bandage and splints from his hand. Miles shifted his fingers a bit, the twinge of pain imperceptible really through the rush of blood. He shifted them and was able to circle his hand around to give Patricia's a single soft squeeze. She smiled up at him and blinked away her tears, her head nodding as she shifted her hand away.

"That's very good," Patricia said tapping at his left hand and apparently shaking off what she'd been sayin' or thinkin' before. Shane's grip at Miles' neck loosened a bit, but was still a very heavy presence along his shoulders. "You've got some good movement in there. Can you do that again for me?" Miles moved his fingers and squeezed a bit at her hand. "Very good." Patricia looked up at him. "I'd say we might be able to take the splint off and just wrap it up, but we should probably have Hershel give the final okay on that one." She patted his hand and moved away leaving his hand bare on the kitchen island. "You stay here and I'll go get him."

Miles opened his mouth to tell her not to go but Shane's hand at his neck had his mouth snapping closed again. Miles stared down at his arm, the horrid smell of his unwashed skin prickling his nose as he gingerly stretched his fingers. The pull of the underused muscles in his forearm a bare twinge of discomfort compared to what it had been.

Or what it could have been.

Shane's hand lifted from his neck and Miles felt the older man shift around so that he could stand where Patricia had been. Miles felt Shane's eyes settle onto his arm and watched as Shane's flattened palm smacked into the kitchen island right beside where his arm was laying.

"Damn look at that," Shane said his voice alight with laughter, as he tried to hide that dark edge that had swept over his entire being in the past few days. Miles shifted his eyes up to watch Shane's dark eyes as he stared down at his arm. "You can see right where that fucker had his jaws on you." Shane shifted his hand and pinned Miles' arm before he could lift it, his other hand coming up to trace the outline of where the plaster from the cast had been pressed deep into his skin leaving a small scattering of scars along Miles' forearm. "You're one lucky son of bitch there, Miles."

A second later Shane shifted his eyes to Miles' and they just stared at one another. It happened pretty quickly, and to Shane's credit if he'da been expectin' it he probably wouldn't have been taken off guard. Miles got to his feet, the stool he was settled upon clattering to the ground behind him. His hand, that lucky fuckin' appendage that had been pinned down, shifted out of Shane's press and shoved hard at the man's chest. Miles advanced like a man on a mission, his right hand shooting out and shoving again at Shane's bulky chest.

Shane's eyes were wide and when his backside came up against the hard counter behind him he grabbed a hold of it as Miles reached out with his left hand and grabbed a fist full of his shirt. Miles glared hard into Shane's face, marveling at the fact that he was slightly taller than the man and could actually look down upon him just a bit. His own body's bulk almost matched the other man's but not quite. Not yet at least. Shane's hands had clenched into the counter behind him and he stared hard at Miles, as the once-boy-now-anything-but stared him down.

"I'm only gonna say this to you this one last time," Miles ground out through clenched teeth. "Don't fuckin' touch me. You know what," Miles said inching a bit forward. "Better yet, don't even come near me. I'm done with you. I'm done, Shane. You get me?" Miles tugged on Shane's shirt and pulled him a bit. And fuck if Shane didn't smile at him.

A beat of silence followed. A heavy beat. Filled with that same sort of threatening haze that had filled the cab of Otis' truck as they drove back from the FEMA station. Only this time that threatening haze wasn't one sided. This time Miles was throwing down his own bit of heat.

"Sure, Miles." Shane said quietly his hand lifting up to grab into the hand balled into the fabric of his shirt. Miles flinched as Shane's grip tightened on his still healing hand, but Miles didn't loosen his grip. "I got you." Shane pulled Miles closer his hot breath fanning over Miles' face. "Big man now huh?"

Shane's hand clenched a bit tighter and Miles' felt his lips twitch with the snarl of pain he worked to push down. Miles opened his mouth to respond but he was beat to the punch.

"Nope, still very much a kid." Callie's voice slipped into the room. "_My_ _kid_," Callie said in matter-of-fact tone that had Shane's eyes sliding over to her instantly. Miles continued to glare down at the man before him for a second, watching a flood of _something_ fill into Shane's eyes before a slow tight smile tilted his lips.

Miles backed away from Shane letting his hand fall from his shirt and he raked his fingers through his hair as he shifted his eyes to Callie in the doorway. She spared him a quick glance before her attention went back to Shane. Callie was settled at the doorway, her back against the frame and her arms crossed over her chest as her attention shifted between the two of them again. Miles let his gaze slip to where Callie's fingers were tapping very lightly on the butt of the gun settled into the front of her waistband. It was an idle movement meant to convey a distinct message.

One that Miles was absolutely sure Shane wouldn't miss.

Miles shifted his eyes back to Shane watching the man shake his head and point a finger at Callie. The motion of his head didn't stop as his eyes met hers and when Callie pushed off the wall, Miles slipped towards her ready to put himself between the two.

"Is there a problem?" Hershel's voice bellowed out and Miles shifted his attention to the older man, while Callie and Shane continued to stare at each other.

"No," Shane said with a smile his hand fisting in the air for a moment before he pointed one last time at Callile. "No problem. None at all. Just too many damn cooks in the fuckin' kitchen, Hershel." Shane turned his back on them at that point and worked his way towards the door that would lead him out of the house.

"We're ready to bury her," Callie's voice called out, her hands slipping back to her back pockets as she rocked back on her heels just a bit. Shane stopped his movement, his hand settled on the door and his eyes sliding over his shoulder to Callie.

Miles watched Shane's jaw clench, his nostrils flaring just a bit as he apparently swallowed down a bit of something acrid in his mouth. Miles let his eyes slide to Callie watching her just stare down the man, a hint of sadness on her face and in her eyes as she lightly shook her head. Something passed between Shane and Callie in that moment, something that took the edge out of Shane's eyes and gave Miles a glimpse of the man that he'd been months ago.

Shane nodded his head at Callie and Hershel who had posted up at her back. His gaze slipped over Miles like a cold blast of water on a hot day, and Miles glared as Shane turned and left the house. Miles didn't move from his spot until he felt a hand at his back guiding him back towards the kitchen island. Hershel picked up the stool that had fallen to the ground and righted it, watching idly as Callie settled Miles to the chair.

"You may be a big man now," Callie muttered in a low voice into his ear as they walked. Miles shifted his eyes watching Hershel move off to wash his hands paying them no mind. "But you don't poke that bear without someone at your back. You get me?" Miles nodded his head a bit and shifted to sit down, staring up at her as she stared down at him. "We'll talk about that," she waved her hand around at the kitchen counter that he'd had Shane pressed up against. "Later. You and me. No more fuckin' excuses."

"Callie," Miles called out as she turned and gave a nod to Hershel. She shifted her eyes back to him and he took a deep breath. "Daryl knows," he shifted his eyes to Hershel, thankful that the elder man was workin' hard to pretend to pay them no mind as they talked. "You could just ask—"

"I don't want to hear it from him," Callie said quietly turning around and putting her hip to the island. She shifted her eyes to Hershel and then back to Miles. "I want to hear it from you. I need to." Callie stepped closer and bent towards him. "You want me to treat you like an adult. You have to earn that. You know that, Miles. You want to play back up to me when we go-" again her eyes shifted to Hershel who merely raised a brow but didn't say a word. Her eyes came back to Miles and she poked him in chest. "You tell me your damn self. I can't trust you to have my back if you've got a monkey on yours. Clear?" Miles nodded and swallowed. "Good, now get your hand checked out and get your ass outside."

Miles watched Callie go, his eyes not leaving the doorway even as Hershel settled in beside him and began poking at his sore left hand. Miles flinched just a bit when Hershel shifted his wrist and finally lifted his eyes to the older man staring hard into his face.

"Patricia's right," Hershel said quietly holding Miles' gaze steadily. "You're a lucky man, son."

"I know," Miles said letting his eyes shift to the empty doorway again. He nodded his head and met Hershel's gaze with a small smile. "I know, sir."

_Tell me again, when the victims are singing_

_And the Laws of Remorse are restored_

_Tell me again, that you know what I'm thinking_

_But vengeance belongs to the Lord_

_Tell me again, when I'm clean and I'm sober_

_Tell me again, when I've seen through the horror_

_Tell me again, tell me over and over_

_Tell me that you love me then_

_Amen. Amen. Amen._

Daryl shifted painfully and tossed his pack onto the bed. He glared down at the rumpled sheets as he worked to catch his breath and snarled when the pain in his side nearly buckled his legs again. His fisted hands smashed into the bed on either side of his worn out pack and he growled. Fuck this shit.

Stay in bed. Don't move. Relax. Sleep.

Fuck. Did that woman know him at all?

There wasn't a way in hell he was stayin' cooped up in this bed while the rest of the group was out there payin' their last respects to Jenna. No fuckin' way. Shifting forward he reached and threw open the flap of his pack and dug both hands inside. He pulled out items with no regard for where the fuck they was gonna land, tossed 'em aside in a frenzy of adrenaline and anger.

When he'd had Ben drag the bags in moments after Callie left them he'd contemplated havin' the kid find it for him. Contemplated havin' the boy help him. But the sad look in Ben's eyes when Rick had stuck his head in the door to tell them it was time had Daryl just wavin' the kid off. Rick had eyed him for a moment then, and Daryl felt the heat of it on his shoulders. Not willin' to turn his head and regard him fully he just stared out of the corner of his eye at the man standin' in the doorway.

"You gonna be a'right in here by yourself?" Rick asked quietly and Daryl snarled and shook his head.

"Better on my own," Daryl growled out turning to face the other man. "Don't need y'all sittin' here babysittin' my ass. Made it just fine on my own before y'all came along, with a lot worse than this." He moved his hand along his body and Rick shifted his weight on his feet.

"A'right, Daryl." Rick said nodding his head and turning to leave. He turned back and looked at Daryl from the doorway and let his head drop a bit. "You know that no one is judging you for it right?" Daryl's jaw had clenched and his nostrils flared as he stared at Rick. "You did what you had to do. No one out there is judgin' you."

"Get the fuck outta here, Deputy Do-right." Daryl had ground out through clenched teeth, earning a tired sigh from the other man as he finally left the room.

Daryl's hands finally hit off of the shirt rolled up at the bottom of his pack and instantly his mind stopped workin'. His hands fisted into the fabric, and he pulled it out slowly. He pulled it and held it up and glared at it. That fuckin' blue shirt. His only 'nice' shirt. The one he'd been wearin' when he got home and found Merle waitin' for him, all their fuckin' bags packed and ready to go.

He felt his throat close up a bit but swallowed through it as he shook the fuckin' shirt, glarin' at the wrinkles. He never really knew why he'd kept the thing. Never really had a reason. Fuckin' thing shoulda been a rag by now.

But it wasn't. So he figured that had to have some kinda meanin' behind it.

He shifted around and swung the soft cotton shirt over his body, sliding his arms through and pushin' past the pull of his torn up sore muscles. The sleeves were still rolled up, settling tight around his forearms as they settled into place.

His only nice shirt.

A reminder of the way his life had been turnin' 'round right before all this shit had hit the fan. The promise of that life, settled deep into the fibers of that blue cotton. His only nice shirt. Same one he'd been wearin' the day he shook hands with the man that was responsible for helpin' to turn his shit life around. The man that gave him a job and advance that paid to bail Merle outta lock up only days before that prison got overrun by geeks and riotin' fools.

The man who'd hired him without even meetin' him. The man who'd smiled and said 'I have nothin' but faith in you and your ability to get this done, Daryl,' the day he'd met him. The fuckin' day he met him.

The man who'd apparently died on the road with his family.

The man whose daughter he'd just plunged a knife into and killed.

Daryl's hands fell from the buttons, stopping before he could get to that top one. He was sure that if he buttoned that last button, the fuckin' blue shirt would end up chokin' the life outta him. Daryl shifted his shoulders around, the fabric bunchin' strangely on his shoulders. He smoothed his hand over the front of it and thought about tucking it in.

Snarlin' at himself he left it to hang freely. He looked down his body at his boots, the ones that Ben had untied and retied six times 'fore he felt like he got it right. Then he looked at his ripped and torn cargo pants, covered in more grime and gore, and as fuckin' clean as they were ever gonna get. He knew he looked fuckin' ridiculous in his wrinkled shirt and stained up pants, but he didn't fuckin' care.

He wasn't stayin' in this room while they laid that girl to rest. And he was gonna show her as much fuckin' respect as he could. Even if his respect came in the form of a fuckin' wrinkled shirt.

Daryl's body hunched over, his hands flattening on the mattress before him again as a wave of dizziness and nausea nearly floored him. His knees buckled a bit, but he held strong pushing up against the pull of his heavy fuckin' concussed head. He pushed himself upright and glared down at the bed and its soul jarrin' comfort, knowin' he didn't deserve it right now. His nose twitched as he rubbed at where his shirt was rolled up at his forearms and pulled at the sleeves a bit.

The world tilted one more time, and he fought the urge to shake his head against it. Knowin' that would just set it flyin' off in a multitude of fuckin' directions. He waited a moment, let the spinnin' ebb away to a more manageable level and then trudged over towards the door. He glared down at his feet as he slapped his hand onto the knob.

His boots were fuckin' loose.

A smile titled his lips despite the discomfort of the ill-tied shoes, as he thought back to how fuckin' excited Ben was to be helpin' him. Daryl turned the knob, his other hand shooting to his side and over the mass of bandages settled there as he tried to hold himself together while he wrenched the door open. Lifting his eyes from the floor he met the steady gaze of Rick.

The former Sheriff's deputy was settled against the wall across from the door, his arms crossed over his chest. His eyes met Daryl's straight on, and Daryl glared back.

"Tol' you to get the fuck outta here," Daryl grumbled as he worked his way slowly out into the hallway. He pitched forward a bit and snarled at himself for it. His eyes snapped back to Rick, waiting for the other man to reach out a fuckin' helpful hand. He glared a bit when the other man made no move to help him. Daryl eyed Rick watching as he slid up out of his slightly slumped position, his hands dropping from their place at his chest and settling at his slim hips as he regarded Daryl with a steady gaze.

"And I did," Rick said quietly watching Daryl throw himself up against the wall next to the door. Daryl glared at Rick as he settled his back to the wall.

"Don't need your help," Daryl muttered pushing off the wall and settling his right shoulder to it. He stepped forward, that shoulder sliding along the wall and keepin' his ass off the floor and his movement steady. He heard Rick move and caught the man dipping his chin to his chest as he slowly followed behind.

"I'm not here to help you," Rick said quietly his eyes lifting up and headin' down the hallway a bit towards the front door. Daryl followed his line of sight down the hallway and spotted Callie leaning against the wall further down with a little smirk on her lips.

"We're here to make sure you don't kill yourself," Callie said quietly nodding her head as her eyes slipped over Daryl's shoulder to Rick. Daryl shifted his eyes between the two and shook his head as he continued on down the hall towards the slightly smiling woman. Rick's presence at his back was heavy and uncomfortable in how foreign it was.

It took him longer than he would have liked to make it down the hallway to Callie. Longer than he'd expected it to. The world tilted on its axis as he pushed off the wall and out towards the waiting screen door. When he pitched forward he expected both Rick and Callie to rush forward and right his ass, but they didn't. In fact, Callie moved out of the way and back towards Rick as Daryl practically fell towards the screen door.

"Amazing how similar he is to a twelve-year-old, huh?" Callie's slightly amused voice echoed in Daryl's ears and he growled low in his throat. Stiffening his spine he shoved his right hand against the screen door sending it flying open. Callie chuckled when he glared over his shoulder at her and Rick shook his head.

"Fuck both y'all." Daryl muttered as he stumbled out onto the porch. Callie shifted her eyes to Rick and they both raised their brows in amusement.

Daryl continued on, his hip gliding along the railing of the porch with each of his stuttered steps. His boots felt ridiculous as they shifted around on his ankles makin' each step even more difficult than it shoulda been. By the time he reached the fuckin' stairs he was out of breath and blinkin' like mad in an effort to get the world to turn right-ways-up again. His right arm slipped over his wounded side, his fingers pressing deep and workin' to keep his innards from fallin' out that gapin' hole in his side.

"You pull a stitch?" Rick's voice echoed from behind him causin' Daryl's eyes to slip up from the stairs and over his shoulder to the two fuckers at his back. Daryl shook his head, his eyes slipping over to watch as Callie slipped beside him. He figured this was gonna be the point where she took his arm and held his ass up as they worked themselves down the stairs.

But again, he was wrong.

Callie slipped past him with a small smile, her fingers gliding very softly over his forearm. She shifted her eyes over her shoulder as she walked, her nimble fuckin' feet take her down the five stairs and onto the grass. She turned around, put her hands on the railings and just smirked up at him.

"C'mon," Callie said quietly watching him with a bit of a sad smile sliding in over her smirk. "Ain't got all day, Dixon."

Daryl took a breath, shifted his loose booted foot down one step. His face contorted with the odd pain but he pushed past as Rick settled in takin' each fuckin' step with him, but still not offering a hand of help. He reached the bottom and Callie moved back just enough to let him settle in front of her. His head fell to her shoulder for a moment and he felt those fingers of hers slide up and tangle in his growin' out hair.

"Nice shirt," Callie said into his ear, her warm breath fanning along his neck and sending chills down his spine.

Daryl lifted his head from her shoulder and stared at her, using her face as a focus point as the world tilted and faded in and out. He blinked a few times, feeling her hand slide off of his head and onto his shoulder. She slipped it down his arm, over the fabric of his _nice_ wrinkled fuckin' shirt and she smiled down at that blue fabric.

She remembered.

Of course she would. She was the only other one who knew 'bout his and Jenna's odd little connection. She patted his chest and moved out of his way as he pressed past her and began trudging more purposefully towards the group settled out aways from the house. He moved on his own the whole way, his steps faltering more than once, but he didn't fall.

Never had a fear of it either.

Not with his two fuckin' shadows in place at his back.

* * *

The sun was filtering down through the branches of the trees and shading the group as they stared at the fresh dirt of the newly covered grave. The wind, the birds, life itself seemed to have halted for just this moment.

Danny shifted awkwardly, his hand settled upon the walking stick—he wasn't fuckin' callin' it a cane- that Hershel had passed to him when he arrived. No matter how much he shifted, his feet still seemed to be stuck to the ground, as if that soft earth of the grave before him was just going to open up and drag him down to the depths of hell.

No one had known where to start, and Danny had taken the lead in asking Hershel to get them started. Hershel had stared at him for a long moment, no doubt wondering why Danny would want a stranger to lead them in this moment of grief. But it hadn't taken the elder man long to realize that no one else could even breathe let alone think of speakin'at the moment.

Hershel had of course nodded his head, and opened his Bible at that point, not wastin' a moment more. And as Hershel began reading Danny's mind had drifted off. He settled on so many things, but it all circled around one. He was still here.

His wife was gone, but he was still here.

His son was missing, but he was still here.

Jenna and her entire family were gone, but he was still here.

"_He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; he leadeth me beside the still waters."_ Danny barely heard Hershel as he quietly recited the verse that everyone knew. Psalms 23:1-23:6.

Danny's head shifted as Hershel continued on, his eyes sliding over to his right where Callie was settled. He watched in silence as she stood beside Daryl. Ben settled near Daryl's leg and Gracie hiding her little face in Callie's hip.

"_He restoreth my soul; he leadeth me in the paths of the righteousness for his name's sake." _

Daryl reached out at that point, and dragged Callie under his arm. He tucked her in tight at his side, his hand falling a bit down to where Gracie's head was settled. Danny couldn't help the small smile when he heard Daryl mumble something about 'needin' a better crutch than a little boy'. Callie hadn't responded at all, just nodded and left her eyes fixed to the ground.

"_Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." _ Hershel stopped at that point, his large hands closing his good ol' family Bible and his eyes shifted around the group. Danny felt the moment when that gaze settled on him and he took a deep breath in. Hershel held Danny's gaze, Maggie shifting in her spot to offer her father a hand of support. "I feel I don't have the words-"

"Those were fine words," Danny said, clearing his throat of the rasp and shaking his head against the tears. "Good words." Danny shifted his eyes to Callie, finally meeting her gaze head on. They were the same words he'd uttered over the graves they dug at her little plantation home when they'd buried her family oh those many months ago. "We appreciate it."

Danny shifted his eyes around to the group and shifted on his feet again, pushing past the pain in his leg and working to step just a bit closer to the edge of the grave. He caught onto Carol's eyes, then Dale's. His mind was workin' a mile a minute as he shifted from face to face and lingering gaze to lingering gaze. He hit Miles' down-turned head as he stood next to Andrea and Dale, and he finally swallowed that fuckin' lump in his throat.

"When we first met Jenna on the road," Danny said in a much more confident voice than he'd expected. "I knew from the moment I saw that red hair of hers she was gonna be a handful." Danny smiled and felt the sting of tears in his eyes but shook them away as smiles met his eyes. "She was-somethin' else. You could just tell the girl wasn't the type to take any shit, apocalypse be damned, the girl was determined to survive."

"That's putting it mildly," Callie interjected and he turned to her with a smile.

"Oh I know," Danny said and Callie chuckled. "Girl bit me, put poor Miles in a headlock and shot a hole in one of the tires of the Hummer."

"To be fair you did punch Mike," Miles said as he wiped the back of his loosely bandaged left hand over his mouth. He shifted his eyes up to Danny and then to the group.

A small bit of silence fell over them again and everyone's eyes seemed to bounce between Danny, Callie and Miles. Danny bowed his head and again stared at the grave.

"Jenna was one of the good ones," Danny said quietly, his voice yet again betraying him by crackin' just a bit at the last word. "She was everything that was perfect in the world that we used to live in, and everything that we needed to be in this new fucked up version. She was strong when she needed to be strong. Soft when she needed to be soft. Smart as a fuckin' whip too," Danny smiled and then firmed his lips. "She was kind to those in need. Tough on those that wronged her. And she didn't deserve this."

Danny roughly tossed his hand out at the grave before he shoved it at his face and wiped it over his eyes as he clenched his jaw. Danny shifted his eyes around the group, watching as heads bowed further. Seeing and hearing the tears that were being shed by everyone. And Danny couldn't help but let his anger at the entire situation, his anger at the fuckin' world at large take a hold of him in that moment.

Jenna didn't deserve to die. And as Danny skimmed over the faces of the group, he couldn't help but feel as though this wouldn't be the last time they gathered round to pay respects to a fallen friend. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks as his eyes shifted over Shane settled in next to Rick and Lori. That rift that had started when they first got stuck on the highway; Jenna and Sophia getting lost; Carl getting shot; Jenna's death.

They were all a precursor to a turning point for this group.

And once the world around them settled down again, there would be only one truth left behind.

They were breakin' apart at the seams, and if they let it continue, the casualties would continue to mount up until there wasn't anything left but a bunch of tiny graves scattered around an empty field.

"_Enter ye in a at the strait gait; for wide is the gate and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction," _Danny's voice quavered just a bit his eyes slipping around the group as some kept their heads bowed and others lifted startled eyes to stare at him. Danny met Shane's gaze and continued on a slow steady tone. "_And many there be which go in thereat. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." _

Danny felt Callie's hand settle at his shoulder and he tore his gaze away from Shane. Danny lifted his hand and grabbed onto Callie's fingers, knowing she recognized the other verse he'd said as they left her house and those tiny little crosses behind. Danny's eyes slipped over to Rick, feelin' the other man's gaze settle hard upon him. They stared at each other for a long moment before Callie squeezed his shoulder.

"You alright?" Callie asked quietly. Danny shifted his eyes to her and let his hand fall from where he'd been gripping hers.

"Fuck no," Danny said in return. "But I'm not gonna let this break me. Or us."

Callie nodded and squeezed his shoulder again and Danny let her slip up and kiss his forehead. He wanted to draw her into a hug, to hold her to him and use her as the support she'd always been for him. But he didn't. Instead he let her slip away and settle at his back as Daryl trudged up beside her.

Stiffening his shoulders he leaned just a bit on the cane Hershel had given him and stared long and hard at the grave as the rest of the group began to disperse. Danny well knew it was past time for him to start standing on his own two feet in this world. And if he was going to help to make sure that this group didn't break apart, he was going to have to start depending less on others to keep his ass up and more on workin' to keep everyone else from lettin' this world, and what it could make of people, drag them down.

* * *

Rick let his eyes roam over the group as they slowly started to go about their day's activities following Jenna's service. His eyes lingered on Danny as he spoke quietly with Hershel. There had been something in that final part of scripture that Danny had quoted, something of a deeper meaning that Rick was finding it hard to zero in on.

As usual, Rick figured Callie knew exactly what that had been about, and he made a mental note to ask the woman later.

After they'd had time to mourn. Callie and Danny were holding up much better than he'd expected, but he could tell that the entire group was just a stone's throw away from falling to pieces. Rick's hand slipped off of his hip and dragged through his hair as he watched Lori and Miles help Carl back into the house to lie down. Patricia was following slowly behind obviously saying something to Lori who had turned her head to the other woman and nodded idly.

Ben and Gracie were settled on the ground near Jenna's grave, while Callie crouched down in front of both of them speaking in a hushed tone with a sad smile. Daryl watched them from his position settled against the tree near the grave, Dale and Glenn both standing nearby obviously talking to the man. Daryl's head was shifting idly in what Rick figured could have been a nod, as he half-listened to whatever was being said to him.

Callie's eyes shifted over to Daryl at that point, catching his eye and Rick smiled when Daryl rolled his eyes. Hershel's slightly annoyed comment about 'bed-rest for the entire lot of them' echoing in Rick's head as he watched Callie slowly get to her feet and walk over to Daryl.

Rick slowly walked towards the house, his eyes sliding around the lush green fields. Again he found himself marveling at how peaceful it was, how untouched by the horrors of this new apocalyptic world they now lived in it was. He watched as his people began to settle in at that little campsite they'd set up. Watched as a routine began to build and people seemed to shake off that weight that had been settling over them. Settling down on the stairs to the porch Rick ran his hand over his mouth and breathed in through the slats of his fingers.

He sat there for a few minutes just breathing as he waited. Getting himself mentally prepared for the conversation he wanted to have.

Rick's gaze followed Hershel as he worked his way towards where Rick had settled himself on the stairs of the porch and met the Doctor's surprised gaze head on when the elder man lifted his eyes from the ground to him. There was a beat of silence, where Rick let his gaze slide around the small campsite they'd set up, over to Jenna's grave and then back to the man staring at him in askance just one more time. Rick nodded his head then and pushed up to his feet, his hands going to his hips as he regarded Hershel with a stiff stare.

"You need to reconsider," Rick said, his voice a bit more hoarse than he was expecting. He took in a deep breath and cleared his throat as Hershel's brow lifted.

"I beg your pardon?" Hershel questioned watching Rick begin to slowly pace in a small circle.

"Askin' us to leave," Rick said quietly, his footsteps halting as he turned to face the man staring at him in mild shock. Rick swallowed hard and nodded once. "You need to reconsider." Another breath and Rick was facing the man fully now and feeling the words just pour out of him. "If you saw how it was out there, you wouldn't ask it of us."

"You're upset," Hershel said quietly, and lifted both of his brows when Rick let out a disgruntled sigh. "You're upset, and you're puttin' me on the spot."

"Well, I mean to put you on the spot." Rick said shifting closer so that he could keep his voice from carrying too far to the group still milling about close by. "These people look to me for answers. Callie and I have been pourin' over maps. And your girl Maggie has been gracious in her attempts to help us figure out a safe place to bunker down. And I do appreciate that, and everythin' you have done for my family and this group." Rick's chin began to wobble, his emotions getting the better of him. He ducked his head and averted his eyes as his arm shot out to indicate the people at large.

"I didn't ask to lead them," Rick said quietly. "I didn't ask for this responsibility but I have it. And I can't –" he took a breath and shifted his eyes back up to Hershel. "I'm not askin' for you to make this decision today. But after the price your man Otis paid to save my boy. After lettin' Callie and Danny bury Jenna here. The least you can do is give it some thought."

"You're a plain spoken man," Hershel said with a shake of his head and a small sigh. "Just as Callie and Danny are plain spoken. I can and do respect that."

"You'll consider my request?" Rick asked, his voice threatening to break again. He couldn't think of having to push out on the road again once Carl was on his feet and they'd found Sophia. He couldn't think of having to try and make things work when all he'd be thinking of is the what ifs.

They'd been lucky with Danny, and dealin' with his wounds the way they did. But if something dire happened again, who's to say what kind of luck they'd have. He couldn't risk that. He just couldn't.

"There are aspects to this," Hershel began slowly, his eyes slipping up to watch Callie as she made her way slowly over to them. Daryl was settled on the ground at the tree with Ben and Gracie his eyes watching Callie walk away. Rick watched Hershel's eyes as they lingered on Callie, and he knew that there might just be a few more things that he was going to have to ask that woman when all was said and done. "Things," Hershel continued his voice as hoarse and raspy as Rick's. "Things that I can't and _won't_ discuss." Hershel's eyes slipped away from Callie and back over to Rick. "But if you and your people respect my rules. I make no promises, but I will consider it. You have my word."

"You have mine," Rick responded almost immediately as they both worked to their feet. Callie came to a stop at Rick's side, her arms crossed over her chest and the old worn out crocheted sweater that he'd seen Jenna wear every now and again held tight over her body. Her eyes shifted to Hershel and the two shared a nod before Hershel's gaze slipped to Callie's gun and then back to Rick. Hershel gave both of them another curt nod and made his way into the house leaving them alone.

"Everything okay?" Callie asked quietly her hands slipping down and settling in the back pockets of her jeans as she rocked back on her heels.

"Yeah," Rick said quietly nodding. Slowly he reached out a hand and tapped his finger to her gun. "We need to talk about a few things. And finally loop Shane in on everything."

"He said yes?" Callie said her eyes shifting to the porch and the screen door that Hershel had just gone through.

"He didn't say no," Rick said in return and held her gaze when she shifted it back to him. Callie shifted her eyes back to where their group was set up, both of them watching Shane slowly approach. Rick slid closer to Callie, settling his hand on her shoulder and squeezing once.

They both took a deep breath and steeled their nerves. Battle lines were about to be drawn.

_Tell me again, when the day has been ransomed_

_And the night has no right to begin_

_Try me again, when the angels are panting_

_And scratching at the door to come in_

_Tell me again, when I'm clean and I'm sober_

_Tell me again, when I've seen through the horror_

_Tell me again, tell me over and over_

_Tell me that you love me then_

_Amen. Amen. Amen._

_~Amen / Leonard Cohen_

_AN: I loved every verse of that song, but only picked two…'cause I don't wanna kill y'all with my music choices. Anyhoo….lots going on here. For those who may not have ventured over to the companion fic. If you read "Books and Covers" in A Thousand Words, you'll understand Daryl's shirt and the meaning a bit more…(I did try to make it so you wouldn't have had to read that but if you want a bit more…head on over). _

_This chapter was like pulling teeth, but I'm glad at what I got in there. I felt I rushed poor Jenna's funeral…but really, I don't see them lingering long there. It's sad, and it's a harsh truth of the world, but that's it. A truth of the world right….say goodbye, and move the fuck on… harsh but that's how they roll. _

_:( AS WE ALL FUCKIN SAW LAST NIGHT._

_HONEST TO GOD. Still reelin' here people. _

_Anyhoo…Onward and upward to more fuckin' filler! _

_Much love!_


	38. Shake It Out

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_This was two segments away from being a vignette….and one part was gonna be a chap in A Thousand Words… but then I said NAH…and reworked a bit of things and BOOM chapter. LONG Chapter. With LOTS going on. We've got a good bit of Callie/Daryl in here for those of you thinkin' they may have needed a little 'uninterrupted moment to themselves' *wink wink*. There's also a good bit of digging into Callie's background—something I was a bit hesitant about. A sort of symbolic exchange that I hope y'all get (or fuck I did it wrong). And then of course, a good jolt of plot movement at the end for ya! _

_So yeah, lots going on here._

_As always read, review and enjoy!_

_~michelle_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Shake It Out**

_Regrets collect like old friends; Here to relive your darkest moments_

_I can see no way; I can see now way_

_And all of the ghouls come out to play_

Lori's hands were shaking as she stared at the small plastic tester in her hands.

It had taken her a long time to actually build up the nerve to sneak way and do it. Taken her a long time to finally realize that she needed to take it, even if she didn't want to.

And now that she had, the weight of it was settling deep into her bones. The sight of those little blue lines forming that solid unmistakable little plus sign in the box; the confirmation that she needed, that she'd asked for. The one that she'd made Glenn risk his life to find her. It was staring back at her in an almost mocking fashion.

Lori's fingers clenched around the small plastic stick again, her eyes watering and her vision blurring to the point where that little plus sign faded away. She blinked and it was back again, as clear and taunting as ever.

She deserved this. She did - for what she'd done. She deserved this.

But Rick didn't. Carl didn't. The rest of these people didn't.

Lori's breath hitched and she sucked back the sob that she wanted to let fly from her lips. Her head tilted up, her watering eyes staring into the dying sun above as evening rushed in on them. So many things had happened in the short time span since they'd left the CDC.

But everything had come back in a rush when they buried Jenna. When she watched Callie holding herself together as she placed a child-her child whether the woman would admit it or not-into the ground. It had come back and pressed so tightly against her that she just couldn't put off taking that test any longer.

And now here it was. Her fate spelled out in two tiny blue lines on a plastic stick.

Lori let out a shuddering breath and firmed her lips as she again stared down at the plus sign.

"Despite what you may think," Danny's voice broke through the silence and had Lori jumping out of her skin as she turned to face him. Her hands lifted and wiped at her eyes as she worked to hide the test from him. He tilted his head in a sort of amused fashion and she let out a sigh as she remembered. He already knew. Her hands fell limp to her sides as she stared at him from the ground and he pushed forward limping slowly towards her, continuing his quiet slightly humor-laced words. "Despite what you may think, starin' at it, don't do jack shit to change it."

"That's very comforting, Danny," Lori said shaking her head and running her hands through her hair. "What are you doing here?"

"Glenn and I were on the RV," Danny said quietly as he winced and moved closer his hands reaching out for the tree next to him as he worked his way slowly to the ground beside her. Lori reached out and helped him get situated and he waved off her hands with a gruff sigh as he finally hit the ground. "Saw you headin' off on your own."

"He knows," Lori said nodding her head and holding up the test. "Glenn. He got it."

"Yeah," Danny said nodding his head and staring at the test. "Boy damn near shit a brick when I said I was gonna go check on you." Lori smiled just a bit and Danny stretched out his wounded left leg with a sharp exhale. "Honestly, though I think he feels better knowing that it's not just him keepin' this secret."

"Well, I'm glad for him," Lori said in a short tone that had Danny chuckling and shaking his head as he regarded her through lowered lashes.

They sat in silence after that, both of them staring down at the small plastic tester stick that was still settled in Lori's shaking fingers. Finally, after what seemed like too long Danny sidled closer and bumped his shoulder into hers.

"I remember when Leslie took that test," Danny said jutting his chin towards the test strip. "Different brand. Same mockin' symbol starin' back at us." Danny let out a little chuckle when Lori smiled and nodded her head at him. "We were so young. So unprepared. She looked at that test for a long time, we both did. But there was something in her eyes that hadn't quite settled in my head. Something she caught onto right off the bat."

Lori's eyes tipped up to him and she felt the wetness gathering in her lashes. She worked so hard to keep it from falling but she knew she failed when Danny's brow furrowed at her. Lori shook her head and wiped at her eyes, giving him the respect that he deserved as he shared a bit about his life before this. About the woman he loved that he'd had to kill.

"While I was busy thinkin' bout how things were going to change, and I how I was gonna support us," Danny continued his eyes slipping down to the pregnancy test. "She was caught up on how things were gonna _end_. She said it to me more than once during the pregnancy, 'Her life was over'. Don't get me wrong, she loved Jake with all her heart when he was born," Danny said shaking his head as if he'd said something ill about the woman and he needed to wipe it clean. "Loved him like only a mother could love her child. But that day, when she stared at that test, she wasn't thinkin' about the future. She was thinking about that day alone and how life as she knew it was comin' to an end, and how there wasn't any way around it."

"I appreciate you trying to-" Lori shook her head and dragged in a breath, unable to even voice the words she wanted to as she watched Danny sniff back his own tears. His pain was palpable, and she felt guilty that he was putting it out there for her in order to try to make her feel better. "I appreciate it. I do. I love you for it, Danny. But this," she lifted the test and shook it at him. "This is a little different than a teenage girl worryin' about her life comin' to an end. Life is different now. This," she shook it at him and held his gaze as he looked up at her. "This is a death sentence."

A heavy beat of silence flowed between them, and Lori watched Danny's eyes shift between hers. His expression changed quickly, his eyes hardened for a moment as he looked at her, but then slipped back to a soft expression. Understanding coming to the surface even though he wanted to be angry at her for her words. Because while they were harsh, and probably not the words that any expectant mother should ever even think to utter, he knew just as well as she did that they were true.

"That's a crock of shit, Lori." Danny said finally, a bit of his anger sliding to the surface. Lori stared at him, realizing as she looked into his eyes that even though he knew the words were true, that didn't mean he believed them. Didn't mean he was going to let her believe them. "It's a self-fulfilling prophecy, sweetheart. You make that shit a reality with your own actions. You start believing that now, what chance do you have?"

"What am I supposed to do?" Lori shot back, her voice quavering with the emotions she was working hard to keep in check. "Just walk around like the world isn't crumbling down around us? That this baby is gonna be fine? That it's gonna be born without any problems? That it's not gonna be a burden to more than just me and Rick? That-"

Danny reached forward and put his hand onto her stomach at that point causing her tirade to stop mid-sentence. She stared hard at him, her mouth trembling with the effort not to weep. She stared at his hard eyes as he pushed forward and got close enough that he could whisper his next words at her.

"This is a miracle," Danny said quietly, each word sharp and precise. His slow Savannah drawl falling away as he continued. "The world around us doesn't change that, Lori. Nothing changes that but you." Danny slipped his hand away from her stomach and lifted it to cup her face and hold head from turning away. "You've got all these questions. All these worries. All these doubts that are mountin' on you, workin' to crush you. And you ask what you're supposed to do," Danny slipped his hand away and shook his head sniffing in frustration. He shifted and worked painfully to his feet, looking down at her upturned expectant face with a long lingering look. "Step one. You tell the man you love you're havin' his baby. And you let him support you. You let him carry that burden with you. And you stop takin' the weight of the world on your shoulders."

Danny shook his head and let out a gruff laugh before extending his hand down to her.

"Fuckin' women," Danny muttered as he wagged his fingers in her slightly confused face. "All the same. You and Callie. Damn idiots the both of ya, thinkin' it's all on you to carry." He lifted his brows at her and shook his hand in front of her face. "C'mon now. Let's get back before anyone else comes lookin' for ya."

Lori slipped her hand into Danny's and let him help her to her feet. She stared down at the test in her hands for a few moments more as she stood next to him. She took a breath and rolled her shoulders as she wrapped her fist around that plastic stick quickly before shoving it into her pocket. She wiped at her face and collected herself while Danny waited patiently against the tree. He lifted a brow at her when she turned to him and she smiled lightly at him.

"Good girl," Danny said quietly as he pushed off the tree and reached out to circle his arm around her shoulders. Lori scoffed out a laugh and shook her head as she wrapped her arm around him and supported him as best she could without letting on that she was doing it.

"You know Danny," Lori said quietly as they trudged along. "There's this part of me that really hates you sometimes."

"I get that a lot," Danny responded in a serious tone that had Lori barking out a laugh as they broke through the woods and back towards the campsite.

_And every demon wants his pound of flesh; But I like to keep some things to myself_

_I like to keep my issues drawn_

_It's always darkest before the dawn_

"You know it's weird," Danny's voice echoed out around their small little campfire outside of the RV and had everyone's eyes sliding to him. "I'm usually the one doin' this shit." He waved his hand out at the now grinning Miles, and Callie shook her head. "I'm a bit scared."

"Now you know how we feel," Glenn muttered earning a smack upside the back of his head from Danny. "Hey!" Glenn said rubbing at the back of his head for a second before his fingers settled back down onto the notebook that Miles had handed him earlier. The one he'd given express instruction not to open until he said it was okay.

Glenn's chuckling eyes slid from the shaking head of Danny out towards where he could see Maggie standing on the porch. Callie watched Danny's eyes slide to follow Glenn's path and she shook her head when Danny's brows rose and he met her gaze again. With a deft smack to the back of Glenn's shoulder Danny broke Glenn's eye contact with the figure of Maggie. Glenn looked back at Danny and then realized that Danny was sportin' his shit-eating grin and started shaking his head.

"Hey Ben," Danny called out, getting the boy's attention away from where he was working to re-lace Daryl's boots for the seventh time. "Go get Maggie for us."

Ben's brows lifted in confusion and Daryl took the opportunity to grab his boot from the boy and smack him off on his way. A grunted 'Get', followed by a disgruntled sigh at the state of his boots had Ben shifting confused eyes to Callie and then Danny.

"No, really," Glenn started to stammer. "She probably doesn't-" he floundered for words and Callie shook her head as she nodded for Ben to go get the girl. "She's gonna feel out of place."

"She'll be fine," Callie said settling down onto the vacant chair next to Miles across from where Daryl was grumbling as he worked to properly re-lace his boots. Gracie bounded up beside him and reached out and he glared at her before shaking his head and pulling the boot away from her reaching hands. "Daryl's boots on the other hand may never be the same," Callie said earning a bit of a chuckle from the group. "C'mere Gracie sit with me. Leave Daryl and his shoes in peace."

"Fuckin' boots are all shades a screwed up now," Daryl grumbled as he tore at the laces.

"Maybe you shoulda thought better of havin' a seven-year-old fix 'em for you." Miles shot back from his seat beside the grumbling redneck. Daryl moved quick, and obviously jarred something as he held the laces tight and smacked his boot into Miles' arm. But the pain of whatever Daryl jarred was pushed aside when the steel toe made good contact with the shoulder of the kid. "Hey! That shit hurts."

"Maybe you shoulda though better of havin' opened your big mouth," Daryl shot back, gathering his shoe up so that he could get it ready to once again send at the chuckling kid. Callie's head was shaking back and forth and her eyes lifted to meet the smiling gaze of Rick settled in close by Lori and Carl on the other side of the fire.

"A'right, enough children." Dale's humored voice rang out, chuckling a bit more as Daryl let his boot fly one more time into Miles' arm. The smile on the faces of both Daryl and Miles was a sight for sore eyes and had Dale's eyes lifting over to Danny and then Callie. "Since we're all here now," Dale said his eyes lifting a bit as he watched Ben bound back over and settle between Daryl's feet, grabbing the boot from the man's hands which then flew into the air in defeat before sliding back down to cradle his wounded side. Maggie settled in next to Glenn on a log and lifted a brow at everyone before piercing Glenn with a look that had the boy blushing and shifting a glare to the chuckling Danny on his other side. "Why don't you tell us why we're all here, son?"

Miles was quiet for a minute, his smile fading as he turned back and drummed his fingers on the notebook on his lap. Everyone was waiting for him to answer. Callie shifted a bit as Gracie slipped herself up onto her lap and slid her eyes to Danny who returned her questioning look with a slight shrug of his shoulders.

"On the highway," Miles began slowly, his eyes settled on his fingers on the notebooks. "On my birthday," he said even more quietly as a hush settled over the group. His eyes lifted to Callie and he held her gaze steady with a small sad smile on his face. "You made Jenna a promise that I just realized you aren't gonna be able to keep."

"Miles," Callie shifted, Gracie sliding forward on her lap a bit as she reached out towards him. Miles lifted a hand, his fingers waving around as he worked to ward off her obvious concern. He shook his head and smiled at her.

"I spent all day reading these," Miles tapped the notebook in front of him and then pointed to the one Glenn held. "Jenna wrote in them all the time. And I never knew what she was doin'. Never asked." He lifted his eyes again to Callie and she smiled just a bit. "I'm bettin' you know what's in here?" She nodded and he let out a slight scoffing laugh. "Yeah, figured."

"What's in here?" Glenn asked eyeing the notebook he held. Maggie shifted just a bit beside him, almost imperceptibly closer and he shifted his eyes to her before moving them back to Miles.

"Questions," Miles said with a laugh. "Each and every page is full of questions. About all of us." Miles flipped the pages and smiled around the group. "It didn't really dawn on me until I started reading them that when Jenna mentioned not knowing much about you," Miles looked to Callie and smiled at her. "That really she was just tryin' to get a few answers to her questions. Sneaky."

"She wanted to be an investigative reporter," Callie supplied leaning back in her chair and staring at the fire as she brushed her fingers through Gracie's curls. She felt everyone's eyes on her but didn't look up, just kept staring at the fire. "Instead of crumbling with everything around her she used it to hone her skills. Amazing is the word, Miles. Amazing."

"Yeah," Miles said laughing and nodding as he fingered the book in his hands. He looked up and caught Dale's eyes. "I figured we could maybe say good-bye to her by answering a few of the questions." Miles lowered his chin as Dale smiled and nodded. Lifting his eyes to scan the group he smiled almost shyly. "Figure it couldn't hurt for us to maybe get to know a little more 'bout one another either, ya know?"

Silence filtered around the group and Callie watched as Miles dragged his thumb over the pages of the worn spiral bound notebook in his hands. There was a small almost imperceptible smile on his face as he opened it up and tapped his finger on the page, while Jim's hat settled on his knee began to bob with the agitated movement of his leg. Miles lifted his eyes then, and caught her gaze before slipping it around the group.

"If y'all are shy," Miles said quietly his eyes holding on Maggie who smiled a bit back at him. "I'll go first." He flipped the notebook open fully and pulled out a pen from the wire spine. "Uh, here we go. What did Miles' parents do for a livin'?" Miles tapped the pen on the paper, his leg bobbing a bit madly under him for a second before he schooled it and put a hand to the hat on his knee. "My dad was a mechanic," Miles said quietly, and Callie watched the muscle of his jaw clench a bit.

The camp was quiet as Miles stared down at the hat on his leg. Jim's hat. The one Jenna had cleaned up and given back to him on his birthday. The entire scenario in that station wagon outside the CDC replayed in Callie's head and took on a whole different light. A light that caused a lump to form in the throat for the young man settled near her. Callie's head shifted her hand lifting to cup over her mouth and her eyes sliding to where Danny had slumped forward slightly forearms on his thighs.

"Had his own shop in Macon," Miles continued, his fingers working the pen over the paper as he wrote his answer in. "Used to work nights with him every so often since I was like thirteen."

"And here I thought you were just a fuckin' savant." Danny quipped in and Miles lifted his slightly humored eyes to his friend across the fire. The unshed tears were on display in that flickering light and Callie felt the power that boy was exuding as he held them in.

"What about your mom?" Carl asked quietly causing Miles to slip his eyes to him.

"Teacher," Miles said quietly and then shifted his eyes over to the now chuckling Danny. "Shut up." Miles lowered his eyes to the notebook and finished writing. He then lifted his eyes to Glenn and jutted his chin. "A'right G-man. Why don't you take a pick. The ones in there are less involved and less-" he waved a hand and looked at Callie tapping the notebook he held twice with the pen. "I just didn't want you to feel bad 'bout sharin' when I got to the good stuff in this one."

"Oh I'm all shades of excited now," Callie said shifting around so that Gracie could bounce off of her lap and slide over to where Danny was. She popped up onto his lap, causing him to wince and shift painfully, and leaned over to look at the notebook smiling widely at Maggie who was also interested to see what the pages held.

"Okay," Glenn said squinting a bit in the low light of the fire and shifting under the stares of the group. "Uh," Glenn's face contorted in confusion. "How smart is Danny? I don't get that one." Glenn lifted his eyes to the man next to him who was shaking his head.

"She was payin' closer attention than I thought at times," Danny said shifting his eyes to Callie who lifted both brows in agreement. Danny shifted his eyes around and then looked at Glenn. "Smart. Very smart."

"How smart?" Dale asked shifting in his seat and smirking at Danny across the fire.

"I got me a nice little MENSA membership card in my wallet," Danny said holding the man's gaze with a smile of his own. "Got it when I was fourteen." There were quite a few responses but the one that caught Danny's ear came from Maggie.

"Wouldn't think it to look at ya," Maggie practically mumbled and Danny shifted his hundred-watt smile at her. She widened her eyes and looked around at the group, as if she'd said something out of turn and Danny just smiled wider.

"Oh I do like you, Miss Maggie Greene. I really do," Danny said shifting over and leaning closer as Gracie smiled widely on his lap. Glenn's eyes widened and he shuffled the pages of the notebook a bit clearing his throat loudly and slipping a bit further forward between Maggie and the still grinning Danny.

"Uh, here's one," Glenn said loudly earning a laugh from Danny as he slipped back into his chair. Dale shook his head and wagged a finger at Danny and Callie felt this sort of odd happiness settle into her. "How old is Daryl?"

Daryl's brows knit together and Callie barked out a laugh before quickly covering her mouth with her hand. The redneck sent her a glare and she waved her hand around at him.

"Lucky I don't throw my boot at you, girl." Daryl snapped before glaring over the fire at Glenn who now looked like he'd swallowed a bug. Daryl slipped his eyes around the group, all of them watching him with an interested sort of look and he shrugged them off. "Forty-one."

"Wow you're old!" Ben practically yelled from the ground before Daryl. Everyone laughed at that and Daryl thumped the boy on the back of the head with his open palm.

"The outdoors have been good to you, son." Dale piped up earning a confused glare from Daryl at which the older man ran a hand over his balding head. "You don't look it. But I do believe that puts you as second eldest in our ragtag group."

"Miles," Danny said between chuckles as he shook his head at Daryl's glowering face. "Why don't you get to the good stuff there, man, 'Fore Grampa Daryl has himself a heart attack."

"Gimme my fuckin' boot," Daryl snarled reaching down as Ben pulled it laughingly out of his reach.

"C'mon, man," Danny said ignoring Daryl and watching Miles. "You're practically bouncin' outta your seat with whatever you got on that page in front of you."

Miles chuckled a bit and looked around at the group, while Danny grabbed the notebook out of Glenn's hands and gave it to Gracie in his lap. Miles shifted his eyes to Danny and then to Callie and then sat up straighter in his chair.

"Just remember," Miles said pointing a finger at Danny. "You asked for it." He cleared his throat and then held up the notebook, shifting his eyes up before beginning to read. "Just so you know this is fuckin' word for word. 'Did Danny and Callie 'do it'?'" The group started chuckling and Miles was shaking his head back and forth and grinning madly as he looked up at them. "Swear to God 'Do it' is even underlined a couple times."

Danny chuckled lightly as he slipped his eyes to where Callie was sitting. Her eyes lifted to him and she smiled too, a slight shake of her head.

"What's _it_?" Ben asked from his position at Daryl's feet causing the group to chuckle again. Daryl shook his head and stared steadily at Danny and Callie as they exchanged sly glances. "C'mon what's _it_?"

"I'll tell ya later, kid." Miles said watching Danny and Callie intently as they remained silent.

"Much later," Lori piped in shaking her head at her grinning son. Rick chuckled and shifted his eyes to her and she rolled hers in an exaggerated movement to where Carol was smiling nearby.

"Well?" Miles said leaning forward on his elbows as he smiled at her.

"No," Callie said with a smile and Danny chuckled as he sat back and shifted little Gracie off his lap and onto the ground at his feet. The little girl was intently looking at the notebook at words she probably couldn't read yet completely ignoring the adults as they talked.

"Pretty heavy make-out session though," Danny said idly as he smiled widely at Callie. Callie's eyes rolled, slipping over the amused gazes of everyone else and landing on the slightly interested raised brow of Daryl. "_Very_ heavy."

"Yeah, after which you called me old," Callie shot back with a half-hearted glare.

"Old-_er_," Danny clarified lifting a finger at her as if correcting her in a classroom. "Old-_er. _There's a difference there, Cal." Danny continued as he shifted his eyes over the chuckling Glenn beside him and offered the younger man a slap to the back of his head. Callie slipped her middle finger up and Danny barked out a laugh as he looked over the group. "Honestly, woman ya got like ten years on me. Cradle robber."

"Keep it up," Callie said shaking her finger at the man who just kept grinning like an idiot. God love him.

"So the older remark killed the little flame of desire?" Miles asked scribbling in his notebook. Callie smacked at his hand as he wrote and grabbed his pen shaking it at him while he laughed.

"No," Danny said still laughing and smiling at Callie who shot him a small smile. "Just happened to be my luck that kissing the beautiful woman I found myself stuck with at the end of the world was like kissing my sister."

"Thanks, Danny, that's sweet." Callie said back and Danny laughed and flipped her off. She shot her gaze around to the rest of the group and nodded her head. "He's right. It was so," she waved her hand around and shook her head, leaving the explanation to the wind.

"Is it like that when you kiss Daryl," Ben asked, his innocent little voice piping up so loud and clear that she instantly felt the fucking blush rise in her cheeks. Callie looked down at the boy then up to the man settled in the chair behind him and shook her head.

"Nope," Callie said with a smile at both. "Not in the slightest." Callie shifted awkwardly in the strange bit of sweet silence that clung in the air and then looked back at the grinning Miles. "Moving on…" she waved a hand around and Miles ducked his head and nodded.

"Here's a good one," Miles said tapping the notebook with his finger as he looked up at Callie. "Who are Sammy and Hannah?"

"Next question," Danny barked out, his voice quick and harsh and everyone turned to face him. Callie gave him a sad smile and shook her head. The weight of the group's stares fell back onto her and she looked right at Miles as she answered.

"My niece and nephew," Callie said quietly and Miles nodded his head slowly. He firmed his lips and Callie shook her head knowing that the boy was feeling bad about asking a question that was obviously painful for her.

"So what happened to them?" Shane's voice echoed out and Callie slipped her eyes up to him. He was settled atop the RV, his eyes shifted down to her as he stood looking down on them all. Callie's jaw clenched a bit and she heard a distinct snarl coming from both sides as Daryl and Danny both glared up at him.

"They didn't make it," Callie said angling her face up to him and waiting for him to say something else. Shane stared down at her hard for a few moments and then. After a second he nodded his head and then put his eyes back towards the tree line as he continued his turn on watch.

"I'm sorry, Cal." Miles said quietly and she smiled at him with a nonchalant wave of her shaking hand.

"Don't be," Callie said clenching her hands into fists a few times. "You didn't know. Which is exactly why we're doing this right," Callie shifted her gaze around the group and caught Rick's sad little smile as he watched her. "Hit me. What's next?"

Miles hesitated for a moment, watching her with a strangely assessing eye that she'd never known the boy to have before. After a few moments he nodded and shifted his eyes back to his notebook.

"A'right," Miles said quietly, his finger skimming down the page and then tapping twice. "Here we go. The question I've always wanted to know the answer to," Miles looked up at Callie and smiled. "Why doesn't Callie have kids?"

"That is a good one," Danny said leaning forward a bit. "I always wondered that myself. You're a fuckin' natural, Cal. Why no kids of your own? Just hadn't found Mr. Right yet?" Danny slipped his eyes to Daryl who glared back before sliding his eyes to Callie. Callie's head dropped and she stared at her hands for a minute. Question and answer night was really starting to be a bit more than she'd been prepared for. Her brow twitched as yet again she felt the stare of everyone on her shoulders. "Cal?"

"I can't," Callie said with a sad smile as she looked up, her eyes settling on Miles and then Danny.

"Why not?" Ben asked again, his innocence just crushing her a bit. Callie sighed and reached out to ruffle his hair.

"I just can't buddy," Callie said quietly trying to figure out how to explain it to a seven-year-old. "Some people are just missing that little piece that makes it possible." Callie's eyes lifted over to where Carol was situated beside Lori. Both women were staring back at her with a palpable sense of sadness in their eyes. Callie's eyes slipped down for an instant to see Lori's hand clutching into the fabric of her shirt over her stomach tightly. Callie felt her brow furrow a bit at the sight, something Lori must have noticed because she quickly unfurled her fingers from her shirt and slipped her hand to her knee while smiling sadly at Callie.

Shaking her head, Callie let her gaze move around the faces of the group around her. Men and women that were her family now. People she trusted with her life. Her eyes slipped to where Daryl was settled, Ben at his feet and she smiled tightly at the pair.

People she trusted with more than her life.

"I remember when we found out," Callie said settling back a bit into her chair and running her hands through her hair. The feeling that she owed it to them, owed it to Jenna to for once actually give them more than just those cryptic answers that she was so good at giving. "We'd just gotten married. We were _so_ young and Denny was so keen to start up a family right away," she felt her skin heat up as Daryl's piercing gaze steadied upon her. She chanced a look up at him and saw his brow furrowing, no doubt putting two and two together. She shifted her eyes over to the rest of the group catching Maggie's sad smile. "We tried for months and months until finally we figured a trip to the doctor was in order. God, when the doctor said it wasn't going to happen, Denny was crushed. He tried to hide it, but I could tell," shifted her eyes to Miles who smiled a bit and nodded. "We stayed married for a year before I let him go." Her eyes caught on the slowly shaking head of Dale not far off and she smiled. "I just couldn't make him give up something he wanted so badly. Ya know?"

"From experience," Dale's voice sliced through the heavy silence. "If he loved you as much as I'm sure he did," Dale continued his own pain clear in his eyes. "It wouldn't have mattered."

"Ah, but you didn't see him with his children," Callie said lifting a finger and wagging it at Dale. "He was remarried and expecting two years after our divorce was final. And he never looked at me the way he looked at Sarah and his kids. Things always work out for the best I suppose, huh?" Dale shook his head and continued to stare at her as she smiled sadly down at her hands. She could feel Daryl's eyes sliding over her and was reluctant to turn and face him. Luckily someone else broke the noise in her head, shattering her stroll down memory lane and bringing her back to the reality of this world.

"Denny," Danny said quietly. Callie's eyes slipped over to him and she smiled just a bit. "Denny. As in Denny the poor bastard that was in that Army Jeep at the reststop outside of the CDC? The guy that Whitmore put the bullet-Good fuckin' god woman! That man was your husband?"

"Callie," Rick's voice echoing out along with a few other gasps and heartfelt sighs of sadness had her head shaking again.

"Ex-husband," Callie said her eyes slipping to Rick first. She'd been avoiding his gaze, knowing it would be too full of sadness.

"You should have told us," Rick said shifting forward a bit in his seat. Callie shook her head and held Rick's gaze for a long time.

"Honest to God, Callie. Rick's right. You should have-" Danny shook his head and let out a groaning wince as he sat forward to fast. "Ex or not that's not easy. I know."

"There was kind of a lot of shit going down to be lingerin' on it, Danny." Callie said staring hard at him and watching him shake his head. "And thirteen years of divorce is a hell of a lot different than a year and a half. And honestly, I think I'm entitled to a bit of privacy when I want it." She lifted her finger at him and he shook his head at her.

Letting out a low sigh Callie finally shifted her attention over to Daryl. He held her gaze for a long time, something completely unreadable passing through his eyes as he shifted painfully in his seat. For some reason that bandage covering the angry stitched area of his head where the bullet had grazed his flesh stood out as the flickering light of the flames of their fire hit it. She took in a deep breath and again ran her hands through her hair. After another beat of silence Callie pushed to her feet.

"Cal I'm sorry," Miles said shifting around and putting the notebook on the ground. "I didn't really think-"

"Quit apologizing," Callie said stepping forward and putting her hand to his shoulders. His eyes skipped up to her and she ignored the stares of everyone else on her as she bent down to the boy feeling horrible for the old wounds he'd unwittingly re-opened. "We're family right. Family doesn't have secrets." Miles stared at back at her and she watched his eyes widened just a bit. "We'll talk tomorrow, hmm?" Slowly he nodded his head and Callie squeezed his shoulder before shifting away. "I think I'm a bit spent on question night," Callie sent a smile around the group. "G'night everyone." Callie turned, catching Maggie working to her feet in her periphery.

"C'mon back to the house," Maggie said quickly as she stepped up and put a hand to Callie's arm. "I'll check those stitches in your hand see how that infection's doin'. Get you another dose of antibiotics before you crash." Callie smiled a bit as she fell into step with the younger woman.

The stares of the group seemed to follow her as she walked towards the house. Callie shook her head idly as she walked, Maggie a silent calming force settled in beside her.

"You're a brave woman to share so much of yourself with them," Maggie said quietly as they walked and Callie's eyes shifted to the young woman beside her. "I mean they're strangers really. Y'all have only known each other for a few months."

"You can't look at it like that, Maggie. Months. Days. Time is irrelevant now. Those people, they're my family." Callie shot her gaze over her shoulder and smiled as she saw Glenn and Danny laughing at the contents of the notebook that they'd taken back from Gracie. Her gaze shifted to catch Daryl's eyes following her as she stepped up onto the porch. "I'd die for them."

_And I've been a fool and I've been blind; I can never leave the past behind_

_I can see no way; I can see no way_

_I'm always dragging that horse around_

Daryl took a deep breath before settling his hand on the knob to the room that he was still currently bein' confined to. He wasn't gonna complain 'bout havin' a nice soft bed for a bit. But the odd times of night that Hershel or Patricia came in to wake him were gettin' old quick. They fuckin' tell him to rest, then they wake him up every coupla hours to make sure he was still 'okay'.

The fuck was that shit?

Luckily Callie had apparently called off the dogs for the night. At least that's what good ol' Calamity Jane had growled at him when she helped him into the house moments ago. She'd said quite succinctly that Callie would be takin' care of wakin' his ass up from now on.

Which meant that the woman was most likely sittin' in that room waitin' for him.

Which was why he was still outside.

Her confession this evening 'bout her marriage and her inability to have kids, had settled somewhere strange in his stomach. Not really hard, or painful, just kinda settled somewhere strange. It wasn't like he hadn't figured she'd been involved with other people, but it just wasn't somethin' he'd really thought about. And now that he had thought about it, he was just a bit unsure of where he stood with the woman.

_Close. _She'd said they'd been_ close._

Shakin' his head at himself he turned the fuckin' knob, growled at the scoffin' sound of Calamity Jane watchin' his back down the hall, and stepped inside the room. The small lamp on the nightstand was on giving the barest hint of light to the room and he squinted in the semi-dark as he searched for her.

His eyes found her and he quietly closed the door behind him, the soft click not registering with her as she stared out the window in front of her. The cool breeze floating in from that open window fluttered the t-shirt—his t-shirt—around her bare thighs and had him swallowing hard. Daryl tore his eyes from the sight of her bare legs in the low moonlight and watched the small trail of smoke filter from the lit cigarette between her fingers.

He pushed off of the door and slowly made his way towards her, he could almost feel her unease as he worked closer and it was killin' him. Fuckin' killin' him. Daryl slid up to the end of the bed and settled his tired, beat-down ass on the soft mattress. He felt his face scrunch up a bit as he searched for the words that he wanted to say. But fuck if he knew what they were. Finally he settled on the ones he figured mattered most.

"You a'right," Daryl asked at the exact same time she ducked her head and asked 'You okay?' in a quiet tone. Daryl let out a scoffing laugh and shook his head as Callie shifted around and smiled down at him. She shook her head after a second, tossed her cigarette out the window and then settled her backside along the sill as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"You said you two were close," Daryl said quietly his hand lifting of its own accord so that he could mumble his words as he chewed on his thumbnail. He watched her through his lashes as he nibbled, her head tipping to the side to regard him with a raised expectant brow. Daryl dropped his hand and shook his head a bit. "You're honest to a fuckin' fault," Daryl said lifting his finger and wagging it at her as she smiled wider. "But you sure as hell know how to pick your truths."

"It's a gift," Callie said quietly stepping away from the window and up towards him. "You okay?"

"World stopped spinnin' every time I fuckin' move," Daryl said eyeing her as she barked out a quiet laugh, her arms still tucked across her body as she watched him. He held her gaze for a moment, tellin' her more with his silence on the other subject than he could have with his words.

Callie nodded her head and smiled at him. There was one thing that she'd forever be thankful for in this new fucked up world that they lived in. True survivors knew the importance of letting the past go, and living the life you had been handed.

"I had a question for you," Callie said quietly as she shifted on her bare feet under his stare. He lifted a brow and watched her for a moment and she couldn't help but smile. "Well it was Jenna's question," Callie said shifting her eyes to his open pack near the wingback chair. "What's in the canvas bag?"

Daryl shifted his attention to his pack and narrowed his eyes at the sight of the small canvas bag with the words US ARMY printed in faded black letting on it. He snarled for second at his own hurried re-packin' of his shit after he'd thrown it around lookin' for his shirt earlier. Letting out a sigh of frustration he raked his hand through his hair before skipping his eyes back to the woman patiently and fuckin' amusedly waiting for his answer. Slowly pushing to his feet, and wincing at the pull of his stitched up fuckin' side as it threatened to tear apart he snatched up the bag and glared at it.

He thought about tellin' her what it was, but yet again he found the words comin' up short in his feeble emotionally-stunted brain. So instead he held it out to her, actin' like a kid caught with something they shouldn'ta had and averted his gaze while she took it from him. He watched her from the corner of his eye as she slowly opened the bag, his hand lifting to his mouth so that he could chew the side of his thumb as she stared down at those dog tags with confused eyes.

He fuckin' felt the moment that she realized what it was and he again felt his lips curl in a snarl as he looked away.

Callie stared down at the bag full of dog tags in shock; images and memories slowly clicking into place. Whitmore's humored tone as he told her about her brother and the bag of dog tags that she could check through if she wanted. Daryl stalking off to that Jeep where Whitmore and Denny's bodies lay after the blow out about her, Miles and Jim being infected. Daryl seated at a table in the CDC's cafeteria slowly going through items in a small bag, searching for something she knew now he wouldn't have found.

Her eyes lifted to him, watching him fidget and turn from her as if he was trying to get away from her gaze. He crouched down again, pain etching over his features as his hand fell from his mouth to cover his wounded side. He put his hands to his pack and she watched him snarl at himself before he opened his mouth.

"It's important to have those pieces of the people we love," Daryl said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper as he spoke. His hands dug into his pack and he searched for something else. "Part of me wanted to make sure they weren't in there," he lifted his eyes to her. "'Nother part wanted to find 'em for you so you'd have something of his." He shook his head. "But they ain't in there."

"Daryl," Callie said her voice crackin' a bit as she set the bag on the chair beside her. Daryl pushed to his feet and shoved his hand out at her, her eyes catching on the small black photo album. Her breath hitched and she reached out with slightly shaking hands to touch on the familiar item. Her eyes lifted to his, this time catching and holding his steady gaze. She stared in wonder at the man as she tried to figure out when he'd gone back for it.

"You need to stop blamin' yourself for shit that wasn't your fault," Daryl said quietly shaking the photo album at her. "You need to understand that you didn't murder his kids and his wife." Daryl's eyes shifted down; catching on the wrinkled blue shirt he was wearing. "That he ain't gonna blame you. And that he loves you," his eyes lifted to hers and she firmed her lips against the push of the emotions flaring to life inside of her. "You get me?"

Callie didn't trust her voice, knew it was going to fucking break if she tried to use it so she just nodded. Her shaking hands held tight onto her brother's photo album and she shifted her nodding head down to watch Daryl's fingers slide over hers before slipping off. She lifted one hand off of the album and slid her fingers over the fabric of his wrinkled blue shirt.

"I get you," Callie said finally, pressing her fingers just a bit into the rapid beat of his heart under that blue shirt. "I get you."

"I put a few others in there," Daryl said quietly again averting his gaze and shifting back down to his pack. "The ones you shoved into that backpack of yours." His eyes skipped up to hers and he shrugged under her stare. "Figured it'd keep 'em from getting' all crumpled up and ruined."

Daryl stood back up and lifted up a pack of cigarettes his brows lifting as he smirked at her. She shook her head and he shrugged slipping past her towards the open window. The flare of the lighter illuminated his reflection in the glass and she watched him stare out at the night.

"Heard you're gonna be goin' out to look for Sophia tomorrow," Daryl said quietly and Callie let the photo album fall to the wingback chair with the bag of dog tags as she stared at his slightly pain hunched shoulders.

"Yeah," Callie said nodding. She closed the distance between them watching his head bounce as he nodded as well. His eyes follow her shadowed reflection in the dark glass before him, that piercing stare settling along her skin. "Rick and Shane are gonna hold a bit of gun training for the group," Callie smiled when he shifted his head to raise his brow at her. "You know gun safety, bit of target practice. Little bit on how to listen and assess before takin' a shot."

"Andrea must be lovin' that," Daryl spat over his shoulder chuckling a bit as Callie nodded.

"After that we're splitting up and tackling the area around where you fell," Callie's hand moved at that point, her fingers trailing his arm in an almost automatic response. The thought of how close she'd come to losing him making her want to touch him. Need to touch him.

Daryl's head nodded and he took a long drag off of his cigarette. She watched him release that stream of smoke, and then take two more long drags, her fingers idly playing with the rolled sleeve of his shirt. He watched her from the corner of his eye as he finished his cigarette and surprised her when he turned abruptly towards her. His left hand flicked the smoldering butt out the window, while his right shot out between them. She looked down in shock at his hand, open in offering, the small shape of the leather bound compass she'd seen that last day at the rest stop settled on his palm.

"I want you to take it," Daryl said almost angrily, his hand shaking once to get her to reach out for it. She lifted her fingers to the compass and looked up at him in confusion. "I don't need it. Only held on to it 'cause," Daryl shrugged before he shifted his eyes over hers and then back down to the compass. "Merle gave it to me. Only gift the fucker ever bought me." His hand fell away as Callie lifted the compass, her fingers sliding over the top before she flipped it to where she felt the depressions in the back.

Small lettering was etched into the leather. Words that obviously meant something to Daryl with the way his eyes lingered on them. '_Always remember where you're going and where you already been.' _Callie looked up at him and opened her mouth to say something, but she snapped it shut again when she couldn't quite figure out what that _something_ was.

"Gave that to me when I was twelve, s'all I had of him for the longest time," Daryl said quietly, his brows twitching a bit and his mouth twitching to the side. "All that time he was in Juvie, or in the Marines, or fuckin' lock up. I carried that thing with me everywhere. Didn't need it, but I still carried it." Daryl shook his head. "I want you to keep it." He said quietly, his voice almost unsure and if they'd been in better light Callie was sure she would have been able to see the blush riding his cheeks. His eyes lifted to her then and she smiled at the wicked spark she saw there. "You out in the woods with Glenn and Miles," he caught her eye and smiled. "You're gonna fuckin' need it."

Again words seemed to fail her, and Callie shifted on her bare feet. Her fingers slid over the words etched into that leather a few times before she finally shook her head. She put the compass to the window sill, causing Daryl's brow to furrow. She slipped her fingers to the chain around her neck and slipped the dog tags over her head, Daryl's scrutinizing gaze boring holes into her as she did. She held the tags out in front of her for a minute, watching as Daryl's piercing gaze followed the swinging pendulum movement of them.

"Miles found them," Callie said quietly, Daryl's eyes lifting to hers for a second before his fingers reached up and to hold onto the tags. He shifted them and she watched his eyes widen as he read Bobby's name on the metal, his thumb sliding over the words just as hers had. "At that FEMA station. A Walker hand curled around them." His eyes slipped up to hers sharply and she shook her head. "Just a hand."

Daryl let out a scoffing sort of huff and let the tags go, his eyes again settled upon hers and she held his gaze. He twitched a bit as she moved forward, her hand grabbing his and lifting it so that she could press the chain and tags into his palm.

"What you doin'?" Daryl asked confusion on his face as she curled his fingers around her brother's dog tags.

"There all I have of him. I want you to keep them for me," Callie said slipping her hand away from his slowly. "You know, so I don't lose them out in the woods tomorrow. I just found them," Callie said quietly as she turned away from him. She shifted over to the where she'd settled the small photo album and settled her fingers on it. "I don't want to lose them." Her eyes shifted over her shoulder to him and she smiled. "You get me?"

"Yeah," Daryl said nodding and closing his fist around her brother's dog tags. "Yeah I get you," he said pushing the tags into his pocket. Daryl shifted and worked his way towards the bed, letting out a low sigh as he sat down on the mattress and kicked off his loose boots. He put his hands to his knees and watched her for a minute, his eyes roaming slowly over her bare legs as she turned to face him and settling heavily on her eyes. The heat in that stare, the blazing fire behind his eyes, had Callie's nerves flaring to life and a pins and needles sensation working over her entire body. A sensation that damn near exploded when he lifted his chin just a bit and uttered a simple, "C'mere, Callie."

Callie shifted, her bare feet leading her to where he'd settled at the end of the bed, and she stood in front of him for a moment. Just as she was planning to crouch down and help him with getting undressed he stood up and cupped her face between his hands. His lips found hers in a slow tantalizing kiss that stole her breath and had her hands seeking purchase on his shoulders to keep her knees from buckling. He tipped her head to the side so that he could deepen the kiss, his tongue sliding over hers as the fingers of his left hand tangled into her hair pressing her lips harder to his. His right hand slipped down her back settling at her hip and he dragged her flush against his body.

That flare of passion ignited in a manner of seconds and they broke apart panting out their desire. Daryl pressed his forehead to hers and Callie opened her eyes to stare at his face. His eyes were closed as he breathed deeply, his hands still kneading into her flesh. After a second his eyes opened and met hers. A switch flipped somewhere, in both of them so it seemed, slowing that quick-fire burn of their usual time together down to a simmering rolling heat.

Callie stepped back just enough to be able to slowly unbutton his shirt. His hands slipped down to her hips holding her steady and sliding gently up under the hem of her shirt causing a shiver to run down her spine. She stared hard at the expanse of bandages around his trim midsection for a few moments before his fingers squeezed her hips and shook her from her thoughts. Her eyes met his as she spread his shirt wide and slipped it over his shoulders and down his arms to fall at their feet. They maintained that heated eye contact as she lifted her arms to allow him to slide her shirt-his shirt- up and over her head.

She was naked now, save for her panties, and the sound of her shirt hitting the ground at their feet echoed in the rush of blood pounding through her head. She watched the deep rise and fall of his chest as he stared at her, his hand lifting slowly up towards her. Warm calloused fingers traced the faded shadow of the scratch marks on her neck and then down to the ragged still healing slice along her shoulder and collar bone. His fingers skimmed down her arm and lifted her left hand. He used both hands to slowly undo the bandage around her palm and let that too fall to the floor. She lifted both of her hands to cup his face and kissed him just as slow and tenderly as he'd kissed her; that simmering heat building almost to the point of bubbling over.

Callie broke away, completely out of breath yet again and before he could pull her back into that devastating kiss she moved her hands to the waistband of his pants. Her fingers faltered a bit, passion riding too high on her blood to allow her to keep from slipping and rubbing at his erection. She unbuttoned and unzipped and slipped right out of his warm calloused hands as they settled on her arms. Her hands slipped into the fabric of his boxers and she silently thanked their horrid diets for how easily she was able to slip the loose-fitting pants down to his ankles. She tilted her head up from her crouched position before him, watching his head tip back so that his neck was stretched taut as he stared at the ceiling above. His eyes closed as she leaned in and she closed her own as she pressed one open mouthed kiss after another to his abdomen and lower. He shuddered as she slipped his pants off his ankles he let out a ragged growl and dragged her up to his lips and crushed her against him.

He winced, and she pulled away. He growled and pressed her closer, his legs hitting the bed behind him and settling them both down on the bed. She made quick work of discarding her last bit of clothing as he tugged her impatiently back to him. Her legs straddled his body and her fingers delicately wove through his hair, mindful of the horrid bruised flesh hidden under his hair. Her fingers slowly removed the bandage wrapped around his head and she dropped it to the ground. Her lips left his to skim lightly over the stitched wound in the side of his head and she felt him shudder out a breath against her chest.

She pressed herself against his hard length then and let out a low moan against the rapid pulse point in his neck as he gripped her hips and shifted her body against him again and again. Their ragged breaths mixed together as Callie's lips trailed from his neck back to his waiting hungry mouth. Her body pressed against him and he instantly understood her plea for him to lie down, his body lowering slowly to the mattress while she writhed against him. His fingers dug into her hips tightly as the mattress no doubt pressed painfully against the wound at his back.

Callie tipped her body to the side and he rolled with her in automatic response, his low growl of approval reverberating in her chest as it filtered through their battling lips. Daryl settled himself atop her, and pressed up onto his right elbow while his left hand held his injured side up a bit higher. His gaze met hers in a moment of such deep feeling that Callie's breath left her on a ragged sigh. His body rocked against hers and she felt her eyes flutter closed as her neck arched her head back into the mattress.

"Daryl," she breathed out as he rocked against her again. Her eyes opened for a split second before snapping shut at the feel of his length slowly sliding into her. Her back bowed her body into him, her chest pressing into his as left hand lifted from the mattress and moved to hook her leg higher over his hips. Her nails were digging into his shoulders as his hot mouth sucked and pulled at the rapid pulse point in her neck and then at her taut nipple while he rocked himself against her.

She heard herself say his name again, a ragged moan of it sliding out of its own accord from her dry throat. Rapid searing breaths burning out of her as she turned her head to try and put her lips to his warm flesh as it rode and writhed above her. The lovemaking was slow, completely unlike all the times before. His hard length moved in and out of her in a slow wicked pace that had her begging, scratching and pulling for him to finally just lose control.

He continued his pace, and his wicked assault on her breasts and neck until she was gasping and pulling wildly at his shoulders. Words echoed in her head as she again turned her mouth towards his head, her lips finding his ear. She placed kiss after kiss against his cheek and onto his neck below his ear, those words ringing so loud through the pounding rush of blood through her ears. So loud that she wasn't sure if they were in her head or if she'd actually finally said them out loud. Said them on the heated whisper that remained of her passion-stalled voice right into his ear.

When his forehead pressed deep into her shoulder, and he finally lost what vestiges of control he had and pounded into her harder she shattered around him. Her body convulsed around him as his hips bucked around hers and she felt the moment his release came, his own body shuddering in jerking movements that she knew no matter how hard the man tried he'd never be able to control them.

The blood was still rushing through her head when he dragged his lips up neck, his body still rocking against hers as they rode out the aftershocks of their release. His heated breath fanned her ear as she panted against his shoulder. Those words echoed again, on a voice that was barely a whisper in the static between her ears. And again she was left to wonder if they were really said or just so clearly understood to exist in the space between them that they echoed even without being uttered.

_And I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't_

_So here's to drinks in the dark at the end of my road_

_And I'm ready to suffer and I'm ready to hope_

_It's a shot in the dark aimed right at my throat_

Maggie watched Cletus finally build up the nerve to open the door to the room that Callie had been waiting for him in and let out a scoffing sort of laugh at the man's stubbornness. She shook her head thinking of the few conversations she'd had with Callie, and marveled at the strange sort of way that the two of them just seemed to fit so perfectly together.

Shifting her eyes out the door behind her Maggie made her way on to the porch and slid her gaze to where the small group was slowly millin' about and getting ready for bed. Shane was slowly descending the ladder of the RV, the man's movements being watched by who she assumed to be Danny as he limped slowly over towards the chair settled up there. Her arms crossed over her chest as she continued to watch the group.

Callie's words echoed in her mind as she watched them wish each other good night. It was amazing to think that these people had only known one another for a few months. A few months; not the years that it would appear if you didn't know any better.

_Time is irrelevant._

Callie's words sliced into her head and Maggie let out a little sigh as she shifted her eyes to the house. Her fingers trailed down her side and slipped into her pocket where the small piece of paper that Glenn had passed to her earlier sat. She'd been blushing like mad when she'd slipped the note to him as she sat down next to him at their little campfire bonding. And then she'd felt almost ridiculous when he hadn't even so much as looked at her for the rest of the time.

But then just as she'd pressed her hands into the log she'd been settled on beside him she felt his fingers slip over hers. He tapped that paper on the back of her hand and she'd spared a single glance at him. The small tilt of his lips had her heart thudding wildly in her chest and she knew she wasn't gonna be able to sit a moment longer next to him without burstin'. She'd jumped at the chance to leave when Callie excused herself and felt almost bad about rushing the woman along.

_Time is irrelevant._

Maggie supposed that was true enough. Especially now. When the world and all but ended, and nothing remained but the hope of survival. What she felt growing with each and every moment she spent with Glenn was something she'd always imagined to take longer. But then seeing how Callie and good ol' Cletus were with each other; seeing how deeply they cared for each other and knowing that they'd only really known each other for a few months. It made her think that maybe, just maybe love didn't need time to grow.

Maybe it just happened, whether you were looking for it or not. Maybe that's the way it really worked.

And who knew what was going to happen tomorrow. Dad had said that he told Rick he'd consider allowing them to stay. Maggie wasn't really sure how all of that was going to work out, but she did know that it meant that there was a possibility that Glenn was going to be stayin'. That he was gonna be around for her to actually get to know a bit better.

That maybe what happened in the pharmacy didn't have to be a one-time thing.

And that's what spurred her to write that note to him in the first place. She'd felt childish in a way that had her chuckling at herself as she folded the note up after she'd written it. Childish, and yet excited in a way that only someone old enough to really understand that sort of excitement could really appreciate. She'd gone onto the porch to see if she could possibly figure a way to slip the note to him, and then Ben had bounded over tellin' her she needed to come with him in a strange answer from on-high sort of way.

And as she'd walked beside the little boy she went back and forth with if she was actually gonna pass Glenn that note or not. The feel of that paper had burned a hole right into her leg. Kinda how it was doing now.

She still hadn't read his response, and as she slipped her fingers over the paper she again thought back to Callie's words.

_Time is irrelevant._

'And not to be wasted', Maggie thought as she pulled the note from her pocket and opened it. She squinted in the dim light filtering out on to the porch from the window behind her and her smile fell. A small breeze blew over her, fluttering the paper held tight in her fingers and her blood ran cold.

"_The barn?" _

"Oh God," Maggie rasped out, her eyes instantly lifting to the structure off in the distance. She could just barely make out the sight of a flashlight beam as it circled around. In an instant she was off the porch and dashing through the grass. She didn't care if Danny, settled up on sentry duty atop that damn RV, saw her or not.

She didn't care.

All she cared about what getting to Glenn before he got to that barn.

She stumbled over the uneven path way down and skidded forward, her palms flattening to the ground for a moment before she pushed up and was running again. Her breathing was harsh and ragged as she ran, and she seethed as she saw that flashlight beam slip behind the barn towards where she knew the ladder to the loft lay.

"Shit," Maggie breathed out as she rushed forward. Her legs worked on impulse alone, pushing her body faster than she'd have ever thought possible. She made it to the back of the barn and stared almost helplessly up at the ladder that led to the loft. Her head rolled this way and that on her shoulders as she shook it in idle horror at what she was gonna find at the top of that ladder.

The sounds of the moaning and groaning people inside whispered through the slight breeze and tickled the back of her mind. Her conversation with Miles days ago filtered into her head and her eyes went wide with the realization.

_She ain't sick. She's dyin'._

He wouldn't understand. None of them would. They didn't think this was a sickness to be cured. They thought it was death. Plain and simple. Maggie shook her head and put her hands to the ladder, her forehead resting against the rung. A sound above her had her shifting her eyes up. She met Glenn's wide eyes as he stared down at her, his flashlight held limply at his side and his mouth shut tight.

Time may have been irrelevant, but what was in this barn was anything but.

'_Cause looking for heaven, found the devil in me_

_Looking for heaven, found the devil in me_

_Well what the hell I'm gonna let it happen to me, yeah_

_Shake it out._

_Shake It Out / Florence + The Machine_

_AN: I hesitated with this chapter. I wasn't quite sure how you would all feel about it and then I seriously thought about chucking it, but then I apparently grew a pair and said 'FUCK IT'. _

_I really wanted to give Lori this moment, especially after the wonder of what happened in the last episode. I read in an interview that Sarah Wayne Callies said that Lori always thought of the pregnancy as a death sentence. And I wanted to play with that a bit…Callie's revelations about her inability to have children play into that and will play with that a bit as we go on. _

_There were loose-ends tied up with a lot of things I brought into the fray in NM:SAFE and I'm really happy about that. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter… 'Cause shit's gonna be hittin' the fan pretty soon. _

_See ya next chapter!_


	39. Trust In Me

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_First and foremost, I wanted to give a quick shout out to all the newbies that have added this and NM: SAFE to their favorites/alerts/what-have-yous. I love getting those alerts and also love when I see people give into that unrelenting urge to leave me a little note 'bout what they're reading. I LOVE YOU ALL, and WELCOME to the crazy…that said-_

_CLUSTERFUCK AHOY! That's your warning folks. We're gonna be moving around and jumpin' and dancing to the beat of my crazy ass drum. So… if you get lost along the way, send me a note/ leave me a review and I'll work to clear it up for you. (Dude, that fuckin' rhymed *facepalm*)…_

_As always read, review and most of all enjoy the ride!_

_~michelle_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie) _

**Trust In Me**

Callie woke to the slight tinkling sound of metal hitting off of metal.

Her bleary eyes blinked open and then squeezed tightly shut as the pain of her fucking never ending migraine pounded back into existence. God, she was beginning to think _she'd_ taken the header down a ridge and a bullet to the head with the way her head was pounding. Speaking of…

Callie shifted and groaned at the twinge of pain in her back and shoulders. She'd apparently fallen asleep on her stomach after a less than restful night with Daryl. Not that she was complainin'. No, not one fuckin' bit of complainin' coming out of her mouth at that. But after what she could only call the best fucking workout of her life, and sleeping so long on her stomach, she'd put a good strain on her lower back. Callie groaned unattractively as her head rolled along Daryl's arm, which had apparently been stretched out as a pillow for her the whole time, and glared at the man.

He shifted a bit as she rolled her body a bit along with her head and tugged her closer into his uninjured side, confirming the fact that he was in fact fully awake and had been for some time. He didn't spare her a glance as her eyes hit him he just continued to stare at Bobby's dog tags as he twisted the chain between two fingers. She watched the tags dance around in the air, lightly hitting off each other with each twist of his fingers. Her fingers slid along his bandaged midsection for a minute, her face contorting at the flash of brownish-red that had seeped through, before letting her eyes slip back to the dog tags.

"You were gonna go," Daryl said quietly his eyes still on the tags he was twirling over his chest. His eyes still didn't skip to her as she shifted to look up at his face, but she saw the muscle in his jaw tick twice with the few unsaid words he was holding in. She waited, and he finally shifted his eyes to her a single brow sliding up. "You were gonna go."

"Is that supposed to be a question," Callie returned lifting a brow of her own as she shifted slightly in his arms. "Of course I was." She finished and Daryl stopped twirling the dog tags finally looking down at her.

"But?" he asked that bit of a knowing smirk tilting his lips and making her smile.

"Well, despite what you may think," Callie said as she slipped up and settled on her elbow beside him. "I'm not stupid enough to go out on my own chasing after someone that's probably not even there."

"You callin' me stupid, girl?" Daryl shot back gruffly as he shifted away to let her sit up.

"If the boot fits," Callie said quietly and was rewarded with a gruff stare and a huff from the man in bed with her. Callie sighed and sat up fully next to him one hand holding the sheet in place over her chest while the other raked through her hair as she stretched her sore back. She felt Daryl's stare on her as she moved, his eyes moving over her bare back as she shifted.

"You're gettin' comfortable here," Daryl said sliding one finger down her spine catching on the long scar that started at the middle of her back and ran down the right side of her spine before it hooked over her hip. He hadn't asked about it before, but she could feel the burning question on his lips.

"Broken car window," Callie said as she slipped her eyes over her shoulder catching his interested raised brow. "Danny's first and thankfully last attempt at stitches." Daryl nodded his head, as his eyes and finger continued to trail down the large angry area of puckered skin. "As for my comfort," Callie said her lips twitching into a smirk. "Ya kinda wore me out, Dixon."

"Warned you what was gonna happen if your ass kept wakin'me up. So don't blame me for your lack of a brain, sweetheart." Daryl said as he lifted the sheet to show his boxers off. She tossed up her middle finger at him and he chuckled a bit before settling the sheet down again and piercing her with a look. "You wanna stay here. At the farm."

"Rick does," Callie said with a shrug and Daryl scoffed at her as he twisted a bit to get into a sitting position. Callie tugged the sheet back to her breasts and scooted away when he made a quick grab for her, leaving him sitting on the bed in his boxers as she stood beside it in only the sheet. "He's been talking to Hershel about it. But it's not an easy sell," Callie said as she watched Daryl lay back down, his left hand holding Bobby's dog tags and twirling them over his chest again as he stared at them.

"S'why you two been diggin' into maps every other fuckin' second," Daryl ground out as he stared at the tags. Callie nodded and shifted around to the foot of the bed to where their clothes had been discarded.

"Part of it," Callie said quietly as she dipped down to slide on her bra and pick up a shirt. "We've also been tryin' to figure out where Sophia is. You and Glenn seriously did cut the map in half finding that trail, Daryl. We're gonna find her soon. I can feel it." Daryl grunted out his reply as she stood back up. She shifted the blue shirt up and around her shoulders letting the sheet fall.

"Fuck girl, this ain't some damn swap-meet. Wear your own fuckin' clothes," Daryl growled at her, but it was half-hearted as he watched her slowly slide her underwear back into place before starting to button the shirt from bottom to top. "Fuck, woman." Daryl growled out low in his throat as he sat up bracing himself on his elbows to be able to watch her better.

"Shut up," Callie spat back as she buttoned, feeling his eyes as they slipped up with each button she did up. "You're never gonna wear it again and you know it. And you were the one complainin' about me not havin' enough cooler weather clothes, so..."

"Bitch," Daryl snarled as she finished doing up the buttons to the middle of her chest. She sat down on the bed at that point and settled her face into her hands. She felt his stare roam over her shoulders and heard him begin to shift towards her. "Ya a'right?"

"Just tired," Callie said slipping her hands up her face and into her hair. Despite all the sleep she'd just gotten, disjointed as it was, she felt just so very fucking tired, and lost. And her head was pounding harder with each blink of her eyes. Daryl scooted further up and settled in beside her his hand stretching out to her and then pulling back. "I'm fine," Callie said as she turned to face him.

"Maybe you should hang back today," Daryl said finally giving up on his tough guy ruse and reaching out to put his hand to her forehead. His brow furrowed and he glared at her. "You're warm. Calamity Jane mouthed-off somethin''bout an infection." His gaze slipped to her left hand and he reached for just as she shifted it away. She gave him a smile and then got up to go find her jeans.

"Maggie," Callie said and he huffed out a breath and rolled his eyes. She smiled and patted his hand "I'm fine, really." She pulled away from him and glared when he reached out again. "Quit it. I'm fine. It's fine. I just want to find them." Callie shifted her eyes over to the chair where her brother's photo album sat and then back to Daryl who was grumbling angry as he shifted to pick up his pants and slide them on. "Rick and I think Danny's boy might be with Bobby." She sighed and picked up her pants sliding them onto her legs. "Wherever the fuck they are."

"S'what Danny said," Daryl said the agitation clear in his voice even as he tried to shake it off. He got slowly to his feet and stumbled a bit as he buttoned and zipped his fly. His hands flew out to the side at the sight of the clothes scattered about messily on the floor and he let out a disgruntled sigh that she couldn't help but laugh at.

"Just come get a fresh shirt, dumbass." She said chuckling a bit when he angled his narrowed gaze over at her. "You got all your bags in here thanks to Ben." Callie said kicking the bags. "Mine are still in the tent. Very thoughtful of you to think of me."

"Ain't stayin' in here much longer," Daryl grumbled as he slipped forward and snatched the compass off the window sill before stalking towards her. "Figured if you planned on stayin' you could grab your own shit. Again, don't blame me for your lack of brain, sweetheart."

"Such a sweetheart," Callie said as she tucked in the right side of her shirt—his shirt- and settled her gun into place. Daryl smirked at her and grabbed her belt loop tugging her forward, his eyes settled at her waistband.

"We'll go look," Daryl said as he clipped the compass to her jeans with the small carabiner clip attached to the end of it. "You and me. Once we get all this shit settled here. After we get Sophia back and figure out what the fuck we're doin', we'll go look." He paused then and pulled her closer, lowering his gaze to catch hers. "You an' me."

"And Miles," Callie said quietly her fingers trailing over his bare chest and shoulders before falling to her sides. His brow narrowed and she caught his gaze and held it. "I promised to take him. He wants to go."

"Kid wants to get away," Daryl said quietly his eyes sliding off of hers and down to where his fingers were tapping on the compass. "There's a difference."

"Either way," Callie said quietly as she slipped past him and settled on the bed to put on her boots. She got to her feet, and then closed her eyes in an effort to control the pounding behind her lids. She felt Daryl's glare as he watched her work to gather herself, and was silently thankful for his 'I'm only gonna say it once then it's your fuckin' funeral' type of attitude when it came to fucking common sense. She opened her eyes speared him with a small smile and grabbed her photo album from the chair. She made her way towards the door and heard him shuffling around behind her. He had followed her for a few steps then stopped, settling himself back onto the bed and letting out a sigh as he rubbed at his sore side. She'd put her hand to the knob and turned back just in time to see him slip Bobby's dog tags over his head and around his neck. She smiled tightly at him. "We'll go together. You, me and Miles."

He stared at her for a minute, the door cracked open leading to the main portion of a house that she hated to admit she was becoming attached to. His mouth twitched to the side and he ran his hand through his own messy head of hair before nodding idly.

"Ain't wrong to settle in a bit, Callie," Daryl said quietly his eyes lifting from his bare feet to where she still stood at the cracked open door. "Little comfort; little time to collect yourself," he paused and scratched at his bare chest where Bobby's tags had settled and then at the bandages around his midsection. "Fuck, you push yourself any harder you're gonna get yourself killed."

"Jesus, you really did hit your head hard on those rocks." Callie said as she sent him a small smirk. He shook his head and glared at her. "All these damn pots and kettles livin' together. Fuckin' sinful," she'd mumbled earning an odd look of frustration from the half-dressed man settled on the bed. The dog tags dangling around his neck panged some strange sort of feeling in her that she pushed down for the moment.

"Just 'cause you ain't out there every day-"

"I know," Callie said with a nod and a smile. "I know." She turned away from him at that point and opened the door fully. Before she left she turned back and smiled. "I'll be careful. No more stupid moves." She caught his unbelieving eye and crossed her fingers over her heart. "I promise, Daryl. No more stupid moves."

She held his gaze for a moment and then left him there to digest her words, her promise. She slipped the photo album into the waistband of her jeans at the small of her back and rubbed at her temple as she made her way towards the front door.

"Callie," Beth's timid voice echoed out and Callie shifted to watch the girl and Patricia slip up from their seated position in the sitting room. Beth exchanged a glance with Patricia and the elder woman placed a hand to the girl's shoulder.

"Somethin' I can do for you?" Callie asked as her eyes skipped from Patricia to Beth. Callie shifted and crossed her arms over her chest, raising a single brow as Patricia smiled slightly at her. There was something behind the eyes of both Patricia and Beth, something that pulled at Callie and had her stepping a bit closer and helping to bridge that gap between them. "What's wrong?"

"We want to come with you today." Patricia said very calmly, her chin tilting up as her eyes held Callie's with a strength that could only demand respect. Callie's eyes slipped to Beth who squared her own thin shoulders and nodded once. "We need to learn how to defend ourselves. Otis was the only one who knew guns and now-"

"I'm sorry it's not my call," Callie said quietly her eyes shifting over Beth's head to the stairs.

"We were hopin' you'd talk to daddy," Beth said, her face betraying her for a minute and allowing the sheepish look she'd been pushing down to shine through. She grimaced a bit and Callie's brows rose a bit more in shock. "He respects you. He'll listen to you."

Callie again tipped her eyes over Beth's shoulder and stared back into the quiet house. Her eyes skipped back to the room she'd just left Daryl in, his words about comfort and settling in echoing loudly between her ears. With a long sigh Callie let her arms fall and she speared Patricia and then Beth with a quick look.

"I'm not makin' any promises." Callie said, as both women smiled widely and nodded.

* * *

Callie slipped her hands into the back pockets of her jeans and rocked back on her heels as she stared at the degrees and accreditation on the white-washed walls of Hershel's office. Her eyes slipped over the neatly hung frames; a few holding newspaper articles neatly clipped and mounted, and a few holding photos with friends or clients.

She smiled a bit as the newly risen sun filtered in through the large window behind his desk and illuminated the frames. Not a bit of dust, not a streak or a smudge upon the glass. Clean and pristine; honored now even as the world in which those photos were taken crumbled to dust around them.

The creaking of the floorboards had Callie's eyes slipping from her inspection of the photos and over to the door. Hershel stood frozen with what she could only assume was shock written across his heavy features, his hand still settled to the door knob. Callie shifted her attention back to the frames along the wall and listened to the man let out a small huff as he slipped all the way into his office. She peered at him again as he stopped at his desk, staring down at the two mugs of steaming coffee settled there.

"This is becoming a bit of a bad habit for you," Hershel said with a sigh as he settled his hands on the desk and stared at the mugs. His eyes slipped over and caught on the small black photo album beside one of the mugs and Callie turned just as his fingers began towards it.

"Beth let me in," Callie said quietly turning back to her inspection of the wall.

"Yes well, I will have to have a conversation with her about that later," Callie skipped her eyes to him and smiled while he raised a brow. "Was there something I could do for you?" Callie stared at him, watching him shift his hand away from the album and back to his pants where he wiped it idly as he looked over at her. She smiled again and he let out a sigh. "If it's about what I think it is, I should tell you that I've already spoken to Rick about your group's stayin'. Ad nauseam," Hershel added with a long lingering sigh that had Callie chuckling a bit.

Callie held Hershel's gaze for a long moment before shaking her head and shifting her eyes back to the frames along the wall.

"He's a determined man," Callie said with a small smile still tilting her lips. "Almost to a fault." Callie shifted her eyes over to the older man quickly and back to the wall. "I'm not here about that. I figure you'll make your decision when you're ready to."

"Is something wrong with your man, Daryl?" Hershel asked, his voice taking on an edge of worry that had Callie instantly shaking her head. "Are you alright?" Hershel asked finally his feet stepping around the desk a bit and towards her. His eyes roamed over her in Daryl's blue dress shirt, her gun settled in its usual spot and her boots tied loosely around her ankles. Callie let silence fill the space between them for a moment and then slipped her hands out of her pockets and waved idly at the collection she'd been staring at for over an hour.

"My brother's a doctor," Callie began quietly, hearing more than seeing Hershel's footsteps instantly come to an abrupt end. She didn't turn to face him just continued to wave her hands towards the frames. "My dad was too. Both were career military men, both the type to go above and beyond."

"I don't know you well," Hershel said quietly causing her eyes to slide to him. "But I feel safe in sayin' the apple hasn't fallen too far from the tree with regards to you, Callie." She chuckled and nodded a bit as he regarded her with a questioning gaze.

"My dad and brother had offices just like this," Callie continued waving her hand around. "I feel comfortable here, and I can tell you do as well." Callie turned from the frames and faced the man still standing by his desk and waved a hand to the desk. "I was hoping we could chat for a minute."

"I don't believe that there's anything-"

"Patricia and Beth want to come out shooting with us today," Callie said cutting him off and causing his brows to rise almost comically on his face. "You wanna sit down and have that coffee now?"

"Patricia and Beth," Hershel repeated his eyes sliding back to the slightly ajar door as Callie slipped towards the desk and picked up her mug of coffee. His eyes came back to her and he shook his head watching her hide her smile behind the mug. "I now see why Beth didn't tell me you were in here."

"She's frightened." Callie said her smile falling as she lowered her cup. Hershel put his hands to his hips and stared at her. "They both are."

"They're not frightened of me," Hershel said in a matter-of-fact tone and Callie gave a sad little smirk.

"I didn't say they were," Callie said quietly. Hershel shifted on his feet and she let out a sigh realizing the man wouldn't be sitting for this conversation. Callie settled her mug back to the desk and tapped her hands on the photo album. "Your family is lovely. Inside and out," Callie said tapping her fingers along the leather and feeling the older man's gaze upon her knuckles. "They want to know how to protect themselves," Callie said quietly lifting her eyes to his. "I'm not going to venture into guessing why, I'd suspect Patricia's mention of Otis being the only one who knew guns to be a half-truth at best." Hershel regarded her with one raised brow and a slightly off-putting look that had her nodding. "I'm not going to try and tell you what you should or shouldn't do with your people. I'm just going to ask you to consider it. Especially now."

Hershel stared at Callie for a long moment his jaw clenching a bit and his fingers flexing as he struggled with the thoughts in his head. Finally his brow narrowed and he firmed his lips, one hand lifting in and pointing a finger at her in an almost accusing manner that had her smiling for some God awful reason.

"Why are you really here? And please don't patronize me anymore with your comfort in my office or your worry for my family." Hershel said his eyes boring holes into her. "While I don't think you're lyin' about either, I can tell that you have something else on your mind."

Callie shifted on her feet, her hand sliding back into her back pockets and she rocked back on her heels. Hershel held her gaze and she nodded her head before reaching out and plucking up the photo album on the desk. His eyes followed her movements and they both stared at the small leather bound album while the silence around them thickened.

"I didn't take any photos with me from home," Callie said quietly her fingers trailing on the album. "I couldn't. I couldn't look at them." Callie said shaking her head a bit before lifting her eyes to Hershel's steely gaze.

Opening the album she flipped to the first photo; her, Bobby, Suze, Sammy and Hannah smiling out at the world. She smiled down at it for a moment before she held it out to him. He hesitated and then reached out slowly to take it. His eyes shifted over the photo, taking in the faces in a quite reverence that touched her.

"That's a very handsome family you have," Hershel said nodding his head and lifting his eyes. His brow twitched as he no doubt realized that she wasn't with that handsome family. And that the tears shining unshed in her eyes would fall no matter what she did to stop them.

"Had, Hershel," Callie said blinking back her tears and shaking her head. She steeled her gaze at him and clenched her hands. "You see, by your estimation, I killed them." Hershel's eyes went wide and the album fell from his now limp grip and thudded lightly upon the creaking floorboards. His feet shifted him back one step and Callie smiled tightly as she bent to pick up her album.

"I don't—"

"Suze, Sammy, Hannah," Callie said pointing to each as she got back to her feet. "They got bit. Infected," Callie said quietly her finger trailing over the face of each one. She blinked again and felt the tears slide down her cheeks. "I shot them and buried them," Callie said quietly her eyes lifting to him.

Hershel's hand was gripping the desk beside him and she held the album out to him for him to again look at the photos.

"Bobby's still out there somewhere," Callie said shaking her head and again looking down at the smiling face of her brother staring back up from his position right beside her in the photo. "And someday I'm going to have to tell him that I shot his wife and babies. Someday I'm going to have to watch that news kill something inside of him. And I dread that with every fiber of my being."

"I think you should leave," Hershel said shaking his head and sliding around his desk, as if putting that barrier between them would somehow stop her words from reaching him. The movement almost made Callie smile. Almost.

"You think I was wrong for doing it," Callie said quietly settling the photo album back onto the desk. "You think I'm a murderer."

"I don't know what to think of you," Hershel said quietly his eyes lifting from where the photo album sat between her flattened palms on his desk. His eyes skipped to the photo on his desk quickly and then his head was shaking again and his hands were lifting as if he could wipe her out of the room. "You should leave now."

"I didn't want these photos," Callie said tapping her finger on them and again calling his attention to the smiling faces of the children and woman she'd murdered in his eyes. He glared down at it for a moment before slipping his now angered expression up to her. "I couldn't stand to look at them. Because then," Callie tapped the photo and shook her head. "All those months ago when this horror first started, I didn't fully understand. I didn't. I did what I had to do." Callie sniffed and wiped the back of her hand along her eyes finally giving in to the urge to wipe the wetness from her cheeks. "I did it and I blamed myself for their death for a long time. I blamed myself and put my life on the line for stranger after stranger after stranger in order to try and right that wrong."

"I don't understand-"

"I couldn't look at these photos because I couldn't stand looking into the eyes of the people I'd lost. The people I'd killed. It has taken me a very long time to come to terms with the things I've done in this new world," Callie shook her head. "And I realize that you can and will judge me for my actions. And quite honestly, Hershel, I don't give a fuck." Callie settled her palms flat to the desk again and leaned towards Hershel. "I've come to terms with what I've done. What happened to them. What happened to Jenna. And now I find myself able to look at them again and smile at their faces. It still hurts, and deep down I'll always blame myself. And no matter what I do I'll always have the image of shooting them burned into my head."

"I am sorry for your loss and the horror that you had to endure," Hershel began his voice shaking as he lifted his hands again to wipe at the air. "But I don't have any idea why you are sharing this with me. I didn't ask-" he shook his head and let the statement hang as his voice cracked on that last word.

Callie stared at him long and hard for a good moment, her flat hands sweating against the wood of his desk. Finally she pushed up and shifted her gaze to the photo on his desk. His eyes followed almost immediately and widened just a bit as she slipped a single finger out and over the frame. She smiled sadly as she lifted her now dust covered finger to the space between them.

"They're the same in the living room and the dining room," Callie said idly her eyes slipping from her finger to the frame on the desk. "Everything in this house is in order. Run in almost fucking military precision. Everything clean and neat," her eyes lifted to him and he stared back with an angry frown. "Except the family photos. Each one of those has a nice shadow of dust along the frames and the glass."

She held his gaze as she lowered her hand and wiped the dirt on her finger onto her jeans. Hershel stared at her and then slipped his eyes to the family portrait on his desk.

"You have a handsome family," Callie said quietly, echoing his words from earlier. "Daddy, his girls," Callie said looking at the dust covered picture, her eyes slipped up finding Hershel's eyes glued to the photo. "Wife and son." Callie leaned forward when Hershel leaned back his eyes flaring to life as he stared her down from across the expanse of his desk. Again she leaned down, her palms flat on the surface as she caught and kept his hardened angry glare on her. "Jimmy turned his father's church into a mausoleum. Kept his family there because he couldn't bear to-" she shook her head and watched the muscle in Hershel's jaw tick. "Danny and I buried my family after," his brow narrowed at her and Callie knew she was a stone's throw away from getting her ass tossed out of the house and off of his land but she had to push.

If her hunch was right, and everything her gut was telling her said it was, then she needed to push him on this. For the safety of the people sleeping out on his lawn. The people settling in here, and finding comfort and solace here. She needed to push. Needed to understand.

Because Rick wanted to stay here….

"You said it yourself," Callie continued, Hershel's eyes slipping away from the photos that he'd been glancing at and back to her. The venom in that stare damn near floored her but she pushed, because if Rick really wanted to stay someone was going to have to. "You said it yourself, Hershel. It's important to bury our dead."

"I've explained to Rick," Hershel barely got out, his voice so constricted by the anger he was desperately trying to control. "There are aspects of this farm that I will not discuss."

"I know what it's like to not be able to look at them," Callie said quietly, his eyes spearing her again. Mixed in with that anger boiling at the edge of his voice was a deep-seeded loss that Callie felt sick for rekindling in the man. She tipped her head to the side and pushed up off the desk, her finger tapping on the photo album. "I know what it's like. I carry the guilt of that day with me everywhere I go. I look at Ben and Gracie and I see Sammy and Hannah. I hear them-" Callie's head shook off to the side and she pushed through the press of tears and caught Hershel's gaze again.

"I'm not tryin' to force my beliefs upon you," Callie said, her words again echoing his from days ago when they'd first sat down to discuss Jenna. Hershel's head tipped to the side and he regarded her through lowered lashes. "And you are more than free to kick me out of your house and off your land for the line that I've crossed. But for the safety of the people that I love," Callie said shifting forward again her voice and eyes trying to implore the man if her words alone wouldn't'. "The people that are currently camped out on your lawn, with no more than a fucking tent to protect them from the horrors of this world. People that have given up their weapons to appease you. People that have put trust and faith in the safety that you have projected to them here." Callie slipped her hands back onto the desk and turned the dusty photo of his family towards him. "I just want to know where they are."

A heavy silence settled over them and Callie just stared up into Hershel's wide angry eyes. His gaze was bouncing between each of her eyes as he worked to read her, worked to figure out what to say. Callie saw the moment he made his decision, the brief flaring of his nostrils the before his eyes fell to the desk to stare at the album full of photos she'd laid out and the one framed one of his family. Hershel's head began to shake slightly as he looked at that framed photo, his fingers reaching out and sliding in the dust atop that frame.

Just as his mouth opened a soft knock sounded on the door and Maggie slipped her head into the office. The look on her face as her eyes skimmed over her told Callie that the woman had been standing there for quite some time. Callie shifted her head to the side and shook it before picking up her photo album and snapping it closed with one hand.

"What is it Maggie?" Hershel's voice was hoarse as he ran a tired shaking hand over his head.

"Nelly's back," Maggie said quietly watching Callie shuffle to the door. Maggie slipped away from it and further inside to stand near her father her eyes following Callie as she swung the door open fully. Callie glanced at Maggie and gave a sad smile, her hand reaching out and touching the younger woman's shoulder and giving a brief squeeze. "Callie-"

"Don't forget Beth and Patricia," Callie said as she turned from Maggie and speared the still slightly shell shocked Hershel with a glance. "Jimmy's comin'. I'm not askin' permission for that one. He's comin'." Hershel lowered his gaze in a quick moment of acquiescence and then watched her shift around to face him. "And Patricia's her own woman, but I know she'll respect your wishes on the subject. Talk to them, we'll wait until we hear from them before we head out."

With that Callie left the room, the little black photo album clutched to her chest. Idly she reached her fingers up and wiped at the wetness still staining her cheeks and let out a shuddering sort of sigh as she again made her way towards the door.

* * *

Callie let the flap slip from her fingers and blinked into the dimmed light provided through the mesh windows of the large four-person tent. Her fingers trailed almost forgetfully through her loose tangle of curls and down to rub at the back of her slightly sore neck. Her eyes trailed the interior of the tent that she and Daryl had only really shared for one night, and at that thought she found her eyes drag over to the rumpled mass of bedding that made up their bed.

Fuck. Their bed.

Callie's head shook a bit and she let out a slightly scoffing laugh. When the hell did that happen? When did she throw out all the rules that she had made early on in this shit storm and allow _that_ to happen?

Callie let out a sigh and again ran her hand through her hair as she let her gaze slide around the tent interior. The pulsing and pounding of the migraine that she just couldn't seem to push away had hit a whole new level after she'd left Hershel's office. And as she closed her eyes in an effort to gather herself, she contemplated heading right back into that house and curling up around Daryl for the rest of the day.

Callie shook her head at herself and crouched down to find a new shirt. She settled the photo album and her gun on the ground next to her pack and unbuttoned one more button so that she could slip the soft blue cotton of Daryl's dress shirt off of her body. She stared at it in her hands for a few moments and then folded it neatly before setting it down by the gun and album. Her hands slipped into her pack and she pulled out a fresh long-sleeved t-shirt and slipped it on, shoving the sleeves up to her elbows. Pulling her hair back into a messy knot at the back of her head she shifted to her feet and tucked in the front portion of her shirt so that she could slip her gun back into place.

Her eyes angled down and she stared at the blue shirt, gun and photo album for a few seconds. Something tickled at the back of her mind in that moment; something that suddenly had her blood running cold and her eyes flaring wide. She stared at her gun, at that album and then shifted her eyes around the rest of the tent.

Diving to her knees Callie's hands began to toss items around. She haphazardly removed everything from her packs, shifting through the contents twice before letting out a ragged sigh. She shifted towards the bedding and tossed the blankets aside, her head shifting to the side where she'd been laying. Her sightline shifted and she stared at the spot she knew it should be.

The spot she'd stared at for hours that night they'd slept here.

That spot that was now empty. Because all of Daryl's things had been taken inside. All of his things. But she'd seen everything he had in those packs, and it wasn't there.

Which meant only one thing.

"Son of a bitch," Callie shifted on her knees, snatched her gun and settled into place before dashing through the tent flap. Her eyes shifted and she felt her jaw clench at the sight of the group congregating near Shane's Jeep. She took off at a steady stalking half-walk half-run towards them, trying and failing to keep her temper in check. "Son of a bitch."

Callie stalked forward, half-listening to the conversation that was already going on between Rick, Lori, Shane and Dale. Her eyes skipped over the slightly embarrassed ones of Carl who was bouncing his attention between his parents, and landed right on her own target.

"I saw it," Shane's voice the end of his sentence caught Callie's ears and she looked to where he stood across from Rick. Callie stared at them for a moment but then shifted back on target.

"It's my fault," Dale's voice echoed out and Callie shifted her head slightly to him as she felt his gaze land on her. "I let him in the RV. Carl said you sent him in for a battery for the Walkie, I didn't question it." Dale shifted his eyes back between Lori and Rick and sighed as he rubbed a hand over his head. "You didn't send him?"

"No I did not," Rick said shaking his head at his son and then shifting his eyes to Shane. Shane shifted on his feet and returned Rick's gaze with a head shake of his own but surprisingly kept his mouth shut. Callie shifted and slid behind Rick to where Ben was currently working to sneak away. "Everythin' a'right, Callie?"

She spared him a single lifted hand and worked past him towards Ben.

"So not only was he carryin' a gun around," Lori said exasperated and frustrated. Callie's eyes slipped to the woman and caught her gaze for a second. "He lied." Lori shook her head and threw her hands up. "Unbelievable."

Callie's hand reached out and finally grabbed onto Ben's shoulder and stopped his movements. She felt Rick's gaze slip over to her but she ignored him as she glared down at the boy.

"Give it," Callie said holding her hand out. Ben's eyes went wide and his mouth opened to say something but she shook her head. "Not one word, Ben. Give it." Ben's eyes shifted behind her to where the rest of the congregated group was now watching them and he growled a little. His chin dipped to his chest and he lifted his shirt, which was one of Carl's old shirts that hung on the boy just right so that it completely hid the small silver gun settled into the front waistband of his pants. Callie let him put his hand to the gun before she reached out and grabbed his wrist. "Safety on?"

"I'm not an idiot," Ben snapped back and then obviously regretted it when Callie shifted on her feet and gave him a look that had his chin digging back into his chest.

"Coulda fooled me," Callie said as she slowly let Ben lift the gun out of his pants and hand it to her. Callie stared long and hard at the Fat Lady sitting in Ben's outstretched hands. "You take this outta mine and Daryl's tent when you took him his bags yesterday?" Ben grimaced but nodded his head lowered head.

"Jesus, Callie," Shane's exasperated voice echoed out and Callie's gaze shifted over her shoulder to him. "That's just great. Leaving fuckin' guns around for kids to just pick up." Shane ran his hand over his shaved head and glared at her. "Fuck. Ever heard of gun safety?"

"Fuck off, Shane." Callie spat back. "I don't need you tellin' me how bad this is." She shook her head at his glaring eyes and lifted a finger at him. "You picked up on Carl's gun right? I know damn well you saw his," she said pointing to Ben. He stared at her as she shifted her eyes around the group and then back to him. "I told you before it's about more than just you and yours. That's the last time I'm gonna say it." Callie's gaze slid over to where Rick stood with his hands on his hips. His eyes caught hers and then shifted between Ben at her side and Carl.

"What were the two of you thinkin'?" Rick said on a frustrated sigh, one of his hands lifting to rake through his hair.

"We want to help," Carl answered quickly his eyes skipping between Callie and his father and then over to where Shane was still growling at Callie's back. Callie watched Carl step slowly forward, his eyes catching hers forcefully as he implored her to understand. Again she was struck with how much like his father he truly was. "We want to help find Sophia, and we want to help protect the group. We can't do that without guns."

Callie exchanged a glance with Rick and then Lori before slipping her still angered gaze down to Ben as she clutched the Fat Lady in her hand.

"What did I say to you?" Callie said quietly watching Ben's little jaw clench.

"We want—"

"What did I say?" Callie repeated, each word short and crisp with no room for misinterpretation on the boy's part. Ben's mouth twitched to the side and his gaze averted to the side as his little feet kicked at the dirt.

"That you would teach me," Ben said sullenly as he continued to glare off to the side. His little mouth worked back and forth as he chewed on the words he was saying and Callie was struck by how much of Daryl had rubbed off on the boy in so little time. Rick slipped his hands to his hips again and caught Callie's eye with his own disappointed look. "Said that I wasn't to touch a gun 'till you gave me the okay. But-"

"Ya honestly pullin' a 'but' out right now?" Callie said almost wide eyed as she stared down at Ben.

"You said I could learn," Ben said over Lori's exclamation of them 'just being children'. He grabbed Callie's hand and dragged her down so that she was crouched before him. "You promised. After what happened with my mom and dad, you said-" Ben's mouth twitched and he again glared off to the side as he tried to steady his voice. The stares of all of the adults crashed onto them and Callie felt that weight settled hard on her shoulders. So hard it made the pounding in her head take a backseat to the pain that ran along her spine from it, the pain that tickled right into that deep scar on her back. "You said I wasn't a kid anymore, but that I had to wait 'till you said I was ready." Ben shifted his eyes up to her, unshed tears sparkling along his lashes. "What 'bout if I say I'm ready?"

Callie stared down at Ben for a long time, watching the boy's eyes as he fought with the emotions running rampant through his small body. Rick's eyes shifted over to Shane who raised his brows in a bit of confusion and Lori stepped forward placing her hand along Carl's shoulder. There were many things that Callie and Danny had shared about how and when they'd found each of their 'kids' but there were also a great many things that they hadn't.

"You sayin' I should just ignore the fact that you've been carryin' a gun without my permission for a whole damn day?" Callie said quietly to Ben, her left hand reaching up to grab his shoulder and force him to look at her. "You think that sort of thing conveys any sense that you're ready to me?" Ben's mouth twitched again and he shook his head as he looked to the ground. "Ben," Callie's voice had the boy's eyes lifting up to her and she took in a deep breath. "Miles had to wait. He's got years on you, and he waited 'till I okayed it. Why are you so keen on this now?"

"It's my fault," Carl said quietly and Callie shifted just a bit to watch Carl approach. "He told me about his mom and dad-"

"I couldn't help them," Ben said shaking his head and working to take the blame from Carl's shoulders. "I couldn't help them, and I wasn't out there to help Daryl." Ben's voice lowered and his eyes shifted over her shoulder to Carl and then the rest. He shuffled a bit uncomfortably and Callie shifted in her crouched position to try and catch his eyes. "I wanna help. I need ta help."

"We both do," Carl said again causing Callie's eyes to shift to the boy, Rick's hands were settled at Carl's shoulders now and he was looking down at her with a mix of some emotion in his eyes. "You saved me and Ben at the CDC, but the only thing I think about is the fact that you almost died 'cause I couldn't use a gun. Went out into the dark with all those Walkers alone because I couldn't-" Carl shook his head and looked up at his father when Rick's grip on his shoulders tightened. "And if I'da been able to use a gun maybe Wallace-"

"Carl, no," Callie said rubbing at her head and the pounding that was beginning to make her fucking dizzy. Callie shifted her eyes up to Rick and then over to Lori, an apology written on her face as she shook her head at them.

"No," Carl said shaking his head and stepping forward out of his father's grasp a bit. "I know what we did was wrong. We both know that. We're not stupid. And we're not going to stop wanting to help." Carl looked up at Rick and then over to Lori as Callie shifted slowly to her feet. "You guys are the ones not taking us seriously. This is a big responsibility, we know that. We just want the chance to help instead of always being the burden."

"You are not a burden," Lori said immediately her eyes catching Callie's.

"You are everything." Callie said nodding as she stepped up and put a hand to Carl's shoulders and then looked to Ben. "You get that. _Everything_." Callie let out a long sigh and rolled her head along her aching shoulders, her hand raking through her hair as she stared down at the gun in her hands. She lifted her gaze to Rick and held his for a long time, watching his decision spark in his eyes at the same time she'd made up her own mind. Shifting her eyes to Ben she stooped and got right into his face. "You listen to everything we say," Callie said quietly, watching Ben's eyes go wide for a second before a big smile slid onto his face.

"You can't be serious?" Lori's voice echoed out in Callie's head and for just one second she heeded it and clenched her jaw. Callie stared long and hard at Ben and then the gun settled in her hands and finally she shifted her eyes to Rick who nodded once before turning to face his wife. "He's barely old enough to ride a bike without training wheels," Lori implored, tossing out a hand at Ben. She shook her head as Rick stepped over towards her and she met his gaze with an incredulous look. "You can't possibly agree with this."

"It's Callie's call," Rick said quietly his hands settling at his hips as he spared a single look to Shane who nodded his head idly. "It's not a bad idea for them to learn, Lori. The world isn't the way it was anymore. Ridin' a bike without training wheels isn't a life-skill that's gonna come in handy anymore. Learning their way around a gun is. It's gonna keep them stay alive."

"I can ride a bike!" Ben yelled and Callie plopped her hand on top of his head shushing him, an apologetic smile on her face when Rick turned towards them.

"Carl was just shot, Rick." Lori said in a harsh whisper of a voice that carried heavily over all of them. "He is just now back up on his feet, and-" Lori threw out her hands in frustration at the camp around them. Her eyes slipped over all of the adults gathered and then settled hard on Rick and then Dale. "Am I really the only one that thinks putting a gun in his hand is a bad idea?"

"He has to learn eventually," Rick said quietly getting Lori's eyes back on him. She shook her head at him and he reached out taking hold of her arm and holding her steady. "Lori," Rick let out a breath and took a step closer to her as she backed away in shock.

"I didn't say anything when you took him with you out in the woods," Lori said waving her hand at him in a restless manner. "I wanted to but I didn't, and I should have." She searched Rick's eyes and held his gaze for a long time. Callie watched Rick's hand soften on her arm as his thumb rubbed in small soothing circles along her arm, and she couldn't help but smile just a bit at the action. "I should have."

"Shane is the best instructor I've ever seen," Rick said stepping a bit closer catching her gaze with his own as he dipped his head. "He's trained kids younger than Carl, kids just like Ben," Rick shifted his eyes to where Callie had settled Ben in front of her. "This isn't ideal," Rick said looking back to Lori. "I know that. It isn't ideal, Lori, but the world doesn't lend to ideal situations anymore."

Callie watched Lori's eyes widen just a bit, her expression unreadable as she shifted her eyes over Rick's in an effort to read whatever was in his eyes as he looked at her. Finally she firmed her lips and let out a breath as she looked down at the ground. Shaking her head she stalked over to where Carl was standing near Callie and Ben and grabbed onto his chin. She turned her son's pale face and blue eyes up to hers and spoke down to him with a force that only a mother could really truly produce.

"You will treat this with the respect it deserves," Lori said quietly and Callie felt herself smiling widely at the glimpse of the Lori that Rick had always described falling in love with. Callie's eyes shifted to Rick and she saw his eyes soaking in the sight of his wife. "You will listen to your father," Lori continued in that firm, steady, strong voice that Callie somewhat envied her for. Lori clenched her hand a bit tighter and moved Carl's face a bit closer to her, before lifting her other hand and tipping Rick's hat back a bit to see his eyes more clearly. "And if I hear one word about you not listening, or about you not giving this responsibility its due—"

"I won't let you down," Carl said firmly, the tiny muscle in his jaw flexing under the power of his words. He stared up at his mother and firmed his lips, mirroring his mother's expression as she too tried to control her emotions. "I won't. I'll make you proud, mom. I promise."

Callie let out a long breath she hadn't realized she was holding and squeezed Ben's shoulders lightly. Her eyes lifted and caught Rick's. He settled his hands to his hips and dipped his head to his chin as he nodded idly at the ground. In that moment, Callie knew that Rick was finally coming to grips with the reality of their new existence in the world.

* * *

"You really think this is a good idea?" Danny asked as he trudged along next to Dale as they worked their way down to the stables. Dale shifted his eyes over to Danny and let out a long sigh. "Gonna take that as a 'no'."

"It's not a no. I just don't know if anything is going to help," Dale said in an exasperated tone as he shook his head and shifted his eyes back to the stables that they were closing in on. "Honestly. I don't. If what Glenn says is right and he thinks that they're sick-"

"We can't stay here," Danny said quietly, causing Dale's eyes to shift back to him. Danny grimaced but shrugged. "We can't Dale. There's no bridgin' that gap, Dale."

"We can try," Dale said emphatically. "For the sake of our people, and the safety we have here. We can try."

"I'm with you, buddy." Danny said lifting his arm and wincing at the uneven ground as he limped along. "I just know the type of man Hershel is," Danny said quietly his hand sliding out to catch Dale's arm and stop them for a moment. "He's set in his ways, and believes what he believes. There isn't much room for other people's beliefs, or opinions."

"Well," Dale said with a small smile as he patted Danny's hand on his arm. "Good thing for you, I've never let that sort of thing stop me from trying to prove a point."

"Yes, Dale," Danny said following him and chuckling. "We're all very happy for your hard-headedness. It's made for great campfire debates." Dale shifted a look over his shoulder and Danny shook his head as he waved an arm for Dale to go ahead and be the first to poke the fucking bear.

Dale walked into the stable and Danny stayed near the door, his eyes shifting towards the barn in the distance. The barn that Glenn just dropped the bomb on having Walkers settled inside. Danny shook his head. When the boy first started stuttering out his excuses to Shane about not going out for gun training Danny had just figured it was about something juicy. He'd cracked a wide grin at the younger man and joked about something going wrong between him and Maggie on their little clandestine trip last night.

He'd seen Maggie making her way at breakneck speed towards that barn where Glenn had disappeared to earlier. And he'd been happy for them. Let them get a little happy-happy in the world gone fucked up. What could it hurt?

But as soon as Glenn had rambled off the bit about the barn-and Lori's pregnancy which had hit Dale pretty hard-a cold stone had dropped into his stomach. He'd let Glenn go off to that barn. Let him walk off with a fuckin' skip in his step thinkin' he was gonna get him some little bit of a pretty little farm girl to help chase away the woes of the world.

Let him walk into a fuckin' deathtrap.

Glenn of course had been adamant about Danny not blaming himself, about Danny not feelin' like he'd let him walk into danger. None of them had known. None of them could have known. And while Danny realized Glenn was right, it hadn't stopped him from becoming angry.

Angry with himself. Angry with the world. And then, wonderfully enough, angry with their fuckin' host.

Luckily though Dale and his strangely calming presence had set Danny's anger to a low simmer and let him see what they needed to do. So as Dale spoke about talking to Hershel, Danny agreed to go as well. To help. Because Danny did know the type of man Hershel was.

But in talkin' with the man, he knew something else too. Hershel wasn't the type to put his beliefs above his family. Danny figured the man just needed to be reminded of that.

"Your fields are lovely," Dale's voice echoed back and had Danny shifting and heading towards them. Hershel's brows rose, a bit of anger easily read as it flashed quickly in his eyes. Dale shifted to look at Danny and then continued on. "We were walking them this morning." Dale continued his head shifting as Hershel threw himself back into his work cleaning down the newly returned Nervous Nelly. "We ended up at the barn." Hershel's hands stopped and his heavily browed eyes shifted up to Dale and then over to Danny. "We heard the moans."

"That's unfortunate," Hershel said quietly his head shaking as he ran a brush down the horse's back leg.

"I'm sure you have your reasons for keepin' this a secret," Dale said his eyes following Hershel as he worked on the horse. Danny watched the two elder men dance around one another, with words as well as the movements of their bodies, and he couldn't help the bit of a smile he got on his face. Hershel and Dale. Ornery and Opinionated at their best.

"I saw the broadcasts," Hershel said quietly and Danny shifted to settle his back to one of the large support beams. "Saw the irrational fear, the atrocities, the panic. Like the incident at my well," Hershel said shifting to look pointedly at Danny.

"We put down a Walker," Danny said forcefully a bit of his anger flaring back to life as he was reminded yet again of Glenn's life being put on the line. "We did what we had to do."

"What you had to do?" Hershel said a bit of anger heating his voice as he speared Danny with a look. "What you had to do? Honestly, Danny I expected different from you after our talk the other day."

"Don't," Danny said lifting a hand and waving it in the air as Dale shifted his eyes between them. "I told you straightforward that I am not my father. I hold heavy to my beliefs, but I do not let them define my actions to the point of putting the people I love in danger."

"What danger? These people are sick," Hershel began but Dale shook his head and stepped in to the conversation again. Hershel let out a long sigh and glared at them both. "I will not have this conversation again."

"Again?" Dale asked his brows narrowing as he shifted a look to an equally confused Danny.

"Callie made a point to visit me this morning in my office," Hershel said his jaw clenching a bit and his eyes shifting from Danny to the ground. Danny's brows narrowed and he stepped towards the older man.

"She knows?" Dale asked and Danny shook his head as he watched Hershel.

"No," Danny supplied, causing Hershel's eyes to lift to him. "She suspects," Danny said as he shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair. "There aren't any graves," Danny said more to himself than anyone else, but Hershel's eyes speared him sharply as he limped around the room. "I didn't get it when she did. I shoulda," Danny said quietly his eyes slipping to Hershel. "I am sorry for your loss."

"I don't-" Dale shifted his eyes between the two of them and stepped forward to put a hand to Danny's arm. "What don't I know here? What am I not getting?"

"It's your family in there," Danny said quietly his eyes again shifting to where he could make out the looming structure of the barn in the distance. "They got bit and died-"

"They're sick," Hershel cut off what Danny was abruptly. Danny stepped back with wide eyes and shook his head.

"You're a doctor, how can you-"

"Danny," Dale's hand shifted and held on to Danny's arm stopping him from finishing his statement. Danny shook his head and spun around as Dale shifted towards Hershel, that calming presence yet again taking effect.

"Let us help," Dale said quietly. "We can talk to Rick. If Callie knows and hasn't said anything yet the obviously she wants to help. She wouldn't have let it go on without wanting to be able to figure out a way for us to all -" Dale shifted and spared a look to Danny who tossed his hand up in defeat. "Let us talk to Rick and Callie." Dale said quietly as he slipped around to again catch Hershel's gaze. "They're good people. We can work together. Make the barn more secure, keep everybody safe."

"Jesus," Danny muttered as he raked his hand through his hair again. Dale shot him a look and Danny shrugged out a noncommittal acquiescence tellin' him to go ahead with a wave of his hand.

"The barn is secure," Hershel said quietly his eyes slipping to Danny. "And so you know, Callie and I were interrupted before I was able to answer her questions. She doesn't know anything about the barn, but you're right. She has suspicions," Danny let out a sigh of frustration and then nodded, understanding exactly what the man was saying. "Keep this to yourselves if you really want to help." Hershel said his eyes shifting again between them. "Rick and Callie," he sighed and shifted so that he stood directly in front of them. "They're people of conscience," Hershel paused there, his eyes sliding to his hands. He took a deep breath and then continued. "They are, but can you say the same about everyone else in your group."

Hershel held Dale's gaze for a long moment before slipping around him and then heading for the door. Danny watched the older man go, his gait stiff as he steeled his shoulders and spine under both his and Dale's scrutinizing glares.

The stable was silent for a long moment as both Danny and Dale continued to stare off after slowly retreating figure of Hershel. Danny's rubbed his hand along the back of his neck idly as he blinked his eyes a few times to try and figure out just what the fuck they were supposed to do now.

"Shane," Dale said voicing the one name that had been clawing around in Danny's head as well. "He's talking about Shane."

"Yeah," Danny said quietly running his hand through his hair again. "Amazing how easily people read situations anymore. Fuck, I might be a genius but I'm horrible at that."

"No you aren't," Dale said putting his hand to his shoulder. "You've seen it for a while, just like me. You're just more apt to give him the benefit of the doubt."

"I was," Danny said shifting his eyes to Dale. Dale raised a brow and Danny shook his head. "Few things have come up that I'd rather not share. Let's just say if it comes down to the safety of this group and Shane's fuckin' pride. I'm pickin' the group. No questions. No hesitation."

"We need to talk to Glenn," Dale said as he hooked Danny's arm and began to walk him out of the stable and back towards their camp. "See if he can talk to Maggie. Then we need to talk to the group. We can't keep this a secret. It's too dangerous." Dale grimaced and slipped his eyes to Danny whose agitation was growing by leaps and bounds with each staggering step he took. "Shane's gonna see this as all the ammunition he needs," Dale said shaking his head. "He's gonna make a push and I honestly don't know if Rick or Callie is up for pushing back right now."

"Then we do it for them," Danny said. The harsh tone of his voice caused Dale's feet to stop and his eyes to shift over to Danny. Dale held Danny's eyes for a long time and finally nodded as Danny pulled them back into their slow progress along the path back to the camp. "I'm not about to let that man push his way into a position that puts these people in any more danger. We're family now. All each other has. We push him back."

Danny felt Dale's eyes on him as they walked, but he didn't turn to return the older man's gaze. Instead he kept his on the barn in the distance. He knew it was impossible, but he swore he could hear the moans and groans of the Walkers behind those wooden slats. Heard it as loud as ever as they veered towards where the RV was settled.

Heard sounds that used to only live in nightmares, and felt them settle deep into his bones and crush any happiness and safety that he'd felt during their time here. That fuckin' familiar sensation of hope and safety shattering to dust around him taking over everything else.

_Trust in me in all you do_

_Have the faith I have in you_

_Love will see us through, if only you trust in me_

_Why don't you, you trust me?_

_Come to me when things go wrong_

_Cling to me daddy, whoa yeah and I'll be strong_

_We can get along, we can get along, oh if only you trust in me_

_~Trust In Me / Etta James_

_AN: So much patchwork chapter working… goodness I can only hope this isn't total and utter crap. I was 'bout at the point of this chapter ending in:…. And then they find Sophia in the barn. Rick kills two dudes. Glenn gets a watch. Randall gets beat up by Daryl. And the barn gets over run…. HUZZAH SEASON 3. _

_God bless you guys for stickin' with me. God bless you. _

_So, honestly…that scene with Lori and Carl…that was fuckin' heart-wrenching to write (post that fuckin' goodnight, love bit). The whole I'll make you proud mom. FUCK ME. WHY I DO THIS?_

_Got a good bit more jumpin' around to do. But hey…at least I'll probably still be workin' on this shit when the mid-season break comes so…that'll keep ya busy right? _

_I'm SUPER behind on my PM's/responses to your reviews. Know that I love you and that I'm gonna work hard to keep up with it now. _

_Much Love~_

_See ya next chapter!_


	40. Where Did You Sleep Last Night

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_Shifting around in that same day as last chapter… I'm gonna be focusing on a specific character set this chapter, can you guess who from the title? _

_As always read, review and most of all sit back and enjoy!_

_~michelle_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Where Did You Sleep Last Night**

Lori smiled tightly as Rick and Carl both looked back at her. Carl's smile was so infectious that she couldn't help but let go of that bit of the tension that had settled on her shoulders and smile wider at her boy as he turned back towards the targets. Rick's eyes lingered on her for a moment and she ran her hand through her hair holding it back from her forehead to return his small smile.

It had been a long time since they'd had a moment to just sit and smile at one another. Almost too long. Lori felt a stabbing pain in her chest as he ducked his head and turned back to readjust Carl's stance and help him to again line up his target.

As soon as his back was turned, she let out the deep breath she'd apparently been holding in and let her eyes slide down the line of men and women. Each time a gun went off her body jerked and she wrapped her arms around herself as her eyes slipped back to Carl pointing his weapon at the bottle settled upon the fence before him.

The sounds were too much, and she found herself slowly leaving Rick and Carl to their training. Her eyes skipped over the lush fields of green and her arms wrapped tighter around her body. The need to protect the small bit of life growing in her was so strong that she had to constantly stop herself from rubbing at her stomach. Which was why as she walked she kept her arms tight at her chest.

The sound of a gun going off caught her ears and she turned to see Callie settled on her knees with Ben. The woman was smiling a bit as she worked to settled Ben into a proper stance Miles not far off smiling at them. Lori's gaze slipped behind her and her brow furrowed at how far Callie had put herself from the rest of the group. Not the group, she was still close enough to Rick that they could share smiles over the heads of the kids. Not the group.

Shane.

Lori firmed her lips and found her feet slowly taking her towards where Callie was settling back on her heels to watch Ben take his shot. She watched the woman rub at her head, obviously in pain, and then give a small smile and nod to Ben when he checked his footing with her before letting off the round.

The glass broke just as Lori came to a stop at their backs and she smiled when Ben turned around triumphantly.

"Can I have more than one bullet in the gun now?" Ben said excitedly. "That's five in a row. You said-"

"Jesus, yes." Callie waved her hand around and sent him over to Miles who was chuckling on the ground as he got out the requested ammo.

"C'mere, buddy. I'll show you how to load it up," Miles said letting his eyes slip up to Lori for a moment. "Hey Lori."

"Hi Miles," Lori said in return moving slightly as Ben ducked around her hip and dashed for Miles. She watched the younger boy almost slide to a stop and shook her head when he began to bounce from foot to foot. "He's excited."

"Yeah," Callie said from her position on the ground. "Still keeps goin' on 'bout Daryl teachin' him to use the crossbow." Callie rolled her eyes. "Swear to God those two are gonna be the death of me." Lori smiled and Callie eyed her for a moment. "Carl seems happy," Callie said shifting her attention to where Carl was settled in by Rick. Rick's eyes turned at that point and he sent Callie a beaming smile while Carl waved. Callie returned both gestures and then shifted her eyes back to Lori, lifting a hand to shield her eyes from the sun. "This still isn't sitting well with you is it?"

"No," Lori said turning her head and watching Rick reload the gun for Carl, his mouth moving as he no doubt explained something important about the workings of it to the interested and excited boy. She turned back to Callie who had risen to her feet and sighed. "I feel like an idiot because of it, but I just can't seem to get to the point where this is a good idea. Does that make me a bad mother? To not want my boy to have to know such things."

"In my opinion that makes you a good mother," Callie said quietly as she stepped closer. "To not want your child to have to know the horrors of the world, to want to protect him from them. I mean hell before, Danny and I didn't even let Ben and Gracie get out of the Hummer until we were sure the entire area we were stopped at was secure. We held tight to them, shielded them. All of them," Callie smiled and shifted to look at Miles who was working to get Ben back into position to take a shot at the bottles he'd lined up. "It's not wrong to feel that way. But it may be a bit naïve at this point."

Lori nodded and let her eyes slip over Ben and Miles, watching as the two boys worked together. Letting her hands fall from their tightly wrapped position on her chest she reached out and squeezed Callie's arm.

"Carl's getting shot," Lori said quietly as Callie's eyes continued to bore holes into her. "Almost dying. What happened to Jenna," Lori's eyes settled on Callie's and she squeezed again. "Sophia," Lori's head shook and she looked over her shoulder to where Carol was working with T-Dog to line up a shot. "God, it's horrible to think what it's taken to make us see just how naïve we've truly been." Lori shook her head again and let her eyes fall to where Carl was. "How can we ever hope to survive this? What hope for a future is there if our children are born in a world where they're expected to be tiny soldiers in a war that may never end?"

Silence fell between them and Lori let her gaze slide over each and every person lined up in that field. The echo of the gunshots were an eerie soundtrack to the sight of men, women and children standing in a beautiful field on a sunny late summer day. She stared for a long time, until she felt the touch of Callie's fingers upon the back of her hand.

A hand that had, of its own accord, lifted to settle over her abdomen where that little spark of life struggled to keep hold and grow.

Lori's eyes widened just a bit when she saw Callie's eyes on her hand and where it had settled. It was the second time the woman had caught her making a motion that she knew was telling. But as she had before Callie shifted her eyes back to Lori's and a small smile tilted her lips.

"How much gun training have you had, Lori?" Callie asked patting Lori's hand absently and turning towards the small backpack settled near where she and Ben had been set up. Lori blinked a few times as Callie dipped down and rummaged in the bag.

"I'm not really a gun person," Lori said letting her hands fall and walking to meet the woman who was now chuckling.

"I thought we just had this conversation," Callie said over her shoulder. "Maybe you need a refresher on the meanin' of the word naïve."

"Shut up, Callie." Lori said with a smile and a shake of her head. Callie lifted back to a standing position and reached out a hand in offering. Lori's eyes widened at the small silver gun that stared back at her. The gun had a reputation, one that had Lori's jaw clenching and her feet taking her back a single step as Callie continued to hold it out to her. "Callie—"

"You need to learn," Callie said holding the gun out. "This is mine," Callie said quietly her hand curling around the gun and her eyes shifting down to it. "The one I learned with. The one that has become something it was never meant to be. I want to fix that."

Callie flipped open the cylinder and shook out the single bullet that had been inside of it for God knew how long. Lori watched Callie roll that bullet in her fingers and then place it into her left pocket. Shifting the gun to her other hand she fished into her right pocket and pulled out a handful of bullets. She slowly reloaded the gun and then slapped the cylinder shut again before looking back up at Lori.

"I don't think," Lori shook her head and thought about taking another step back but Callie reached out and put the gun in her hands.

"This was given to me a long time ago by someone who only wanted me to know the importance of protecting myself." Callie stared hard into Lori's eyes as she spoke and Lori felt each word stab into her. "I perverted that," Callie said quietly again her eyes slipping to the gun now held in both of their hands. "It's time to retire the Fat Lady, Lori. Time to stop thinking about the horrid 'what if' scenarios and focus on surviving. Not only for our own sake, but for the sake of our children."

Lori stared at Callie, the sounds of the gunshots around them suddenly fading into the distance. There was truth in Callie's words, and much like Lori had come to expect and respect about the woman, that truth was harsh and real. Exactly what was needed in this world they lived in. Lori held Callie's gaze, realizing that the woman wasn't just giving up a gun for protection, she was giving up a piece of herself. A piece of herself that had more history and meaning to Callie than she'd ever expected.

Lori's fingers curled around the gun and she held to the unfamiliar weight as Callie's hand fell away. Lori stared at the small handgun for a moment before lifting her eyes back to see Callie waving her towards the line of people.

"C'mon," Callie said with a smile. "Let's get a few shots in before we pack up. Get you comfortable with the weight. She's small, so she's good for beginners. That's why Uncle Tug bought her for me all those years ago."

Lori let out a long sigh and shifted her eyes to where she could see Rick and Carl watching her. Right over Rick's shoulders she caught sight of Shane settled further off speaking with Andrea at the far end of the line. No more naïve expectations. No more easy ways out. It was time to take control. Lori looked back to where Callie was waiting and stepped closer. Callie worked to help her position herself and she sighted down the small gun. She let out a shuddering breath and felt her body shake with nervous energy.

"Don't over think it," Callie said quietly from Lori's side. "It's a fucking bottle. Right now, focus on the bottle. Later you can focus on the Walkers. Right now, it's just a bottle." Lori's jaw clenched and she shook her head slightly to try and focus her thoughts. She pulled the trigger and felt the small recoil, grimacing as the bullet veered low and imbedded itself into the wood below the bottle. Lori let out a disgruntled sigh and lowered the gun. "Not bad," Callie said patting Lori's shoulder and poking her hands. "One more."

Lori fired again and the shot went wide, and upon the poking of Callie she fired again. That third shot she hit the bottle. Lori smiled widely at Callie as she nodded and dug into her pocket for more bullets.

"You gave her the Fat Lady?" Miles asked, causing Lori's eyes to shift over her shoulder to where the boys had settled. She flushed at the sight of her audience and Ben looked up at her and twitched his nose.

"Daryl ain't gonna like that," he said quietly making Lori huff out a little laugh.

"Think he'll like it more than learnin' you were carryin' it around, buddy-boy." Callie said shifting her eyes over to the two. Miles chuckled as Ben's eyes widened at the thought of Daryl finding out what he'd done. "I'm not gonna tell him. Don't worry. As for him not likin' me giving it away," Callie said looking to Lori with a smile. "It's my fuckin' gun. I can do what I want with it. If he has a problem with that," she looked right at Miles and grinned, "He can bite me."

Callie's statement instantly brought a smile to Miles' face and Lori wondered at the hidden meaning to the words. She watched Ben laugh and shook her head when the boy shrugged and then worked his way towards Carl and Rick.

"Bite you, huh?" Miles said quietly as he walked up to Callie. "Nah," he said lifting his hand and smacking into Callie's shoulder playfully. "You'd like that too much."

"Get the fuck outta here," Callie swatted at him and he dashed away laughing and smiling at Lori. Lori felt herself chuckling and as she caught Callie's half-hearted glare she tried to school her features. "Don't you start," Callie said lifting a finger to Lori who raised her hands in mock surrender. "Get back into position and hit the next damn bottle, Lori."

Lori shifted back to where she'd been standing and stared out at the line of bottles along the fence. It was strange, but standing in line with the rest almost helped to dull the echoing sound of the shots being fired. The sound wasn't quite as jarring as it had been when she'd been so far removed. And for the first time in a long time she didn't feel the reflexive urge to lift her hand to her stomach.

For the first time in a long time, she felt a bit of power and safety and dare she say hope flood back into her.

"It's gonna be okay," Callie said quietly at Lori's side, causing her eyes to slip over to the woman she'd almost forgot was there. "It's not gonna be easy by any stretch of the imagination. But life never is, is it?"

* * *

Shane's eyes shifted down the line of people and narrowed at the sight of Lori standing with the little six-shooter in her hands. He watched as Callie's mouth moved as she spoke to Lori, and Lori's head nodded as she apparently heeded the other woman's words. Shane felt his lips turn up in a bit of a sneer that shifted to a smile as the bottle Lori was aiming at shattered. Callie walked up and put a hand to Lori's shoulder and patted it twice before motioning for her to do it again.

Shaking his head, Shane shifted his attention to where Rick stood also watching his wife. Never once had Shane known Lori to actually fire a gun. He'd offered a bunch of times to teach her how to shoot, both before and after shit hit the fan and the world ended around them. But she'd never been interested.

She wasn't a gun person. Or so she'd said.

Shane's eyes shifted to Rick standing with Carl and Ben, smiling down at the boys as Miles slapped a hand to his back. His eyes caught on Carl, watching the kid that had become so much a part of his life smile and laugh at his once-dead father. Shane's eyes lingered on Carl as Rick put his hand on the campaign hat on the boy's head shifting it this way and that as he laughed at whatever Miles was saying.

That shoulda been him.

Not that Rick couldn't teach him, but Shane was the better teacher. Shane had the training to make sure that Carl would be the best marksman he could be. And that's what that boy needed. He needed to be the best. So that he could survive.

That shoulda been him teachin' Carl.

His eyes shifted to where Callie was crouched down gathering together her things while Lori continued to fire at the bottles along the fence. He felt his lip curl no matter how hard he tried to control it.

That shoulda been him too.

Callie got to her feet and swung her pack over her shoulder, and Lori tucked the small gun into her back pocket shocking Shane a bit more. Together Callie and Lori worked their way towards Miles, Rick and the boys, small smiles on both of their faces. Lori stepped up and put her arms around Carl's shoulders and pulled the boy to her as she smiled over at Rick. Shane felt his stomach clench just a bit at the sight of that smile she was giving Rick. But then her eyes slipped down the line of people, over everyone else and settled right on him. Her eyes settled right on him and he felt it down to his toes.

And that smile of hers slipped just a bit into something small and private. Something just between the two of them. Her head bobbed in a nod and he returned it, his eyes holding hers as long as he could before she turned away again.

Turned back to Carl. Back to Rick.

"So," Andrea's voice broke into his thoughts and had his eyes sliding away from the happy little scene playin' out further down the line. Shane regarded Andrea out of the corner of his eye and let out a bit of a scoffing laugh at the smile on her face. "You're still here." Shane's brow twitched as he turned his head to look at her fully. The woman smiled wider as she worked with the gun in her hand, Jenna's straw hat shielding her pretty blue eyes from the bright overhead sun. He felt himself smirking at her and watched her attention shift to the fields and then back to him.

"So are you?" Shane said annoyed by her already. "What of it?"

"Just wonderin' what changed your mind?" Andrea said slipping her gun up and taking aim at the bottles set out before her. Shane watched her fire off three rounds and listened to the shattering of the glass as each bullet struck home.

"Probably the same thing that changed yours," Shane said quietly, watching her tip her eyes back to him. "You and Danny work things out?"

"That's none of your business," Andrea huffed out staring down at the gun in her hands. Shane lifted a brow and watched her fidget a bit on her feet. She let out a sigh and Shane chuckled just a bit. "He's just like Dale. They both mean well, but they think that I owe them _something_ for-"

"Saving your life," Shane supplied quietly. Andrea shifted a glare over to him and he let out a low laugh. "Yeah, I can see that bein' annoyin'." Shane said chuckling and reaching out to take the gun out of Andrea's hands.

Andrea lifted a haughty brow at him and he found himself smiling wider as her hand settled on her hip. He dipped his head a bit and shifted it to the side as he regarded her through his lashes.

"I didn't say that," Andrea said almost angrily.

"You don't think you owe them one for talkin' you outta 'optin' out'?" Shane said, the sarcastic twinge tilting his lips into a sneer as he said the last two words. He'd be damned if he was gonna beat around the bush with the woman. She'd been stalking around after him ever since they got to this farm, askin' him to take her with him when or if he left. Pushin' herself up into his business like she belonged there. Fuck if he'd give her a break when he finally had the chance to push a couple of her buttons.

"I think I owe _myself_ a life," Andrea said angrily and he gave a non-committal sort of nod. "You got something to say, Shane?"

"Not sure what kind of a life you got planned," Shane said slipping the clip out of the gun and checking her ammo. His eyes slipped down the line of people to where Callie was settled with Miles and Ben just a bit away from everyone else. "I mean hell you're just getting the shit end of the stick from everyone lately, ain't ya. Can't find pleasure in helpin' with the 'woman's work'. And then you try to make a change and step up at look-out and well…." He lifted a hand and smiled at her leaving the part where she shot Daryl off. 'Cause fuck if he didn't actually find part of him wishin' he'da had the chance to work with her aim before that little incident. Bastard woulnd'ta got back up that's for damn sure. Andrea shifted on her feet and Shane smirked at her. "I heard about the little verbal brow-beatin' that Callie laid on you the other day. How's that sittin' with ya?"

"She was upset," Andrea said quietly, her eyes sliding over her shoulder to where Callie was standing with Rick, Lori and the others. "She was upset. I pushed, and she let me have it. And she was right to," Andrea said slowly. "Hence why I'm here," Andrea held out her hand for her gun and he shook his head and returned it.

"You know Andrea, between Dale and Danny up your ass every five minutes. And Callie acting holier-than-thou when it comes to fuckin' everything, I'm honestly surprised you haven't snapped yet."

"Shut up, Shane." Andrea said angrily as she shifted her gun around in her hands a bit.

Andrea shook her head, and her eyes traveled down the line of people. It was at that moment that Shane realized something. Realized that maybe Andrea's little puppy act around him wasn't her just being annoying and pushing into his business. Maybe she really did want a change. Want something different for the group. The distance that she'd put between her and where everyone else had set up settled deep into his brain.

Maybe he wasn't the only odd man out in the group. Maybe he had a fuckin' ally afterall.

"You can't tell me that it doesn't bother you," Shane said idly as he shifted his gaze down to where Callie looked to be gathering her bags. Miles smiled at her and nodded and Shane shifted angrily as he watched them about to no doubt start on their search for Sophia.

"What?" Andrea asked huffing out an annoyed breath.

"Bein' outta the loop on everything while Rick and Callie run around like they're God's gift to the apocalypse." Shane waved a hand, his eyes watching as every started to pack up. Andrea let out an angry breath and again shifted her eyes to the small group over at the other end of the firing line. Shifting her eyes back to Shane she let out an irritated sigh and rolled her eyes.

"I suppose it would bother me," Andrea said tiredly a tiny smile on her lips as she watched him. "If I thought for one instant that's what was going on." Shane shifted on his feet and watched her again stare at her gun before shifting what he could only describe as a slightly amused look to him.

"What do you think is going on then?" Shane asked shifting his head to the side as Andrea shook hers. He smirked at her when she just lifted a brow and waited for her to formulate her answer. Her still not wanting to step on toes, was just fuckin' adorable to him. Opinionated ass of hers, tryin' to be careful and considerate. Just fuckin' adorable.

"I think they're trying to keep us safe," Andrea said quietly, exhaling sharply when Shane scoffed and shook his head. "They're making decisions that I don't want to make. And that they're paying prices for it too." Andrea said calmly. Shane's eyes snapped back to her and he held her gaze with his. "I have no interest in making the decisions for this group."

"No interest," Shane nodded and scrunched his face a bit as he stepped closer to her. She inclined her chin and stared at him and he smiled. "No interest in makin' them. A'right. But you tellin' me you agree with everythin' that's goin' down here?"

"Sometimes it's not about agreeing," Andrea said quietly her eyes searching his. "Sometimes survival is about listening and following."

"Oh yeah, I know that," Shane said still smiling. "I'm just finding it hard to figure," Shane said lifting a finger at her. "If you're so keen to just follow Rick and Callie and what they're layin' down for us here," he leaned in and she firmed her lips. "Why you findin' it so damn hard to just listen and do what you're told?" He slipped his eyes down to her gun and her eyes flared a bit. "You think I haven't noticed you still walkin' around carryin' that gun everywhere? Honestly? C'mon, Andrea I'm not an idiot. Don't make me bring up that shot you took on the RV."

A beat of silence settled between the two of them and Shane watched Andrea slide her gaze back down the row of people slowly milling about getting ready to head back to the farm. She shook her head and flipped the safety on her gun before settling it at the small of her back. Her attention flew back to him and Shane's eye narrowed at that fuckin' haughty expression on her face.

"And just what would you do differently?" Andrea said quietly her head tipping to the side. "If you were in charge?"

"I'd give everyone back their weapons that's for damn sure," Shane said angrily, his gaze slipping over his shoulder to where Rick was again collecting the guns. "This ain't some fuckin' picnic. People need to be able to defend themselves." He looked back to Andrea and sighed at her raised brow. Fuckin' woman. "I'd make the hard decisions," Shane said angling his head as she quirked her brow a bit more. "Call off this search that's nothing but a waste of time."

"It's not a waste, she could be-"

"Don't," Shane said waving his hand. "That kind of shit don't suit you Andrea. Don't let other people speak for you."

"But I should let you speak for me?" Andrea lifted her brow and yet again Shane found himself smiling.

"No ma'am," Shane said watching Andrea shift on her feet a bit in annoyance. "No you shouldn't." Shane caught Rick's hand waving and gave him a nod and a wave back watching as everyone else started towards the cars. Callie and Miles were making their way into the woods and Shane shook his head at the sight. "That girl is dead, Andrea." He lifted a hand when her head began to shake and he looked over to the side and shook his own. "It's not somethin' I'm fuckin' happy to say. It's not somethin' I want to be true, but it's the fuckin' truth. And I know you know that." He let out a ragged sigh as he stared at her. "You had to watch Amy come back-"

"Don't," Andrea lifted her hand and he stepped closer spearing her with his eyes.

"You had to watch that," Shane said quietly his mouth twitching with the horrid memory of that day. "You had to see it. We all had to watch Jim go. We had to deal with Jenna," Shane blinked past the pain of the slight sting in his eyes. "Do you really wanna put Carol through that? You wanna find that girl and make her see that? Make her put a bullet in her baby girl's head?" Andrea stared at him, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears. "I'm not sayin' I like it," Shane said quietly his eyes shifting to watch Rick and the rest pull of leaving him and Andrea to settle in for her advanced training. "I'm just sayin', for the good of the group, it might be time to move on. Because when we find that girl dead, it could be the straw that finally breaks this group."

Another beat of silence flowed out between them, and Shane watched Rick drive off towards the farm. The dust from the wheels of his car clouded the world around them for a bit and Shane shifted his eyes to where Callie and Miles had disappeared into the woods.

"Rick has never once made a decision for this group without discussing it with us," Andrea said quietly causing Shane's eyes to slip to her. "If you have a problem with things maybe you should discuss them with him," Andrea said quietly as she worked her way towards the car. "Instead of walking off when he puts his opinion to you. And then stalking around complaining about his way of thinking." Andrea lifted a brow at him and smirked. "You're not the only one who notices things, Shane. I've seen you walk off when Rick tries to talk to you." Andrea let out a sigh and settled her open palm to the roof of the car. "Maybe you should stop acting like you're constantly trying to compare dicks with Rick and start actually making an effort to lead us. People would probably be more inclined to listen to what you had to say if they didn't think that it was all about you wanting to one-up your friend."

"You're a bitch, ya know that." Shane said heading towards the car. He found himself smiling when she actually shifted and smiled widely at him waving a hand in the air to show her disregard for his opinion. Shane scoffed out a laugh and caught her eyes over the roof of the car as they opened their doors. Shane stared at her for a moment longer, watching her eyes as they slipped down to the hood of the car where their hands sat. Nodding his head he smacked his open palm to the top of the car twice, breaking whatever thoughts had entered into her headspace. "Let's go," Shane said catching her eyes again before shifting and sliding down. "Losin' daylight."

* * *

Lori paced her tent, her hands wringing at the hem of her shirt wildly as she sniffed back the tears that threatened to fall. Her mind was circling around the events that had transpired since they'd returned from gun training earlier.

The point when she'd gone to speak with Hershel and been shocked back to reality by his words. She felt her mouth hanging open yet again and lifted her hand to cover it. She could probably blame it on her hormones being completely out of whack due to the pregnancy.

Or possibly on the lingering fear that had settled deep in her body after spending so many dreadful days and nights at the bedside of her son while he lay clinging to life.

Or maybe it was just the idea of heading back out into the horror that this world was now. The idea of leaving this place behind for the desolate roads and death that they would have to travel in order to make it to Fort Benning. A place that they couldn't even be sure was safe and secure.

Whatever it was, Hershel's words struck her hard.

"_From what I hear you'll all be movin' on soon," he'd said glancing up at her with an expression she just couldn't read. "Fort Benning I hear." _

She hadn't even been able to respond to him. She just walked away, her hand settled over her stomach as she did it. The weight of the world around her had yet again settled on her shoulders and she was having trouble breathing with it there. All that power and safety she'd secured earlier with Callie at their makeshift firing range had fallen away as soon as those words left that man's mouth.

Because a gun would help defend against Walkers, but it wouldn't help her deliver this baby. It wouldn't provide a semi-peaceful existence with sustained food. It wouldn't give this baby even the slim chance of survival and a life that this place would.

Lori slipped her hand away from her mouth and snapped the other one away from her stomach as she let her eyes shift out of the tent watching Glenn shuffle around camp. She spotted Rick making his way towards the RV, his hand sliding out to catch Gracie as she shot past and almost tripped. He righted the little girl with a smile and then waved at Ben and Carl nearby. Her conversation with him moments ago came rushing back and again her hand lifted to rake through her hair.

"Hershel's expecting us to leave," Lori had practically seethed at him, her hand shooting out and turning Rick from whatever he had been doing. Rick had turned to her with wide eyes and she'd blinked a few times before shaking her head and leaning in. Rick slipped his hand to her arm and led her a bit away from the prying ears nearby.

"I'm workin' on that," Rick replied quietly as his eyes shifted to take stock of all the people around them.

"Working on it?" Lori had spat back her hand flying out. "He thinks we're leaving. Said it to me. He expects us to leave." Rick's head was shaking at that point and she'd grabbed his arm. "You need to fix this. People are settling in here, Rick."

"I know that," Rick said harshly. His angered response had shocked her a bit and she'd stepped back while he began pacing. "I said I'm workin' on it."

"We can't go back on the road, Rick." Lori shook her head, and waved her hand. "We have security here. And medical care. What happens the next time someone gets hurt," Lori's hand fell from the air and she had to use every reserve of her energy to keep it from landing on her stomach. "You need to fix this."

"You think I'm not tryin' to do just that?" Rick whispered at her as he leaned in. "You think I don't realize how lucky we are to be here? To have stumbled upon this place? You think I don't know what might happen if we head back out on the road?" Lori's head shook and she blinked back tears as Rick leaned in and put his hands to her shoulders. "I'm tryin'. I am."

"Try harder," Lori said vehemently and she watched him flinch back. He'd stared at her long and hard at that moment and she'd instantly felt horrid for saying it. He shook his head and then lifted a hand and walked away.

Now, watching him speak quietly with Dale, T-Dog and Danny she was left to realize just how horribly she'd treated him. Hell, how horribly she'd been treating him. Her mind went back to months and months before, when they'd been having more bad times than good. Fighting more than discussing.

When they'd hit that point where they just didn't talk anymore.

There had been a point when she'd thought a baby would help. That maybe having a baby would rekindle the love that they'd shared so deeply when Carl was first born. She'd of course seen the error of those thoughts quickly. Knowing that to bring a child into a marriage that was already working towards an end was quite possibly the worst possible solution to their problems.

She'd known then, before the world had decided to tilt and fall around their feet, that a child wouldn't fix anything. That it would just add more weight to the load that they'd already agreed to carry, and she'd thanked God and wept in the tiny bathroom that joined his hospital room when she'd found out she wasn't pregnant. She'd known then, and suddenly she felt foolish for not realizing that nothing had changed in that respect.

In fact, the reasons for not having this child far out-weighed the reasons to have it.

The world wasn't what it was before. There was no medical care. There was no way to even be sure she'd live to carry this child to term. Not only that, but the weight of this child wouldn't be just hers and Rick's to carry now. It would be the whole group's burden. This child would not only put a strain on everyone, especially if they were forced out on the road again into God knew what kind of predicament. It wouldn't just strain their resources, it would put everyone's lives in danger.

Each cry a siren to the hordes of Walkers settled out there.

Lori paced, just as she had paced for the past two hours. Thoughts of everything that Danny had said to her the other night echoing in her mind. This was a miracle. She knew that, and part of her was sick to death at the thoughts rolling in her mind.

Lori's hand lifted and pressed to her stomach hard as she firmed her lips against the sob that wanted to escape. Her thoughts rolled back to the thoughts of keeping the baby. Of telling everyone she was pregnant. Watching Rick's eyes as he fought his fear and held tight to his promise to love, cherish and protect her for the rest of her life. Watching him take the burden of his on his shoulders as only Rick could.

Then she thought to another man's eyes. A man she knew would feel the pressure of this child as well. Because he'd made it clear that he had feelings for her. Made it clear that he wanted her to be his. And she'd been his. She'd foolishly followed the easy route and been his, and now she knew that this baby could be his as well.

The sob escaped as a whimper between her firmed lips and she shook her head.

This baby would tear this group apart. No matter if they stayed at this farm or not, this child would be the last bit of weight added to an already unbearable load that they were trying to carry. This child would break them.

Lori's eyes caught Glenn's form as he stacked the few pieces of wood he'd just chopped into a neat pile. In a moment of shear clarity she grabbed a pencil and in a rush opened the small notebook on the table in her tent. Her hand shook as she wrote but she pushed on and finished the few words. She stared at them for what felt like a long time before she tore the page out and rushed out of her tent towards Glenn.

"Glenn," Lori said shaking her head against the quiver in her voice and blinking the unwanted tears from her eyes. Glenn turned and lifted his brows, his concern immediately showing and piercing her with a sudden heavy guilt. She firmed her lips for a moment and stepped closer to him lowering her voice. "I've been thinking about what you said, about needin' help. And you're right. I do." She let out a small shuddering breath and gripped the paper in her hands. "If you're still willing to make a trip into town-"

"Of course," Glenn said immediately cutting her off his eyes shifting around a bit before coming to land on her again. "Anything. What do you need?"

"I need you to get this for me," Lori said quietly handing him the paper. Her eyes shifted to where Danny was settled with Ben and Carl near the fire and she felt her lip tremble a bit. "And I need you to keep it between us. Please, Glenn."

"Of course," Glenn said furrowing his brow as he gripped hard onto the paper. "Lori -"

"Please, Glenn." Lori put her hand to his shoulder and squeezed and he nodded. "Thank you." Lori pulled the younger man into her and hugged him, a breath rattling out of her chest when his arms lifted to hold her back.

"Hey," Glenn said as she continued to hold him, his voice showing a bit of his discomfort at her show of affection. "It's no big deal. Really."

Lori pulled away and wiped her fingers across her eyes roughly before staring at him. She held his gaze for a moment and then nodded. She felt his eyes on her back as she walked away, and her hand lifted to cup over her suddenly dry mouth. Callie's words echoed low in the back of her mind with each step she took away from Glenn and that little slip of paper.

Time to stop thinking about the 'what ifs' and focus on surviving.

* * *

Danny watched Shane's fuckin' pastel green Tucson pull to a stop outside and patted Carol's hand lightly. He smiled when she peeked over his shoulder to look out the window and she timidly smiled back before she finished wiping the newly cleaned wound on his side. She pressed a piece of gauze tight to the stitched area and taped with an efficiency that he envied.

"Gettin' to be a pro now," Danny said idly, wincing slightly as he slipped Dale's old red and white Hawaiian shirt back onto his shoulders. The one the old bastard had laughingly mentioned Danny could keep now that he 'ruined it by bleeding all over it'. Carol lifted a brow and shook her head.

"Not really something I like to boast about," Carol said wiping her hands clean and working towards the RV's door. She shot a look at him over her shoulder and smiled. "Maybe you should stop pulling your stitches out."

"Now how would you expect to hone your newly acquired skills if I didn't keep givin' you somethin' to practice on?" Danny asked limping behind her and smiling widely when she chuckled and shook her head. He put a hand to her shoulder as she stopped to help him down the stairs and grinned at her. "Plus, you get to see me with my shirt off," Danny winked and she rolled her eyes. "Admit it, it's a perk."

"You're malnourished and dirty," Carol said in a dead-pan tone as she waved her hand. "Obviously you're the man of my dreams, Danny."

"Fuck I like you, Carol," Danny said wrapping his arm around her shoulder. His eyes slipped over her head to where Andrea and Shane were getting out of the car.

"You say that to all the girls," Carol said following his line of sight to watch Shane and Andrea. He slipped his eyes down to her and squeezed her against him briefly.

"Yeah, but I only mean it with a few." Danny said letting his arm fall from around her shoulders. She smacked lightly at him and then began towards Andrea and Shane, her hands wringing as she walked. Danny watched her for a minute and then slowly began to follow behind, his hands working to button up his shirt as he moved.

Danny watched Dale work towards Andrea and Shane and gave him a quick nod as he walked.

"You all fixed up?" Dale asked quietly as Carol met up with Andrea. Danny nodded but didn't remove his eyes from where Carol was speaking with Andrea. Shane's eyes drifted over to Danny and a smirk tilted the shaved headed man's lips briefly causing Danny's eyes to narrow a bit more. Dale patted Danny's arm and then motioned for him to follow.

"Anything?" Carol asked quietly her eyes drifting over Andrea and then back to where Danny was slowly limping towards them with Dale.

"No," Andrea said grimacing and shifting on her feet. "I'm so sorry, Carol. We'll cover more ground tomorrow." Carol nodded stiffly and wrung her hands in the small towel she had been using to dry her hands. Danny stepped up and put a hand to her shoulder squeezing once.

"Hey," he said giving up on the other half of the buttons and leaving the shirt open from mid-chest to neck. "Callie and Miles are still out there." Danny said quietly. Carol nodded but her gaze lingered on Andrea for a moment and Danny's eyes picked up on it at the same time as the sharp witted woman beside him did. That cute little shirt of Andrea's was on inside out. Danny's eyes slipped back to Dale for a minute and then over and catching Shane's humored eyes. Shane's brows twitched just a bit as that smirk grew.

Danny couldn't help the light chuckle that escaped his mouth at that point. He just couldn't fuckin' help it. He shook his head lightly when Carol slipped her fingers over his forearm as she headed back towards the RV.

"They haven't come back yet?" Andrea asked quietly her gaze slipping between Danny and Dale. Her eyes skipped to Shane briefly and Danny grinned at the blush on her cheeks.

"Nah, you know Callie," Danny said waving his hand idly. "No stone unturned. Sure they'll be back soon though." He said as he looked from Shane and then back to Andrea a couple times. "So how'd you two handle things?"

"Uh," Andrea stuttered, Danny scoffed at the sound because as long as he'd known the woman he'd never heard her stutter. "Well-"

"What happened out there?" Dale asked seemingly out of the blue. And whether the older man noticed the state of Andrea's shirt or he just had some strange fuckin' sixth sense about sex that Danny didn't really wanna know about, Dale's brow furrowed when he shifted his eyes between smirkin' fuckin' Shane and stuttering Andrea. Andrea's mouth opened but no words seemed to make it out of the fog, so Shane stepped in.

"Place was overrun," Shane said his beady fuckin' eyes shifting from Andrea to Dale. He lifted them to Danny and curled his lips just a bit and Danny firmed his lips before smiling tightly back. "Lucky to have made it out at all."

"Musta been pretty hairy," Danny said nodding between the two of them and then spearing Andrea with a look. "Got your clothes turned all inside out and shit. Crazy times," Danny said as he lifted a finger and pointed it at Andrea who was staring at him wide eyed. "Glad y'all made it back in one piece."

Danny felt Shane's scoffing amused fuckin' eyes on his back as he limped away, and he shook his head. He heard Dale let out a very fatherly 'Oh Andrea' and heard the woman reply with a horridly sharp and annoyed version of Dale's name. Then Danny heard her footsteps working to catch up to him and not for the first time he found himself damning his torn up leg for no longer workin' the way he needed it to.

"Danny, wait," Andrea called out and he shook his head as he sniffed back his anger. Why the fuck was he angry? Honestly why? "Danny," Andrea called out again and Danny turned on his heel to face her causing her to stop short a few feet away. She stared at him and he lifted a brow waiting for her to say something.

"What Andrea?" Danny said lifting a hand to the air and then letting it fall. He smiled at her when she rolled her head on her shoulders as she tried to figure out what she wanted to say. "C'mon," Danny said shaking his head and wiggling his fingers at her. "What?"

"Danny I'm sorry," Andrea said quietly reaching out to him. He backed up and raised a hand and she stared at him in shock.

"Hey, nothin' to be sorry 'bout honey," Danny said in as nonchalant a tone as he could manage. "Ain't like I put a ring on your finger."

"Not like it would have mattered," Andrea muttered back her eyes shifting to the side.

"Hey," Danny said anger heating his words and causing her eyes to snap back to him. He lifted his hand and shook a finger at her. "Don't. This ain't about him. It's about you, Andrea." he said and then firmed his lips again. "Just you. Just like always."

Danny stared at her for a minute and then shook his head. He really didn't know what the fuck he was doing even standin' there with her. He shoulda just kept walkin' away. Let her yell at his back for as long as she wanted to. But there was something to her following him and that look in her eyes that had him stickin' his ground and hearing her out.

"I-" Andrea began again, her mouth opening and closing a few times as she stared at him. She took a deep breath and let it out and he felt that deep exhale in his own chest. "I'm so sorry, we-" she looked back to where the Tucson was parked and Dale and Shane were talking and then back to him. "We got overrun and-"

"I know," Danny said lifting a tired hand and cutting her off. He let out a long sigh and raked his hand through his hair. "I know. Sex is your coping mechanism. I remember," Danny said staring hard into her eyes as her head tipped to the side in what he could only assume was frustration. "Mine's drugs and alcohol." He said with a bit of snarl on his lips, watching as her head shifted and her brow furrowed just a bit. "At least one of us can say we didn't give in and take the easy way out, huh?"

"Danny," Andrea's voice was again pleading and finally he'd just had enough. He waved his hand around and let a long breath puff out his cheeks as he tried to firm his lips against everything he was feeling. He stared at her and he just couldn't seem to push down deep enough and scrape up what remained of the asshole he'd been before this whole shit storm happened. Shaking his head at himself he scrubbed a hand along his cheek and then behind his head.

"You a'right?" Danny asked cutting off her second attempt at his name and shocking her into a silent stupor. She blinked a couple of times and he lifted a single brow at her. "You're a'right?" He repeated calmly as he lifted a hand to the air between them. "The Walkers? The overrun shit? Everything?" He held her gaze and she continued to try and blink away her confusion, or maybe it was shock. Who fuck was he kiddin, he couldn't read the woman to save his damn life. "You're a'right?"

"Yes," Andrea said quietly, her voice not the powerhouse he was used to. He nodded idly and shifted his gaze to where he could see Dale working to follow behind a stalking Shane and out of his line of sight. Danny let out a disgruntled sigh and moved to walk past Andrea and after the disappearing men. Her hand shot out and caught his arm and he glared at her. "Danny I'm sorry I just—"

"What do you want from me, Andrea?" Danny said shaking his arm out of her hold and leveling her with an incredulous look. "Honestly, honey. You want me to say it's okay? Fine. It's okay. No harm, no foul." Danny shifted a hand to the air and waved it around. "Ya feel better now?"

"No," Andrea said quietly her head shaking lightly and those damnable unshed tears sparkling in her pretty fuckin' blue eyes.

"Well, shit honey," Danny said shrugging and turning away from her. "I tried."

Danny trudged away from Andrea and all those fuckin' horrid things he shoulda known better than to even start with her and made his way to where he could see Shane and Dale having a rather heated conversation. Danny limped his way around just in time to catch onto the tail end of whatever they were talkin' about.

"You think I'm the kind of man to do that to my best friend?" Shane asked getting into Dale's face a bit. "Huh? Let's think about that, Dale." Shane shifted forward and Danny saw Dale hold his ground even though his body language clearly said he wanted to back away. Danny shifted forward, his anger riding a bit too high. "You think I'm the kind of man that would gun down his own best friend. What you think I'll do to some guy that I don't even like when he starts throwing accusations my way?" Shane shifted just a bit closer to Dale and smirked just a bit. "Hmm. What you think?"

"Problem?" Danny said coming to a stop at Dale's back just as Shane pressed past. Shane's shoulder slammed hard into Danny.

"Get the fuck outta my way, Danny." Shane muttered as she shot a glare over his shoulder. "Last time I'm gonna say that to you boy."

Danny spun the rest of the way around, a growl deep in his throat as he reached out a hand to grab for Shane but Dale's hand stopped him.

"No, Danny," Dale said, his voice a harsh whisper. Danny shifted his glaring eyes away from Shane and back to where Dale stood wide eyed and breathless. Danny turned fully and put his hand to Dale's shoulders lowering his eyes to catch the older man's harried gaze. "Jesus."

Danny let a beat of silence flow between them while Dale backed out of his grip and ran both of his hands under his hat. The older man's head was shaking back and forth and Danny let his eyes slide from Dale to where Shane had stalked off to and then back. Wincing slightly Danny scrubbed both of his hands over his face roughly and then stared through the slats of his fingers at Dale.

"Ya know, Dale," Danny muttered through his hands. "When I said we'd push, I meant fuckin' 'we'." Danny slipped his hands down to his neck and widened his eyes at the older man staring at him in awe. "Fuck man, you don't poke that bear without me again. Got it?" Danny firmed his lips and shook his head. "I think it's time for you and me to have why my momma always referred to as 'share time'," Danny said rolling his eyes at himself. "Let's go, young man. Time to tell good ol' Danny what you've been keepin' from me 'bout dear ol' Shane."

Dale's eyes were still wide as he slowly nodded his head and reached out a hand. That hand landed square on Danny's shoulder and squeezed tight as Dale continued to try and gather himself. Danny reached up and patted the older man's hand and let his eyes slip around the camp.

The words, 'beginning of the end' rang out somewhere in the back of his head and he tried to shake them off as he started back towards the RV with Dale.

Tried and failed.

* * *

Rick was gut shot.

That's what it felt like. Like he'd been shot and was bleeding out slowly; painfully. Each step was heavy and hard, but he pushed past that strange fuzzed feeling in his head and picked his path down to where Danny had pointed him.

Fuck. Danny.

Danny'd looked gut shot too. His wide eyes when Rick had turned to him holding those crumpled up blue packages. It was like looking in a mirror. The fact that Danny had known that Lori was pregnant, the shock of that settled deep down somewhere in the pit of Rick's stomach and rolled along with everything else. But Danny's words, his own helpless shocked response, helped to push it further down.

"Go!" Danny had grabbed Rick's collar and pulled him to his feet his eyes glaring at him. Whatever the man had come to discuss had flown out of his mind as he pulled and pushed at Rick. "You can be pissed at me keepin' it a secret later. You need to go after your woman." Danny stared hard at Rick at that point and Rick just stared back, the rush of blood pounding too loud between his ears to let anything through. "Fuck, wake up man," Danny smacked Rick hard, the sting of that hit waking him up and causing him to grab roughly at Danny's shoulders. "Good. Good. Now go."

Danny shoved him out of the tent and into the sun pointing the way towards the fencing that he'd seen Lori rush off to.

Rick's steps faltered just a bit as he spotted her thin frame settled on the dirt. He stared for a moment, his eyes blinking rapidly as he worked to steady his thoughts. There were too many of them though. All of them just rushing about and spinning around and he couldn't quite grasp onto what he thought he needed to. He only grabbed hold of what he wanted.

The anger.

He pushed open the gate and stalked onto that dirt road, and watched in silence as Lori lifted herself to a standing position. He wanted to go to her, wanted to get close and be able to see everything in her eyes, but he couldn't bring himself to close the gap between them. So he stopped and bounced in place for a moment as she stared at him, unshed tears in her eyes reaching down deep in him. Past the anger that he was workin' so hard to hold onto, past the confusion and just clawing down deep to that part of him that he didn't want to come through.

Not yet.

"Something you wanna tell me?" Rick said, sucking his bottom lip in between his teeth as he tried to control the damn trembling of it. His hand lifted out to the world around them and he waited. He watched and he waited to see what she'd say.

What she thought he deserved to hear. Because she was good at apparently picking and choosing just what he should and shouldn't know about her these days.

"We can't leave, I'm pregnant," Lori said her lips firming against her words and the emotion she was workin' so hard to contain. Rick's head began to shake and he felt the damn chuckle slip out as he finally used that anger to push the few feet forward.

"Are you?" Rick asked, lifting the crumpled packaging and then tossing them to the ground. "Are you?"

"I threw them up," Lori said, her voice quiet and defeated and again reaching down deep in him. He shook his head against the pull of it and held onto his anger. He held on to it and he turned his back on her pacing a few times as she just stared at him. "You can yell if you want," Lori said her voice barely a whisper in the rush of blood pounding in his head. He turned and glared at her and she tipped her head to the side, a pitying motion that made his mouth contort into a sneer of anger that he just couldn't control. "Scream if you need to. But please talk to me. Don't just be quiet."

"Talk to you?" Rick growled back, his hands flying out. "Talk to you? Like you talked to me?"

"You don't talk to me," Lori almost yelled back, her arms flying out. "What did you expect Rick. You've shut me out. You talk to Callie," Lori said her voice cracking on the other woman's name. Rick's eyes flew wide and he stalked back over to her. Lori held her ground and shook her head. "You talk to her, not me."

"Don't," Rick said angrily lifting a hand. "This ain't about her and this strange insecurity that you seem to have about her." Rick threw his hand out and turned away from her again. "This ain't about her. Don't make it about her. This is about you and me." Rick looked at her over his shoulder and stared as she blinked back more tears. Stalking towards her again he got right into her face and damned himself for it even as he pressed her. "How long?" He seethed pushing closer and watching her eyes go wide. "How long have you known?"

"Does it matter?" Lori asked confusedly and he pulled back. His eyes searched the green fields beyond them and he worked hard to push some of his anger down. It was boiling and rolling and he needed to control it.

"Days?" Rick asked quietly looking at her from the corner of his eye. "Weeks?" He squinted through the sun as it poured over her head and into his eyes. Her silence and the way her head tipped told him it was the latter and he felt the rush of horror that filled him at that. "And you didn't tell me?"

"I'm tellin' you now," Lori said softly and Rick pulled away from the brush of her fingers on his arm. Shaking his head he threw his arms up and stalked around, pacing out his frustration. The blue packages mocked him from their place on the ground and he snatched them up and threw them at her.

"No," Rick said watching her flinch back from the packages as they hit off of her and fell. "I found those," Rick walked forward and got back into her face his anger ebbing away to desperation. "So, so Glenn knows," Rick said feeling the sting of his own tears start to pang behind his lids. "Obviously, he got those for you. And I know Danny knows because he walked in on me finding them and let it slip." Rick shook his head as Lori's chin fell to her chest. "You go to them and keep this from me? You choose this?" he picked up the packages and threw them at her again before stalking away again.

"You want me to bring a baby into this?!" Lori yelled after him, her own frustrations and anger and desperation finally coming to the boiling point. He turned and glared at her. "We can't even protect the child we have," Lori rolled her head along her shoulders and Rick watched her mouth contort as she tried to control her sobs. She pushed on. "I screwed up," She said her lip trembling as she implored him to understand, and he did. Somewhere deep down in that pit of his stomach where everything was rollin' together he did understand, but he didn't want to. Didn't want to give into that feeling. "I don't know how we do this."

Rick let out a low shuddering breath and finally let a bit of that feeling slide out, instantly smothering the fire that had built inside him. Fire that had been fueled by more than just his discovery of her lying to him. Fueled by something that had been building between them since he first came back.

"Did you really think I'd make you have a baby you didn't want?" Rick asked quietly, his hand raising and falling helplessly as he stared at her. She shook her head and reached for him and he stepped closer. "I just don't understand why. Why would you keep this from me?"

"Because if I went through with it," Lori said quietly her hand reaching out to him and then falling to her legs. "It would be on my conscience, not yours."

Rick's legs buckled a bit and he shook his head, the tears he wanted to cry just falling despite his efforts to hold them in as he stared at her. Callie's voice echoed in his head for a moment, her words on Hershel's porch about what had settled between him and Lori eating them alive and how right she'd been. He licked his suddenly dry lips and lifted his chin only to duck his head back down and catch his wife's eye.

"I can't live like this anymore, Lori," Rick said and Lori's eyes widened just a bit as she stared at him. He firmed his lips and stepped a bit closer. "We can't live like this." He stepped away and gave her room as he asked the question that had become a weight on both of their shoulders. "Is there anything else I should know about?"

They stared at each other for a long time, and Rick saw the moment that she realized that he knew. That he'd known from the moment he got back to camp. That he knew her well enough to know that she was carrying a secret deep in her that she was desperate to keep from him. That he'd let her keep that secret. Let it grow. And that it was time to let it out.

"Shane and I," Lori said, and the words echoed in his head. He nodded, but he turned away. He turned because despite the fact that he'd known, hearing it from her lips still felt like a dagger to his already breaking heart.

"I know," Rick said quietly his hands falling to the fence in an effort to hold his shaking legs steady. "Of course I know. You know I know," He looked at her watching her face pale slightly and her hands shake as they raked through her hair. "You thought I was dead," Rick said through the rush of blood, his eyes searching the green fields as he tried to apply logic to insanity. "You thought I was dead. The world went to shit and you thought I was dead."

He watched Lori's shaking hands hover over her mouth as she grimaced and nodded. He turned his head away and watched the field again. He felt Lori's hand settle on his shoulder and he resisted the urge to pull from her grip. He resisted it with every fiber of his being.

Because if he pulled away from her now, they'd break apart forever.

* * *

Callie shifted her feet a bit as she listened to the sound of boots hitting the ladder as someone worked their way up to the top of the RV. She didn't turn, just listened to the sound of the shuffling steps as the person worked towards the seat behind her. The swish of the fabric as the person sat had her smiling and she peered over her shoulder just a bit to watch his hand lift and rub at the bridge of his nose.

A beat of silence settled between them, usually comfortable silence made uncomfortable by all the words left unsaid that hung thickly in the air between them. Callie shifted the rifle she held and propped it along the cooler beside her, her hands slipping slowly into the back pocket of her jeans as she rocked back on her heels.

Her stint at watch was over, and her eyes slipped over his head back towards the house.

"I'm not a man to ever turn down company on a long night," Rick said quietly, his voice so gravely it raked over her nerves and almost made her shudder as she turned to face him. He smirked at her in the low moonlight, obviously enjoying his echoing of her words. "But I know for a fact that there's somewhere you'd rather be." He shifted in the chair and put his hands to his knees. "Man you love, waitin' on a nice soft bed. Just sayin'."

Callie flipped him off and turned to face him fully, her eyes dragging over his ragged form. He looked horrid. Tired. Out of sorts. His eyes dragged from her for a moment and landed on the tent that he shared with Lori, the small lantern glowing inside. A beacon of light left on to guide him back. But Callie knew that he wouldn't be going back there tonight. He wouldn't be lying in that tent with his wife.

He'd be up here, keeping watch all night, because he thought he needed to prove himself the protector that these people wanted. Because he needed to prove that. Not to her. Not to the group. But to himself and his wife. His pregnant wife.

Instantly, Callie felt bad for even thinking to speak to him tonight. After what he'd told her happened with him and Lori earlier when she and Miles were out looking for Sophia. Callie sighed and slipped her hands out of her back pockets sliding them both behind her neck as she tried to massage the sore muscles and kill the migraine in her head. Rick shifted and settled back into the chair before just staring at her. She shifted on her feet and rolled her head along her shoulders but made no move to leave.

"So," Rick said quietly as he watched her with an almost unsettling amount of scrutiny. "What's on your mind that's got your legs so stiff, Callie?"

Callie chuckled and turned from him, her eyes sliding over the expanse of the farm. There had been quite a lot today that settled into her brain and kept her from just falling back into the comfort of that bed with Daryl. Quite a lot that she still needed to discuss with that fuckin' redneck. Quite a lot of different information, so much so that she was having trouble weeding through it all to figure out just what needed to be said. And what needed to be done. Her eyes closed and she thought back to her time with Miles today, and her conversation with Hershel.

"We should talk, Rick." Callie said shifting her eyes over her shoulder to where Rick waited patiently to hear what she had to say. Rick lifted a brow and settled his hands to his knees, his back slowly lifting from the back of the chair as he waited for her to continue. "I think it's time to start considering our alternatives." His brow rose higher and his head tipped to the side. "I don't think we can stay here. Not if I'm right."

_My girl, my girl, where will you go_

_I'm going where the cold wind blows_

_In the pines, in the pines_

_Where the sun don't ever shine_

_I would shiver the whole night through_

_Her husband, was a hard working man_

_Just about a mile from here_

_His head was found in a driving wheel _

_But his body was never found_

_My girl, my girl, don't lie to me_

_Tell me where did you sleep last night?_

_~Where Did You Sleep Last Night/ Nirvana (Unplugged version)_

_AN: Okay, so there were SO many awesome scenes that I wanted to write out… but I didn't. (Lori and Dale's chat, Shane and Dale's confrontation…the whole Andrea and Shane at the little housing development)… Too much! But I hope you guys enjoyed what I pieced together. There were reasons for each segment here trust me. And we've got one more backtrackin' clusterfuck of a chapter to hit in this crazy day (cause we need to catch up with Callie and Miles...and Glenn and Maggie,...and Daryl...)__and then we're gonna be moving to that all important horror (Barn-mageddon)_

_As an aside: for some reason (perhaps because I'm a child of the 90's and I can't help but have a soft spot for some Nirvana) I felt the pang of this song really hit home for the whole Rick/Lori/Shane thing…and then echoed a good bit for the whole Danny/Andrea/Shane part. I hope you enjoyed peeps.  
_

_I LOVE YOU!_

_See ya next chapter._


	41. Cough Syrup

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

Well folks, I did warn you of the CLUSTERFUCK, didn't I? And as I said at the end, we've got a bit of Daryl and his Itty-Bit, Callie/Miles as they have their little chat, a bit of Glenn/Maggie on their fun-run for Lori. Should be fun, hmmm…. I suppose this could be considered the filler of the CLUSTERFUCK, if you felt like labeling it as such.

As always read, review and most of all enjoy!

~michelle

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Cough Syrup**

Daryl shifted his way around the foot of the bed and plucked up the last of his discarded clothing and worked his way to where his bags were settled up on the bed. His eyes shifted towards the door and he grimaced as he shoved his hands into the open bag before him. Callie had left, and ridiculously his body hadn't been able to settle back into slumber like he'd hoped. Instead he'd been left to try and settle nerves that were unreasonably frazzled.

He'd laid there, one hand propped behind his head and the other workin' those damn dog tags of her brother's round his fuckin' neck for that whole hour. His mind circlin' around the words she'd said as she left.

"_I promise, Daryl. No more stupid moves." _

"Fuckin' load of shit," Daryl grumbled as he lifted a 'fresh' shirt out of his bag. Lifting the worn out blue flannel button up to his nose he snarled and shrugged figurin' it was as good as it was gonna fuckin' get at this point. Wincing he shifted the shirt around his body and onto his shoulders, his eyes skipped to the door again as he began to button.

The woman was probably still shufflin' about somewhere, and he knew she'd pitch a fit about him restin' up more if he moved his shit back out to their tent while she was still around. Fuckin' hypocrite. No more stupid moves his ass. If she was done makin' stupid moves her ass woulda stayed in bed with him and rested too. Growlin' low in his throat he buttoned his shirt about halfway up and then gave up, his eyes roamin' around the room lookin' for his fucked up, horribly laced boots.

His eyes skipped around the room three times before he realized that the fuckin' things weren't there.

"Son of a bitch. Gonna kill that woman," Daryl growled as he worked his way towards the door. He regretted throwin' it open as harshly as he did the moment it banged back off of the wall behind him. Shakin' his head he ran a tired hand through his dirty, disheveled, fuckin' grown-out hair and scratched at the odd sensation of the hairs tickling the back of his neck.

He'd never been one for longer hair, more 'cause of Merle than personal choice. He could have gave two rat's asses 'bout what his fuckin' hair looked like on any given day. Merle's militant side had always pushed through at the point of it reachin' past his ears and had the man shovin' Daryl down every fuckin' month into a chair so he could hack away at it.

'_No brother of mine's gonna be runnin' 'round like some pussy with fuckin' Fabio hair.'_ The words had always cracked Daryl up, earnin' him a whack to the head and a few askew clumps of hair for good measure. Rubbing at the back of his head where he could still feel the slight difference in lengths, that were probably less noticeable now than before, he couldn't help but crack a smile.

Daryl walked his way out into the house proper and then stopped, suddenly feelin' a bit out of place and oddly self-conscious. Shifting his eyes over the dust covered family photos in the living room he shifted on his sock clad feet at the sound of a small giggle.

A little-bitty baby giggle that he recognized from months ago. One that he felt like he hadn't heard in a lifetime.

Narrowing his brow he let his hand fall from the back of his head and winced a bit as he shifted towards that sound. That tiny little sound that lit up a strange sort of sensation in Daryl's chest and had his breath catching when he stopped in the doorway.

Gracie was sitting on the floor with Maggie. One of his boots was set off to the side, while Maggie was workin' slowly to lace up the one settled between her thighs. Daryl shifted a bit so that he could watch them without alertin' them and let his eyes roam over Gracie's face as the girl smiled and sat forward.

"Okay," Maggie said holding the lace up for Gracie, a smile on both of their faces. "Ya see this, Gracie? Now, watch 'cause you're gonna do yours next." Maggie lowered the lace and Gracie leaned forward a bit more and watched Maggie do up the laces.

Daryl watched for a few seconds more as Maggie finished lacin' up his boots. She smiled widely as Gracie took the boot from her and held it up close to her face for inspection. Maggie's head was still shaking and a single brow lifted as she shoved a tiny pair of boots towards the little girl.

"C'mon, you show me," Maggie said shifting so that she was settled on her hip as Gracie spread her legs wide and began lacin' up the boots. Daryl shifted into the room slowly, angling around to lean on the piano that was settled near the window and put a hip to the piano so that he could watch the little girl lace up her boots.

Maggie's eyes lifted to him, a haughty tilt to one brow that he couldn't help but return. Without him havin' to ask, Maggie quietly returned her gaze to Gracie and left him to watch unbeknownst to the little girl concentrating on her task. Maggie's hands went out to help the girl but were smacked away as Gracie's little mouth twitched to the side. The younger woman slipped an amused look up to him and he shrugged in his spot. After a few minutes Gracie got both boots laced up and slipped on to her feet.

Maggie then shifted to her knees so that she could help the girl tie them up and Daryl was suddenly struck with the image of Amy doin' the same thing. The image young woman's blonde head and wide smile shinin' in the sun at the Quarry as she taught Gracie how to tie up the pair of boots that Callie had found on the road for her. The boots that were too big for the little girl's feet but better protection than the tiny tennis shoes she'd been wearing.

Boots that looked nothin' like the one's currently settled on the girl's feet. No, the ones on her feet looked to be older, more worn in, but a much better fit on her. Daryl's brow twitched as he shifted along the piano and stepped a bit closer to watch Gracie wiggle her newly booted feet.

"Was wonderin' who stole my boots," Daryl grumbled as he crossed his arms over his chest. Gracie's head popped up from lookin' at her feet at that point and she beamed-she fuckin' beamed-at him before scrambling to her feet. She ducked around the still sitting Maggie and snatched up his boots then ran towards him.

Daryl let his arms fall and his hands reach out for his the girl, and his boots. Gracie surprised him by tossin' his boots to the floor and grabbin' his hand tuggin' him towards the little bench seat at the piano. She tugged at him and pushed at him until he looked up in utter confusion at the now standing and fuckin' chucklin' Maggie.

"I'm no expert in readin' silent children's signals," Maggie said crossing her arms over her chest. "But I'm guessin' she wants to help you to sit so she can help you put your boots on there, Cletus."

"I can put my own damn boots on," Daryl growled at Maggie and then glared down at the little girl. Gracie settled her hands onto her hips and pointed a finger to the bench, causing Maggie to chuckle a bit louder. "Laugh it up, Calamity Jane. Laugh it up."

"According to Danny, Callie told her to help you while she was gone," Maggie said causing Daryl to look up at her as he settled himself gingerly onto the bench. "Said to make sure she kept an eye on you and that you took it easy."

"Fuckin'-" Daryl glared down at Gracie as she tried to work his boot on. "Gimme that," Daryl said snatchin' the boot out of the girl's hands. Shifting his head on his shoulders and rollin' his eyes at the pout that settled on the girl's face as she huffed at him he sighed and put on both boots. "You tie 'em."

Daryl watched Gracie immediately plop to the ground at his feet and dive her hands towards the laces grinnin' like a fool. His eyes shifted up to Maggie who settled herself near them and watched Gracie work with a smile of her own. Shifting his mouth around a bit Daryl scratched at his chest where the dog tags were hanging and let his eyes roam around a bit before settling on Maggie's raised brow.

"She still here?" Daryl asked grunting a bit when he felt Gracie tug hard on the laces to make them tighter.

"She was in with dad," Maggie said quietly, her eyes shifting to the doorway for a moment before settling back on him. Some kind of darkness rolled over her expression in that moment and Daryl's eyes shifted uncomfortably away from the young woman and down to Gracie's head. "But I think she went out to see Rick," Maggie's eyes shifted to the ground for a minute watching Gracie and then she looked back up to him catching his eyes. "I think they're still out there. Did you need me to -"

"She take them antibiotics last night?" Daryl said cutting her off. He watched her eyes widen for a moment with the quickness of his question and then she opened her mouth, her head already makin' that shakin' movement that he'd been expecting her to. He sighed and raked his hand through his hair as he listened to her.

"She said she didn't need them," Maggie said quietly, her arms tightening a bit around her chest as she looked at him. "Said she was feelin' better and that we should save 'em for you and Carl, since you two were still on the mend." Maggie's head shook a bit more and she shifted on her feet jutting out a hip as she lifted a brow. "I'm guessin' she lied." Daryl rolled his eyes at her and Maggie shook her head more. "Y'all are the worst patients in the world. Good Lord, a twelve-year-old listens better than two people that should know better when it comes to infections. There ain't a hospital that's gonna be able to help—"

"I know that," Daryl practically seethed his hands raking through his hair as he shifted his slightly grimacing face down to Gracie's up turned face. He reached down, wincing slightly and lifted the girl up and onto his lap. "Sorry," he muttered to the little girl as he shifted his feet around a bit. "Good job, Itty-bit. Got 'em good an' tight." Daryl looked up at Maggie and raised a brow.

"Been tyin' up my daddy's boots since I was 'bout her age," Maggie said smiling at Gracie slightly as she yet again answered his unasked question. "He always said you gotta be able to tie boots up right to survive on this farm. Figure it couldn't hurt to pass the knowledge down."

Daryl nodded and put his hand to Gracie's head and ruffled her hair earning another smile from the girl. Maggie huffed out a sigh and he ignored her as he shifted and looked at Gracie's boots as she held her legs out for inspection. "Got you some nice boots now, huh?" Daryl's eyes lifted to Maggie who smiled tightly back.

"Mom kept everything," Maggie said with a bit of a sad smile her eyes tilting to the ground for a moment before skipping back up to him. "Callie had mentioned that Ben and Gracie didn't really have much in the way of winter clothes. I went up to see what we had in the attic that might fit 'em," Maggie looked at the little girl swinging her feet as she sat on Daryl's lap. "Boots she had were way too big for her. She woulda got hurt runnin' 'round in them eventually."

Daryl nodded and shifted the girl off of his lap and onto the floor. Gracie stood there in her little sundress that had seen better days, and a pair of jeans that were ripped in each knee. Along her shoulders she had a hooded sweatshirt that he figured must have been part of the stuff that Maggie had given her. It hung a bit big on her tiny body but provided more warmth than anything else they'd been able to find for her. Putting his hands on his knees he caught Gracie's gaze with his.

"You say thank you?" Daryl asked quietly and Gracie sucked her bottom lip and averted her eyes. Daryl sighed and pushed her towards Maggie. "Go on," Daryl shoved the little pouting girl towards the wide eyed Maggie and crossed his arms over his chest. Gracie shifted her eyes back to him and he lifted a brow. "Ain't gonna ask you to do it again," Daryl said gruffly.

Gracie slipped forward and tugged on Maggie's hands dragging the younger woman down so that she could put her cupped hand to Maggie's ear. Daryl craned his neck just a bit to listen but wasn't able to make out a single word. He figured by the way Maggie smiled down at Gracie when she leaned back on her heels that it was said.

"You're very welcome, Gracie." Maggie said slipping her eyes from the girl to Daryl.

"Go get Miles for me," Daryl said to Gracie who stared at him for a minute. "Go on," Daryl waved his hand and shifted on his seat a bit. "'Fore they leave." Gracie dashed out of the room and left Maggie to stare at the doorway, while Daryl was left to stare at Maggie.

"Why doesn't she talk?" Maggie said as her arms lifted to wrap around her midsection. Daryl bit on the inside of his cheek and watched Maggie's eyes slide back to him as she waited for him to answer.

"Last person she was with that spoke loud got torn into by a Walker right in front of her," Daryl said watching Maggie's eyes widen in shock. "Guess she figures it's safer to be quiet all the time than risk it." He held Maggie's gaze for a moment before sighing. "We're workin' on it." Rakin' his hand through his hair he watched Maggie hug herself a bit tighter and scratched again at the back of his head. "Get those meds Callie didn't take and bring 'em back to me," Daryl said earning a shocked look from Maggie. "She was burnin' up this mornin'," Daryl said quietly and then waved his hand at her shooing her. "Go on."

"You're a rude son of a bitch, ain't ya?" Maggie turned from him in a huff and Daryl smirked at her when she turned back to him. Maggie tilted her head to the side and again lifted a brow before smirking at him. "I'll just bring back that dose you refused last night too, then. Hmmm?"

"Fuck you, Calamity Jane." Daryl said lifting a stiff middle finger at the now chuckling girl at the doorway. His hand lowered tiredly as he shifted his eyes to watch Gracie's sun-kissed brown curls dart across the lawn. Shifting his eyes to his own feet he rolled his ankles around and sighed. "Thanks," he muttered to his feet and listened intently to the room before lifting his eyes back to her.

"Anytime, Cletus," Maggie said in return a tiny smile on her lips. "Anytime."

* * *

Callie slid her hand over the map spread out on the dirt before her and tapped her finger along the line of hand marked spots that showed the spread of hunting cabins. Catching her finger into the small tear a bit further off she cracked a small grin at the memory of the slightly aggravated Glenn explaining how Daryl had taken his frustrations out on his map.

Shifting on the ground she lifted her hand to rub at the bridge of her nose and rolled her head along her sore shoulders. They'd been out here for a few hours now, just her and Miles. They were close to the flat lands that they'd traveled to get Jenna's body and nearing a cluster of hunting cabins. If what Glenn and Daryl had said about the other house was true, it wouldn't be too farfetched for Sophia to have sought out refuge in a similar house.

With the close proximity of the cabins to the ravine area where Daryl had stumbled upon Sophia's doll, Callie was clinging to the hope that maybe, just maybe, they'd actually find the girl today. Clinging with hands so sore from grasping at thin tendrils of hope that she actually felt like her palms were bleeding as she wrung them absently on her lap before returning to rub idly at the bridge of her nose.

She'd long given up on getting rid of the migraine pounding behind her eyes, but that didn't stop her from trying to rub some semblance of peace into her mind. Her eyes opened again and she let her eyes travel the roadway that Miles had pointed out. The one that led right to that FEMA station.

A shadow fell over the map and Callie lifted the hand settled at her forehead to shield her eyes from the sun as she looked up. Miles' was nothing but a dark splotch against the sun-filled sky and she blinked a few times until her eyes adjusted to the light.

"Here," Miles reached out his hand and Callie raised a brow at the two pills settled in his palm. She shifted her eyes up to him and watched him roll his head along his shoulders before shifting down to a crouched position in front of her.

"What's that?" Callie shifted a bit and watched Miles reach back and grab the canteen at his hip.

"The antibiotics you apparently lied 'bout not needin'," Miles said raising his split and stitched right brow as he shook his hand at her. "Take 'em, Cal." Callie reached out and snatched the pills and then the offered canteen with a roll of her eyes.

"And where did you get those?" Callie asked after swallowing. She wiped the back of her hand over her mouth and then took another long drag off the canteen. The water felt so good going down that she almost went back for another pull before remembering that they needed to ration.

"Daryl," Miles said pushing the canteen back at her when she offered it back. "Drink it all, I got extras in the bag."

"Do I even want to know what he said to you when he handed them over to you?" Callie asked spying at the boy as he got to his feet and brushed his hands on the back of his legs. Miles smirked down at her and adjusted his ball cap.

"Not too much," Miles said that suspicious smirk of his growing a bit more. "Especially with Maggie force-feeding him his own missed drugs. You two are both apparently idiots." He smiled a bit wider and rolled his eyes in an exaggerated manner. "Will wonders never cease."

"Shut it," Callie said rubbing at her still pounding temples with her thumb while putting the canteen to her lips again. She remained in her spot on the ground watching the now chuckling boy scour the area around them, his bat settled on his shoulder and gun placed at the small of his back. Callie tilted her head a bit, cracking her neck and giving just that little bit of needed relief to her tense body. Her eyes skipped back to where Miles' gun sat and her mind instantly went back to their time at the gun training his morning. "You wanna tell me what's going on between you and Beth?"

Miles stopped his pacing immediately, his head snapping to where Callie sat. His mouth had dropped open just a bit in shock and honestly the sight had her smiling just a bit more. As soon as he caught wind of that smile though his jaw was closed tight and he was turning away.

"Nothin'," Miles said quickly, succinctly, as his eyes continued to roam the area around them. Callie snorted and looked back down at the map, which of course had Miles looking back at her. "I helped her with her gun when it got jammed; showed her how to fix it. That's why we were up there right? Doesn't mean anythin's goin' on." Callie lifted a brow at him and he shuffled his feet as he continued to pace. She didn't say another word just lowered her gaze back down to the map and worked out the distance they had to travel. She heard Miles let off a sigh and raised her gaze back to him in time to see him shake his head. "I was mean to her," Miles said softly his eyes slipping over his shoulder briefly and then back to his wrapped up, still healing hand. "I wanted to fix it."

"Did you?" Callie asked quietly and again the boy let out a long sigh while he scratched his hand at the back of his head.

"Not if the way she was glarin' at me says anything," Miles said with a bit of a chuckle as he looked back to Callie.

"Guess you'll have to keep tryin'," Callie said looking back down at her map a tiny vestige of a smile working her lips. "Figure guns ain't really the way to that girl's good-side, buddy."

"No kiddin'," Miles said laughing as he walked back towards her. "God did you see the way she was holdin' it," he shook his head and Callie looked up with a smile. "Don't know why she and Patricia were so interested. They were both scared to death. I mean fuck, even Carol had a better grip on guns than either of them and they live _here_."

Miles spread his arms out, his bat going wide out to the side as he indicated the lush field and forest area around them. Callie nodded her head and watched as Miles resituated his bat on his shoulder, she felt his eyes on her head as she dipped her attention back down to the map. Felt his footsteps as they thudded on the ground below her. Felt the slight chill of his shadow as he again blocked out the sun and crouched down before her.

"They're scared aren't they?" Miles asked, causing Callie's eyes to slip up to him. His eyes were boring holes into her now as he searched for an answer to the question he hadn't asked yet. The question that was sitting on the tip of his tongue. "Not of the Walkers, not of the world we live in, but of us. They're scared of us. Aren't they?"

"I'd say some of us," Callie said putting her hands on to her knees and watching Miles recoil slightly. His bandaged left hand lifted and ran under his mouth and she sipped at the water in the canteen by her feet.

"One of us," Miles muttered as the back of his hand passed a second time under his mouth. His eyes met hers and his teeth began nibbling at his thumb, and she had to work hard not to smile as she sat forward a bit.

"We gonna do this now?" Callie asked lifting a hand to him. Miles just stared at her his teeth still working a bit of skin around his thumbnail and she waved her fingers. "C'mon Miles, I got all day. And we aren't fuckin' moving until you spit it out."

"You know," Miles said on a harsh breath as he pushed back and stood up. He pointed down at her and she stared up at him watching him as he bounced on his feet. "I know you know. You have to know. The way you were with Shane in the kitchen," Miles said wagging his finger at her.

"I don't _know_ anything, Miles." Callie said with a bit of an edge in her voice. "All I can say is that I've _inferred_ a great deal. And honestly, I'd like to have some things confirmed before I end up takin' a step over a line that I can't step back over."

"Like Shane did," Miles said in a whisper of a voice that almost didn't reach Callie's ears. Miles shifted his head and removed his hand as he raked a hand through his matted down hair. Scratching at his head he shifted his eyes over to Callie and then back to the ground.

"Miles," Callie said watching the boy begin to pace in front of her.

"You remember out in the woods," Miles began slowly his agitated steps slowing as he continued to pace in a tight circle before her. "Before we found Jenna. Before Carl was shot," Miles said slipping his eyes over his shoulder to her. "We were talkin' about Shane, 'bout where his mind was….where it is." Miles shifted and faced Callie and she tilted her head waiting for him to finish that last deep breath he needed to take. "He killed Otis, Callie. He killed him."

Callie's chin dipped to her chest and she let out a ragged breath as she worked her own injured left hand through her hair. Her fingers caught in the tangle of knots and she pulled a bit more forcefully than she probably should have. Shifting so that her hand was cupped over her mouth she stared up at Miles watching him watch her.

She knew. Of course she knew. She wasn't an idiot, any one could see that something was bothering Miles about what happened there. Anyone could see that the boy was having trouble swallowing what Shane was putting down. No one had even heard Miles' version of the incident and Shane had been vague and evasive.

Both looking guilty as hell. Shane for his lies. And Miles because the kid couldn't bring himself to lie to the family of the man that Shane had sacrificed for some supposed greater good. She knew. Of course she knew. But that didn't make hearing it any easier.

Because hearing gave a bit more of a realistic edge to every idle bit of worry she'd had in the back of her mind since that day on the highway, when Rick chose Daryl over Shane. That moment, that simple moment, had seemingly had more repercussions than any of them could have imagined.

"You knew," Miles said almost accusingly as he continued to stare at her. "You knew." He advanced on her now, anger written over his features. "Why the hell did you make me say it if you already fuckin' knew?"

"Because you needed to," Callie said shaking her head. "And I told you I didn't know, I-"

"That's bullshit," Miles snapped as he shook his own head and turned his back throwing his hands in the air in frustration. "Just like Daryl." Miles clenched his hands into fists at his sides and let out a long sigh, his head still shaking.

Callie watched him for a few moments more and then started folding up Glenn's map. Settling it back inside her open pack she drained the rest of the canteen Miles had given her and closed her eyes against the pulsing of her migraine. Callie let the empty canteen fall into her pack and put her hands to her hips as she watched Miles swat at the knee-high grass with his bat.

"You feel better?" Callie asked earning nothing but a gruff grunt from the boy as he swatted more fervently at the grass. His eyes slipped to her over his shoulder and he shook his head.

"Should I?"

"You're a good kid," Callie said then smiled when he tipped his head up at her. "A good man," she amended with a lifted hand. "I don't really think that anything is ever going to make you feel better about what you witnessed out there."

"Great," Miles said the sarcasm dripping from the word and down into the green grass he was swatting at. "So what do we do now?" Miles asked shifting and looking at her, his bat hanging at his side. "Do we tell Rick?" He watched her shift on her feet a bit, her brows lifting just a bit. "We _need_ to tell Rick, Cal."

"Do you honestly think that Daryl and I are the only ones who figured this out," Callie said slipping forward a bit her fingers ghosting over the taller grass in front of her. Miles stared at her and she lifted her palm to the sky. "Really Miles, I don't have mystic abilities. I just know how to pay attention, just like a whole bunch of others. The only difference is I know you."

"Just like Rick knows Shane," Miles said quietly watching as Callie nodded and shifted to get her pack from the small patch of dirt she'd been settled upon under a large semi-shady tree. "Or thought he knew him. Shouldn't we still-"

"Do you think it matters?" Callie asked cutting him off and staring at him as she shouldered her pack. His eyes were wide as he stared at her and she grimaced slightly as she adjusted her pack on her shoulders. "Do you think what he did matters?"

"I don't-"

"I've killed people Miles," Callie said quietly holding his gaze. Miles shifted a bit to face her and clenched his hands tight on his bat. "I killed those two kids in my bar. I killed another at a farm not far outside of Georgetown," she shifted on her feet her eyes angled down at her boots for a second before looking back up to him. "I killed Santos at the CDC." Callie watched Miles swallow hard and his hand clench tighter onto his bat. "I killed him. Fed him to a Walker. Let it bite into him and made him fight for his survival and then I put a bullet into his head." She stepped closer to where the knee-high grass started and stared at him. "Carl and Ben watched me do it."

"Jesus," Miles ran the back of his free hand over his mouth and shook his head at the ground. Callie closed her eyes as the pounding in her head came back full force and she blinked away a few of the tears that were threatening behind her eyes.

"I've killed more people in this than anyone else in our group. Including Shane," Callie said firmly causing Miles' eyes to fly back to her. "Not Walkers, Miles. People," Callie said shifting on her feet, she put her hands into her back pockets and rocked back on her heels as she watched Miles digest her words. "So I'm askin'. Does it matter?"

"Yeah," Miles said almost immediately catching Callie a bit off guard and causing her to stop rocking on her heels. She stared at the boy-become-man as he turned to face her with steely eyes. "Yeah it does." Miles stepped towards her and pointed his bat right at her chest. "I've seen your list," Miles said the bat shaking a bit with his words. "Shane doesn't have one of those. There's no remorse in him, not one bit. All that's there is this -" Miles shook his head and let his bat fall. "I don't know what it is. But it freaks me the fuck out."

A beat of silence slid between them and Callie stared at Miles as he visibly shivered at the thought of Shane's slowly deteriorating mental state. Callie once again cupped her hand over her mouth and let out a long sigh between her fingers. Nodding her head she let her hand drop down to where her gun was settled at the front of her jeans.

"Then I'll talk to Rick," Callie said firmly, watching with a bit of a smile as Miles turned his attention back to her. "I'll talk to him and we'll go from there."

Miles swung his bat at the grass as he made his way towards her and Callie again lifted her hand to shield her tired eyes from the overhead sun. He stopped right next to her, a single finger reaching out and poking her in her arm causing her to look back over her shoulder at him. His eyes were fixed on something in the grass and she shifted her hand to the knife at her thigh.

They waited, as the hunched and deteriorating form of the Walker slowly ambled its way through the knee-high grass towards them. Waited as it stared at them from a seemingly too close distance and watched it come for them. Watched and waited because who knew what else lurked in that tall grass. Callie felt Miles shake himself lightly as he no doubt thought back to his stupidity at walking through that potential hazard, wondering at what else could be hiding in there.

"_Latet anguis in herba_," Miles said softly causing Callie's eyes to slip from the Walker who was about to break through the grass and onto their small dirt covered clearing. Her gaze held on to Miles as he shook his head and advanced on the Walker. His hands were gripped tight to his bat and he took in a deep breath before winding up and connecting soundly with the head of the Walker.

Gore splattered over the tall yellowed grass behind the Walker, and the dead man fell to a final rest. Miles stared down at the Walker and lifted his foot high before crashing it down onto the face of the Walker. He shook his foot and looked back to Callie with a horridly tortured look on his face.

"A snake lurks in the grass," Miles said quietly swinging his bat over his shoulder again as he made his way back towards her. "Virgil." He smirked and adjusted Jim's hat on his head as she smiled at him. "Mom was a Lit Professor." His eyes skipped back to the large grassy field that spread out before them over the path that they were about to take to head towards the hunting cabins marked on the map.

"There's a way around," Callie said quietly drawing Miles' eyes back to her. He stared at her and she smiled slightly her hand reaching out to him and dragging him a bit away from the grass. "There's a way around."

"Maybe now," Miles said his eyes still roaming the area, while hers stayed locked on his face. The kid seemed to have aged a decade in the past few days and it was unsettling to see just how fast the children of this world grew and adapted. "But the grass isn't going to stop growing, Cal." He shook his head and looked back at her. "This world is perfect for snakes."

Callie nodded her head and wrapped her hand around his arm pulling him further away from that swaying, gore stained grass. Pulling him as far away from the unknown dangers hidden in that field as she could. Fooling herself into believing that her actions could protect him from the snakes that lurked in there any more than they could save him from the ones that lurked in the world that grew untended around them. Miles dipped down and snatched up his bag, tossing it over his shoulder.

"C'mon," Callie said waving a hand as Miles fell into step with her. They worked their way cautiously towards grass that was slightly lower. "There's always more than one path to take, Miles. It's the people that remember that and strive to find those other ways that are gonna survive against all those fucking snakes." His eyes skipped to her and she held his gaze and squeezed his arm. "And if it's the last thing I do in this life, I'm gonna make sure you figure out how to find those other ways."

* * *

"I can't say," Glenn said tiredly and Maggie's brow shot up in utter disbelief.

Was this man really pulling that sort of bullshit with her right now? Pulling out his loyalty to his friends and shoving it in her face after she'd spent the better portion of last night and earlier this morning _begging_ him to keep what he saw in that barn a secret. Begging him to not say anything to his friends.

She'd lowered herself to begging this man that she'd felt a connection with, because in her mind the second he told them was the second she lost him.

She'd lowered herself and had actually believed that he would keep that secret. The look in his eyes when he tried to tell her of the dangers and the horror of what was in that barn; the look of worry that he held not only for his people but for her and her family. It struck her hard, and she'd walked away from him thinking he would keep it to himself. Thinking that maybe that look of worry would edge in and he would realize that his telling his friends would end whatever they had growing between them before it could even really begin.

And then her father had cornered her in the kitchen and told her that she shouldn't get to close to any of them, because they were leaving. As soon as Carl and Daryl were up on their feet. Whether they found that little girl or not. They were leaving. And when she'd asked why, her mind instantly went to the conversation she'd listened to between him and Callie. But when he told her about Dale and Danny in the stables with him she knew that Glenn had betrayed that bit of trust she'd put in him.

Tossed out that trust that she'd put in him when she had given herself to him and foolishly thought that it meant just as much to him as it had to her. Tossed it out and stomped on it now as he blatantly shoved the fact that he would keep his group's secrets before hers without any hesitation.

Maggie's head began to shake and she crossed her arms over her chest, wondering why she'd even thought talkin' to him alone on this trip would help anything. Wondering what she'd hoped to accomplish when obviously she'd read everything wrong and he was just like every other boy she'd ever met. Once they got a piece of the pie they didn't mind leavin' the dirty dishes for someone else to clean up.

Her mouth opened and she was about to say something-Good Lord above she didn't have a clue what that something was but she knew she couldn't just stand there with her mouth hanging open like a fish out of water- when his hand lifted a torn piece of paper. His eyes caught hers and she read the tired expression on his face as clear as day.

"Help me look," Glenn said on a sigh of such defeat and frustration that she'd actually started to feel bad again. How the hell did he do that? How did he make her feel bad when she was damn sure that he was the one that should have felt bad?

Then again, maybe they both should have been feelin' like heels for the way they'd treated each other. Both askin' the other to go against family and friends. Maggie sighed and snatched the paper from his hands and read the words.

She slipped her eyes up to him, watching a bit of confusion mar his features and she realized he didn't have a clue what he was looking for. She read the page again, the shaky hand writing blinking at her as bright as a neon light on a dark night. She read it a third time and felt her head shaking.

"You have got to be kiddin' me," Maggie said crumbling the paper in her hands and turning her back on Glenn's slightly shocked expression. She stopped and looked back at him as she stepped up behind the pharmacy counter. His eyes searched hers as he slowly made his way towards her and she shook her head. "And you called my family irresponsible and foolish."

"What?" Glenn asked and she turned her back on him as she made her way towards the rows of pharmaceuticals. She heard him toss his bag to the ground and let out a sigh as she worked her way slowly down the rows of pill bottles.

She ignored the sounds of his tiny little temper tantrum and decided to dwell in her own. She would not let her conscience drive her anger away. Not yet. Not when it felt so good to let it burn for a little while. Her foot hit off of something and her gaze lowered to see a blue hand basket, bending to pick it up she let out a sigh and shook her head.

The quick fire burn of her temper was already fading as her mind raced with other thoughts. Thoughts of little Ben and Gracie who were so ill-equipped to handle the world that her father was going to be tossin' them back into. Sure she'd found some boots and a few bits of clothing for them, but this destroyed world wasn't a place for kids to grow. Good Lord, she'd seen what they'd all been living on before comin' to the farm.

And with a baby on the way for one of them- if she didn't find these pills, God even if she did, there was no guarantee they would work- that would put them in more danger out on the road. How were they gonna feed and clothe that baby when they couldn't even find enough food for themselves?

The world beyond the farm was dangerous, she knew that. The sick and infected people that flooded the streets now wouldn't be kind to the group, she knew that. Glenn's words from earlier hadn't fallen on deaf ears. She wasn't an idiot. She knew there was a reason why they kept Mom, Shawn and the others locked in the barn.

She knew, and yet she didn't.

_They're dangerous. She ain't sick. She's dyin'. _

Glenn's words. Miles' words. They echoed in her head as she rummaged through pill bottle after pill bottle.

_That is your mother. That is your brother. They're sick. _

Her father's words, said so imploringly and so frequently that they'd dug out a little home inside her brain. Words that were said not to take away her fear or dull Beth's cryin', but said to justify and pacify his own mind as he locked them inside those wooden walls.

Her father wasn't fool enough to think that they weren't dangerous. He just wasn't strong enough to realize that they just might actually be gone for good.

Maggie felt the sting of tears settle in her eyes and shook her head as she continued down the row of shelves. Her mind was so intent on the barn back at the farm and the woman that she'd tried more than once to get the attention of after she'd been placed in that barn. Her memory so intent on that moment when she'd walked up to the door and let it slip open just enough that her step-mother could reach a hand out towards her as she spoke that the putrid smell settled into her sensory memory flashed to life.

The smell of decay and other horrid things flared in her nostrils and her hands stilled on the top of a bottle on the shelf. A tear slid down her cheek just as her ears pricked, her memory doing its job and bringing more of that horror back to the forefront of her brain.

The moans and groans so loud and so real. The smell so strong and heavy.

A gray, gore-covered hand rushed at her between the shelf and cold fingers clamped hard around her arm.

Maggie screamed.

She heard herself do it, and in the rush of blood that had pounded through her brain in that split second she heard Glenn call her name. Her free hand pushed against the hand holding her, clawing desperately and so efficiently that she broke a finger off in her free hand. She screamed again at the sight of the severed finger in her hands and tossed it aside as she felt the shelves threaten to tip from the weight of the attacker on the other side. Her focus sharpened on the figure grabbing at her. His mouth, with teeth that seemed so much larger and more dangerous due to the lack of lips and skin that should have been around them. The putrid smell of the man's breath fanned over her face as he pulled her closer to him, the shelves and her own powerful pulls of her arm the only thing keeping her from those horrid teeth.

She shifted down the shelf and she did the only thing she thought left. She yelled at him.

"No!" Maggie said to the man, her voice loud and firm as if that would help. As if she could get through to him the way people tried to get through to a wild animal. "No. Please! Let go!" She yanked on her arm and felt her body swaying down to the edge of the shelf. "Please. No!"

The man's other hand shot out and grabbed hold of her shoulder and she pulled back as he lunged towards her. Her words, her begging and pleading, falling on deaf-dead-ears.

In the next moment the man's head was snapping to the side, his painful and powerful hold on her going slack as his body fell to the ground. Every breath she dragged into her chest was painful as she stared at the body of that man; the man with his head tilted and broken half off of his body. The man that was still twitching despite the state of his gutted, torn and decaying body.

Glenn's hands wrapped around her upper arms and he turned his back on the man on the floor. His hands slid up to her neck and his face slid into her field of vision. Tears were falling freely down her cheeks now, and she couldn't stop them no matter how hard she tried.

"Did it get you? Did it bite you?" Glenn's anxious voice echoed in her ears and she felt herself shaking her head. "Are you alright? Did it get you?" She shook her head again, unable to form words. Glenn pulled her into his arms and hugged her, one of his hands threading through her hair and holding her head to him as he squeezed her tightly as she sobbed.

Safety in his arms was short-lived as the man behind them began to groan again. Those sounds echoing again and Maggie felt her stomach heave as she watched the man get to his feet. Hissing and growling as his head flopped to the side half-severed from his body.

"Glenn!" Maggie yelled between her ragged sobs. She backed away and felt Glenn's hands slip from her. She reached out to him as he slipped his machete from his hip and raised it. Her fingers grazed his shirt briefly before fanning out over her trembling mouth as she watched him raise his weapon and deliver a blow to that man's flopping head sending him back to the ground again.

Glenn was breathing hard, and Maggie watched his shoulders rise and fall with each steadying breath he took in. His eyes intent on the man still twitching and gargling on the ground. Glenn stepped forward slowly, bouncing a bit on the balls of his feet as he stared at the man. Then Maggie watched in rapt horror as Glenn moved forward and drove the machete into the man's head over and over and over again.

Glenn hit that man until finally the sounds of his moaning and hissing and gargling ceased and all that was left were Maggie's sobs. Sobs that she had no hope to control as she bent in half at the pain welling in her chest from the force of everything. She tried to breathe as she watched Glenn drag deep breath after deep breath into his body. She tried to work words into her mouth as he turned to her. She tried and failed.

All she could do was reach out to him as he stepped back towards her. His eyes searching hers as he fell into her embrace. His arms circled around her and held her tight, his chin moving over her shoulder as his lips pressed into her ear.

"You're okay," Glenn said through his own ragged breaths. "We're okay. It's okay." Glenn said the words over and over. "I'm here. I got you. You're okay. Breathe Maggie."

She dragged in the most painful breath of her entire life. A breath that burned from her throat down to her stomach and lingered painfully in her chest as she held tight to the slightly swaying Glenn wrapped around her. Her eyes lingered on the man lying in a pool of his own bright red blood and she continued to hold on to Glenn as he continued to whisper in her ear.

* * *

Callie scrubbed her hands over her face and stared at the dark ground below her feet. Letting out a slow breath through the slats of her fingers as they slid down to rest at her chin she let her gaze slide to where Rick stood atop the RV.

His body was a thick dark line against the moonlit sky. Stiff and straight and standing in the same spot she'd left him in an hour ago. Her eyes slipped down to where she'd left Carol only moments ago. The image of that woman sitting alone in that back room threading her fingers through the yarn hair of her daughter's doll as she nodded and smiled tightly while Callie spoke to her, sat painfully in Callie's chest.

Callie's gaze slipped around the farm, over their small camp area and down to the house lit up from the inside in the distance. Her hands trailed from her mouth around to the back of her neck and her chin dipped to her chest as she pressed futility at the tension and pain that had settled there.

Her mind went back to her time searching the woods with Miles. The young man's final words as they worked back towards camp, watching as Ben rushed towards them, echoed again in her mind.

This place was going to kill them all if they stayed.

Callie's foot lifted as she let out a ragged sigh as it fell back into place. In that moment she realized she didn't know where to go. Didn't know what the next step should be.

"Wrong way," Daryl's low voice startled her and she spun on her heel to see him settled with a hip against the front end of the Hummer. His arms were crossed over his chest lightly and she felt her mouth hanging open as she stared at him.

"You scared the shit out of me, Dixon." Callie said patting her hand against her chest. He smirked at her a bit and then pushed off the Hummer, slowly making his way towards her. Her eyes skipped to their tent, the light inside from the small lantern telling her where he'd been. Where he apparently expected her to go. "Aren't you supposed to be resting?"

"Been restin' all fuckin' day," Daryl said slowing his steps and stopping not far from her. Callie shook her head and muttered a quick 'uh huh' as she waved a hand at him. "By the way, sickin' that baby girl on me today was low."

"Hey, turnabout is fair play, buddy-boy." Callie wagged a finger at him and watched him try to hide his smile by shaking his head. He slipped forward then, and wrapped one of those deliciously warm calloused hands of his around her upper arm and dragged her after him.

"C'mon," Daryl said in a low voice as he skipped his eyes back towards the RV.

Callie let Daryl lead her back to their tent and smiled a bit when he shoved her inside. Gracie was tucked up on the small single person cot that Daryl had apparently set up in there just for the little girl, her tiny snores echoing even over the sound of Daryl zipping the tent closed.

"Heard you gave 'way that gun," Daryl said quietly and she let her head fall a bit before nodding.

"Got something to say about it?" Callie returned as she shifted her eyes over her shoulder to him.

"Good fuckin' riddance," Daryl said succinctly and she couldn't help but smile at him. Silence fell between them for a moment before Daryl shoved his fingertips against her shoulder propelling her towards the bedding.

Shaking her head Callie plopped down and let her head fall into her hands and her eyes close for a minute as she listened to Daryl shift before he awkwardly settled to the ground beside her. She watched him as he loosened his laces and kicked off his own boots, and then marveled when he grabbed her feet and got to work on her boots. Wiggling her sock clad toes she smirked as Daryl tossed both of their boots to the side and winced.

"You should probably be on the cot," Callie said raking her hands into her hair and freeing it from the band that held it in a messy tangle at her nape. Pain laced its way into her scalp as she felt the residual effect of wearing her hair the same way for too long scatter along her frazzled nerves. She winced and then stiffened for a moment as Daryl scooted behind her, his legs settling on the outside of hers as his hands removed hers from her hair.

"An' risk havin' that baby-girl kick me in my stitches…_again_," Daryl said huffing out what she figured was supposed to be gruff sort of sound but came off as humored and light. Callie's eyes tipped over her shoulder to him and he pushed her apparently gleeful face away with his raised middle finger floating in her vision. It wasn't her fault that the image of him curled up with Gracie takin' a cat nap made her smile. Hell, she was sure that image would make anyone smile.

Callie let out a low breath and then moaned when Daryl's thumbs began slowly massaging the tense muscles at the back of her neck. His hands slid her hair off to the side after a moment and he settled his chest as close to her back as he could, breathing in and out slowly and in an effort to help steady her nerves as he massaged her.

He let the silence slide out between them, and Callie knew exactly what he was doing. Letting her cool down before she broke down. Yeah, she well understood that. That's exactly why she waited until Rick came to her before talking to him.

"He's in denial," Callie said quietly as Daryl continued to rub at her neck. He grunted out some kind of sound and she shook her head a bit. "He wants to be able to provide a safe place for his family, for everyone. He wants it so bad that it's blinding him."

"Blinding him to what?" Daryl asked his hands shifting so that his fingers slowly moved up from the back of her head and into her hair. The sensation of his fingers slowly working along her scalp, massaging that tender skin so softly had her letting out a low moan. "You told him 'bout what Shane did, right? I'm guessin' Miles told you while you were out."

"Yeah," Callie said shifting her head slightly to look at him. He caught her eyes for a second before using his fingers to push her head back down so that he could continue to work his fingers through her hair. "Miles told me. And I-" Callie let out a low breath and shook her head slightly. "I told Rick."

"He didn't believe you?"

"He already knew," Callie said quietly into her chest before lifting her head again catching Daryl's eyes over her shoulder. Daryl snarled a bit but nodded. "He's not an idiot. He knew. He just-" Callie shifted her head back to the front and stared at the flap of the tent.

"Knows what truths to tell and what to keep to himself," Daryl said quietly, once again shoving his fingers against her in an almost playful manner. "Sounds like another dumbass I know."

"Yeah, we're just two peas in a pod, huh?" Callie said rubbing at the bridge of her nose. "He's gonna talk to him tomorrow."

"Bet that's gonna go over real good," Daryl said working his fingers back down to start kneading into Callie's shoulders, his chest leaning further into her back.

"I already warned him," Callie said quietly. "He brushed me off. Said he knew Shane. Trusted him," Callie shook her head and waved her hand around. "Whatever. I can't babysit them. Their grown-ass men who are gonna have to figure their shit out. Might as well let them go right?"

Daryl grunted and Callie slumped back a bit at the sound. Callie fell into the feel of Daryl's hands massaging her tense shoulders and lifted her eyes to where Gracie was sleeping. The little girl's face dimly cast into shadow by the odd illumination provided by the slowly dying battery operated lantern in the corner of the tent. Little puffs of breaths blowing the stray curls that always seemed to fall onto her face. Callie closed her eyes and dipped her chin to her chest, staring at her hands.

"You gonna tell me what you were really up there talkin' to him 'bout?" Daryl asked quietly and she couldn't help but smile as he pulled a bit on her hair to angle her head back to him. He stared down into her eyes and read the question in them as if she'd asked it. "Don't take an hour to tell a man something he already knew. So wanna tell me what's really got your shoulders so stiff? Or you wanna just let it weigh you down some more?"

Callie tipped her chin back down to her chest and stared at her sock clad feet stretched out before her. She let her eyes roam around the tent and bit at the inside of her cheek at the sight of Daryl's bags. His belongings neatly arranged and ready to be packed up at a moment's notice. Her mind then went to the rest of camp, so unpacked and settled in.

Even Rick.

Everyone ready to stay for the long haul. Everyone but her and Daryl so it seemed. The only two who had kept the majority of their things packed and ready to move. Her mind slipped back to that morning when he'd asked her if she wanted to stay and her evasive answer that she knew he'd seen right through.

"Do you want to stay here?" Callie asked quietly. Daryl's hands stopped their movement on her shoulders and tensed painfully for one single second. A heartbeat passed and Daryl started his hands again. "If we could? Would you want to stay here?"

"I want to find Sophia," Daryl said in a firm tone that had Callie's head lifting and her eyes sliding over her shoulder to him again. He shrugged a single shoulder and kept his eyes on where his hands worked over her shoulders, pushing her to get her to turn away again. When she didn't he sighed and looked up at her. "Ain't nothin' on my mind past that right now. I want to find that girl, and I ain't movin' on without her. But it ain't like we got to stay here for me to find her."

"There's always a way," Callie muttered to as she slipped her eyes back to her hands.

"Huh?" Daryl's confused reply made her chuckle and she shook her head. Daryl shifted his hands down her arms and ran them up and down slowly a few times. She shifted and watched him as he stared intently down at her shoulders and his hands. Sometimes she wondered if he even realized he was touching her half the time he did it.

Because even after everything they'd been through, he still always looked amazed and confused when he saw his hands on her. As if he still couldn't quite figure it all out.

Callie watched his hardened features as he ran his hands along her arms; the warmth of them penetrating through the thin cotton that covered her and down deep into her bones. She watched him and felt that moment of relaxing calm filter through her. A calm that only he seemed to be able to help her achieve anymore.

"Do you think ignorance is really bliss," Callie asked out of the blue causing his eyes to snap up to hers. A whole different type of confusion marred his features and she chuckled at the sight of his furrowing brow. Waving a hand she turned from him and looked back at her sock covered feet. "Nevermind-"

"Ignorance nowadays gets your ass killed," Daryl said finally causing her to look back at him with a raised brow. "So I guess it depends on your definition of the word 'bliss' don't it?"

"Smartass," Callie retorted as she chuckled. Letting out a low breath she looked at him over her shoulder, watching as he leaned back on to his hands and waited for her to just spit it out. Shaking her head she shifted around and faced him. "You're right though," Callie said folding her legs in and letting her head again drop into her hands. "Ignorance does get you killed. Not just you, but everyone around you. And I have a feeling that Hershel and his people are very ignorant as to what is really going on with this world and with how they handle Walkers. Which," she said lifting her head up and looking at him as he stared at her. "Is exactly what I was talking to Rick about tonight."

_Life's too short to even care at all oh,_

_I'm coming up now, coming up now out of the blue oh,_

_These zombies in the park they're looking for my heart oh oh oh oh,_

_A dark world aches for a splash of sun oh oh_

_If I could find a way to see this straight, I'd run away_

_To some fortune that I, I should have found by now_

_And so I run to the things they said could restore me_

_Restore life the way it should be_

_I'm waiting for this cough syrup to come down_

_~Cough Syrup/ Young The Giant_

_AN: I went back and forth with having Callie tell Daryl what she told Rick…and in the end it kind of all went back to the CDC. The fact that she can't NOT TELL HIM things, that she needs him and wants him to be with her in everything. She's not a fan of keeping things from anyone, but knows the importance of who to tell what….yeah….I hope that made sense. Oh and if you're confused about the exactly what she said to Rick and Daryl …remember that Maggie interrupted Callie and Hershel's talk so she is really just working from an educated guess perspective at this point and doesn't really know WHERE the Walkers are, just that Hershel is most definitely hiding something…_

_I hope you and yours have an awesome THANKSGIVING and I want to say that I am thankful for all of you. Your support of this fic, in its long-winded AWESOMENESS. Your kind words. Your awesome reviews. Your love of my Original characters and my characterizations of our beloved Canon folks! I can't tell you enough how much it has all meant to me. I've been able to make great connections with some of you through this fic and this site and will forever be thankful for that as it came at a very troubled point for me. Y'all rock. BE SAFE this holiday. BE HAPPY this holiday. BE THANKFUL this holiday and CHARITABLE to those who are without. _

_Much love, and see ya next chapter…. Day of Barn-mageddon fast approaches. BE WARNED. _


	42. Bang, Bang - My Baby Shot Me Down

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

Alright, so this would be part 1 (of apparently three- 'cause I'm fucked up in the head or something) of the infamous Barn-mageddon that we've all be looking forward to. I'm hoping to do it justice, and hoping that you follow the flow. I promise not too much of a CLUSTERFUCK goin' on here.

As always read, review and most of all enjoy (as much as you can)!

~michelle

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Bang, Bang - My Baby Shot Me Down**

"_There had to have been another way, Rick." Callie said reaching out her hand as he pulled away from her. "There had to have been a way for both of them-"_

"_You weren't there," Rick returned lifting a hand and trying to ward off the words as they flew from her mouth. "We can't assume to know-"_

"_Miles was, Rick. Miles was," Callie said on a sigh - a ragged, frustrated, utterly exhausted sound that had hit him hard. She had looked at him then and shook her head as he explained that he'd talk to Shane, get his side of things. "You're looking for an excuse," Callie said as she ran her injured left hand through her hair. "You're desperate for there to be some excuse, some explanation for his actions that will make it all better." She looked at him and he stared at her as she let her shoulders fall in defeat. "He doesn't have one. He doesn't think it was wrong. He doesn't care, Rick."_

"_You don't know him," Rick had returned his head shaking as she rolled her eyes and lifted a hand. _

_"I can't do this," Callie said her hand reaching out and landing on his shoulder. A hand that she'd pulled away as he shifted from her. An action that he regretted more and more with each moment as his memory brought that hurt look that had crossed her features into sharp focus in his mind's eye. "You're in denial, Rick. I don't know the man that you knew," her head nodded and she lifted a hand to him. "That I will agree with you on. But I know this Shane. And I know that where his head is, where he's let himself go, is a dangerous place. Not only for him, but for you." _

"_You don't know him," Rick repeated as she walked towards the ladder. She had waved her hand over her head then and slipped down the ladder, and right before her head disappeared she speared him with another hard look. _

"_Maybe not, Rick." Callie said quietly her eyes filled with unshed tears. "And honestly, I hope you do know him better. I really do." She wiped a hand down her face at those tears in her eyes that shone so bright in the pale moon light overhead. "I need you to understand that the only reason I'm telling you this, is as a warning. It's a warning that you need to promise me you'll heed." _

"_You don't know him," Rick said quietly his eyes imploring her to understand, and he could tell when she sighed that soft shuddering exhausted sigh of hers again, that she did. Somewhere deep down she did understand. But she didn't agree._

"You remember that time I brought you home shitfaced," Shane said quietly and snapped Rick out of his memories of the previous evening. Rick blinked twice in the bright sunlight filtering down through the leaves of the trees overhead and focused on Shane as he wove his way around a few felled logs. Shane's eyes slipped up off of the ground the amused tilt to his brow causing Rick's head to shake as he worked to get back to the here and now.

"I remember a few of those," Rick said lifting a hand and rubbing at his temple a small tilt to his own lips as Shane chuckled and pointed his knife at him before flipping it in his hands and wiping the blade off on pants. Rick grimaced at the sight of the Walker that Shane was straddling and watched his friend not even spare another glance to it as he kept on walking, his knife now safely back in place at his belt.

"Nah, man, c'mon, you remember the one I'm talkin' 'bout." Shane said as he shifted and sidestepped another large branch. "_The_ one. Few years ago, right before Carl's school-conference thing." Shane's hand waved out in a non-committal gesture and the moment clicked in Rick's mind.

"Parent-Teacher conference," Rick corrected with a slow nod and a smile. "Third grade. I think I _vaguely_ remember that one. Carl's favorite teacher ever. God what was her name?" Shane chuckled and Rick shifted around the carcass of the Walker to slide into step next to Shane. Rick's chin dipped to his chest and he stared at the slightly smiling Shane through his lashes. "What 'bout it?"

"Man I was just rememberin' the look on Lori's face when I dropped you off on that couch," Shane said still chuckling and shaking his head. It was almost instant, that bit of boil to Rick's blood at Lori's name on his lips. _His_ lips. But just as quickly as that boil started, it ebbed away along that pulse behind Rick's eyes.

Rick shook his head, knowing that his anger at this point was moot. He'd let that ship sail when he'd chosen to let the affair fall to the wayside. He'd known about it, and he'd chosen to let it go. Chosen the good of the group over the quick fire burn of his jealousy. Chose the group over his marriage in a way. And it had been the right choice; one there wasn't any going back on now.

"Man I thought for sure she was gonna kill you," Shane continued as Rick's steps came to a slow halt. Shane's head was shaking and his eyes were wandering the horizon. The campsite visible now that they'd made their quick sweep after Ben had spotted the single Walker off in the distance only moments ago. "That look on her face, man, when she saw your staggerin' drunk-ass fall onto that couch. I swore the next time I saw you was gonna be at your fuckin' funeral."

Rick tried to chuckle, and the small bit of a smile that made it on to his lips by the time Shane shifted his eyes over his shoulder had Shane again wagging a humored finger at him. Rick shifted his feet in the underbrush and watched Shane shake his head and chuckle, the tension in the air between them palpable. Yet as always, as of late, it went by as if it wasn't there.

Ignored for the good of the group.

"Well it wasn't one of my finer moments," Rick said lifting a brow at his friend. "What's with the trip down memory lane?"

"Not two fuckin' days ago," Shane said still wagging his finger at Rick in what should have been that continued friendly manner. Should have been, except the edge to Shane's voice and in his eyes destroyed whatever remained of that friendliness from moments ago. "Two fuckin' days ago I saw that same look on her face when you two were _discussin'_ things behind the house." Shane's brows and hands lifted in a surrendering motion as Rick lifted both of his brows at him. "Hey, man, I wasn't tryin' to pry. I was just worried when I couldn't find her. Went lookin' and-" Shane shrugged and Rick sighed as he put his fingers to the bridge of his nose.

"You got a point you're gettin' to?" Rick said as he worked to push the headache pounding to life behind his sleep-deprived eyes far away.

"Just wonderin'," Shane said his hands falling to his sides as Rick glanced up at him. "I mean, more times than I can count I have seen that woman wish death upon your ass with that glare of hers. But it always just fizzles away. Swear to God, this mornin' when I saw you two together it was like the sun never shined brighter over your heads, yet two days ago..." Rick felt the muscle in his jaw tick and fought against the pull of that slow flowing anger. Shane stared at him and shifted around so he faced him fully, hands on his hips, finger idly tapping his knife. "How you do that, man? How you always get her to love you again?"

A single beat of silence flowed while Rick just stared at Shane.

"I guess she just does," Rick said quietly, his voice a bit more gravely and harsh than he really wanted it to be. Shane's mouth slipped down in a grimacing frown as his head nodded at Rick's words. Rick continued to stare at the man and wondered if this was the moment he'd been dreading since the CDC. The moment when Shane dragged him into that war that he'd been avoiding since he got back.

"Yeah, man," Shane said again lifting that finger and pointing it at Rick as he turned his back. "Must be it." Shane's head shook just a bit as his hand raked over what remained of his short cropped hair. Rick watched the muscles in his former partner's forearms tighten and ripple as he grasped the back of his neck and squeezed at the tension settled there.

"_A warning, Rick." _

Callie's words again echoed in his head as Rick let out a long low sigh he hadn't realized he'd been holding in.

"So you plannin' on clueing me into the real reason you dragged my ass out here with you?" Shane said as he stopped a few feet ahead and again shifted his eyes over his shoulder to Rick.

Rick stared hard into Shane's eyes, Callie's words about Otis and what Miles saw echoing low in the back of his mind. He felt the throbbing pulse of his own heartbeat behind his eyes as Shane worked to stare him down. And as Rick held his best friend's steely gaze he came to a very horrifying realization.

He didn't want to ask. He stared at Shane and realized he didn't want to ask that question he'd dragged the man out to ask. He really didn't want to know what Shane had done.

Because he honestly didn't know what to do with the truth.

In the world they lived in before all of this happened, before the dead started walking and the rules of nature got flipped upside down on them, the answer would have been clear and easy. Shane would have been guilty of murder, and he would have been convicted by jury of his peers and justice would have been done.

But now…

Now, they lived in a world where those laws didn't seem to have a place. A world where things just didn't work that way anymore. Now, it was kill or be killed. Rick understood that. He did. Deep down he got that. He didn't like it. Didn't want Carl, or this new baby, to grow up in a world that worked that way, but there really wasn't the luxury of a choice anymore.

That world where Shane's guilt was cut and dry just didn't exist anymore. And Rick felt the guilt of his decision to not hold Shane accountable for his actions settle on his shoulders right along with every other decision he'd had to make since he woke to this new fucked up world.

Both of Shane's hands were settled on his hips as he stared out over the field that separated them from the rest of the group. The black specs that were Ben, Dale and Danny settled atop the RV stood out in stark contrast to the bright blue sky behind them. Rick stared at what he knew to be Dale's form and he swore he could feel the older man's gaze settle right on him through those binoculars held up to his face. Rick held that distant gaze until Ben reached up and took the binoculars from the other man. Shifting on his feet Rick again dipped his head to his chest and tilted his head sideways to look at Shane as he spoke.

"If it were Carl out there," Rick said his gravely voice echoing a bit in his own ears. He firmed his lips and bit at the inside of the bottom one as Shane slowly turned to face him. "If it were Carl-"

"If it were Carl out there we wouldn't be havin' this conversation, Rick." Shane said cutting him off and turning to face him with a grim set to his features. "If it were Carl, we'd be the ones needing the reality check that Carol, Callie and apparently Daryl need. I mean fuck, Rick." Shane's head shifted side to side but his eyes bored a hole down into Rick's stomach. "Carl. Man," Shane looked off into the woods and Rick slipped his hand over the butt of his gun. And the moment Rick realized he'd done it his hand shot away from his gun as if it had burned him. He shook his hand and slipped it down to his hip and held there before Shane's eyes returned to him. "Man, when it's your kid out there, ain't nothin' gonna keep you from lookin'. Head wounds, fucked up legs, arrow in the gut, _nothin'_. Nothin' keeps you from savin' your boy."

"So why-"

"Because man, it ain't Carl," Shane said waving his hand in thick air between them. "It ain't Carl." Shane shifted and sent his eyes over the field again. "I get what's motivatin' them. I do. Daryl and Callie, after what happened with Jenna, I get it. I know it don't seem like I do," Shane's eyes slipped over his shoulder. "But I get it what you're sayin'. Role's reversed, shoe on the other foot, I get it. And if it were Carl, shit yeah we'd be out there every day and night lookin'." Shane nodded his head and turned to face him as Rick just continued to stare. "But it ain't. And it is time that someone took the initiative and started talkin' sense to those fools who are holdin' out hope for something that ain't gonna end well." Shane shifted and tossed his arm out over the field. "Callie and Miles ran into Walkers yesterday. She tell you that?"

"No," Rick said shifting his eyes across the field.

"How many more people we gonna send out on there, man?" Shane asked quietly the sincerity in his voice actually shocking Rick as he turned his attention back to him. "How many more people we gonna almost lose chasin' after that little girl's ghost?"

"If it were Carl," Rick said his eyes flaring as he pierced Shane with a look of horror. "I don't see a difference. If it were Carl-"

"It ain't Carl man," Shane said with a note of finality. "It ain't never gonna be Carl. It's always gonna be Jenna and Sophia who we lost out in them woods. Time to stop chasin' ghosts and tryin' to make amends for shit that you couldn't control. Time to get your shit together, get back on the road and get to real safety."

"We can't," Rick said shifting his hands through his hair and pulling lightly at the strands.

"C'mon Rick," Shane's head tipped to the side and his mouth opened to say something else. To rage on about what a horrible leader Rick was for this group. To bring up every mistake he'd made and shove them into his face, but he didn't. Instead Shane just stared at him and waited for the reason, the one that he just couldn't figure out.

Because Shane knew him.

In that moment Rick wanted to trust his friend with the secret he was holding in. Wanted to trust that once Shane knew that Lori was pregnant he would do whatever he could to make things work here. That he'd understand their need to stay, not for the group at large, but for Lori and the baby.

Jesus. Rick's brow furrowed and he felt his vision narrow to a pinprick as he stared at the ground below his feet. Was that it? God, it was. Another weight shifted onto Rick's shoulders as he stood in that field staring at his dirt covered boots.

Not one part of him truly believed that they would find Sophia. Not one part of him was holding to that hope, not one part was set to keep them there for that girl's sake. It was all for Lori, and Carl, and that baby.

Shane's mouth opened as he advanced and Rick shook his head and pushed past him. Rick's mouth lifted in a bit of a snarl and he continued to shake his head as he walked past his friend.

Rick wasn't any better than Shane when it came to the true welfare of this group. Sacrifice one for the life of another. He was just as guilty as Shane when it came down to it, just in a different way. And realizing that fact made Rick sick to his stomach. But there wasn't really anything he could do about it. They needed to stay on at the farm. For Lori and the baby they needed to.

If that meant he had to propagate a meaningless search for a dead girl to accomplish it, then so be it. People would understand in time. He'd make sure of it.

"Let's get back," Rick said quietly to the man shadowing his steps. "Everyone's probably startin' to worry."

* * *

Daryl sat up and rubbed furiously at his eyes with his palms. He rubbed until he saw those familiar little black and white dots scatter over his closed eyes and then scrubbed a bit more. Shifting on the mass of rumpled bedding he growled low in his throat and dove his hands towards where his shirt had been discarded last night.

He grimaced at the thing, lifted it to his nose and snarled at it same as he did yesterday. And same as he did yesterday he tossed the sleeveless piece of shit gray-blue button over his head and down on to his shoulders, shoving his arms through so that beat old fabric covered his bare torso.

Shifting his sore shoulders and neck Daryl let his eyes roam around the now empty tent, his eyes lingering a bit on the mess of blankets he found himself in. He growled at that unkempt mess and what had caused it-and more specifically what _hadn't_ caused it.

It was odd still to think that all Daryl had wanted to do was hold Callie to him when she blurted out her thoughts on the fate of Hershel's family. He'd listened with a slow growing horror dawning in the back of his brain, a slow growing realization that she was right. He'd seen the photos on the wall, the looks on the faces of Maggie and Beth, hell he'd even seen it in the old man's eyes when they buried Jenna in his yard. But he hadn't put it together.

Because he hadn't been focused on anything but finding Sophia for a long time now. Found that was the only way to keep his mind off of the insanity going on 'round camp. Focus on what needed to be done in order to get them off and movin'. Focus on findin' that girl so that Carol didn't have to look at him the way that he felt Callie sometimes did.

Livin' with one woman he failed was good 'nough for him, he didn't need to make it two.

So when he'd finally got her settled in his arms in their makeshift bed, and wrapped himself as tightly around her as he could he'd wanted nothing more than to kiss away her worries. _Pussy._ To let her lose herself in him the way he lost himself in her and burn up that horrible sense of foreboding that lingered in her stiff shoulders away with the quick fire blaze of the passion they had between them. And he would have too, if not for the sleepin' baby-girl settled up on his cot.

The one who's little snores had echoed in his head as he held Callie closer and felt her hands softly rubbing along his skin. He remembered the feel of Callie's hand squeezing into his arm and shoulder as she sought that bit of security. No matter how much she kept repeating the words 'It'll be okay', he could tell she didn't mean a damn word of it. He'd been about to kiss her, just to shut her up, when the tent zipped open and Ben bounded in like he fuckin' owned the place.

The boy took one look at them on the ground and his sleepin' sister on the cot before stalking over and slipping into the mass of blankets between Callie and Daryl. _Between_ them. Not fuckin' beside, but _between_. And then to make matters worse, the kid's hand had shot out as he got comfortable slapping Daryl hard in his dick while the boy muttered 'move over' in a more than annoyed voice.

"Brat," Daryl grumbled now as he shifted and pushed up to his feet, his hand moving to adjust his dick as if the pain were still fresh. He cracked his neck and winced at the pull in the stitches at his side. Running his hands through his hair he worked his way over to the cot and sat on it as he bent to retrieve his boots from underneath.

As soon as Ben had snuggled himself deep into the covers between them, Gracie that big fuckin' faker, slipped off the cot and hurdled-fuckin' hurdled- Daryl's prone form landing right beside her brother in the mass of blankets. Callie had chuckled, and he'd speared her with a look that shoulda shut her up but instead just made her laugh harder.

_Losin' your edge, baby brother._

"Shut up," Daryl muttered as he pulled on his boots and then held his head in his hands for a bit. He stared at the rumbled mess of blankets and sleeping bags through the slats of his fingers and felt that edge slipping just a bit more.

No. Not slipping. Changing.

He'd realized it after a few hours in the dark listening to them breathing with his eyes closed. Callie had told him to sleep, told him he needed his rest. And in the back of his head he'd known she was right. He was close to healed up enough to go out again, but knew if he pushed it he'd be back at square one. So he tried to sleep. Tried and fuckin' failed. And when he'd opened his eyes and let his vision adjust to the bare hint of light provided by the low-turned almost dead battery operated lantern in the corner his eyes met Callie's wide open ones. And he'd realized he wasn't the only one changing.

For as long as he could remember Callie had been focused on saving the lives of her kids; on keeping them safe and protecting them. On working her _penance_ through, nothin' more. But as he lay in the dark starin' into her eyes, he saw the change in her. She wasn't focused on just helpin' them to survive anymore. She was focused on giving them a life, a family, love.

With him.

Which in and of itself settled harder on Daryl's chest than those fuckin' dog tags had when he'd put them around his neck.

And the idea that out there on the farm somewhere a threat loomed ready to take away her chance at providing that for them had burned bright in her eyes. She was on guard, just as he had been since the moment she told him her theory. It was at that point that his fingers met hers atop the bodies of the two kids settled between them. The hand under his head had shifted out and he reached, putting his hard calloused thumb to her forehead. He worked his thumb and smoothed that line of frustration and worry that had appeared between her furrowed brows and continued to do it until she sighed.

He'd rubbed that worry away from her face all night, watching her slowly drift off snuggled into the bodies of the two sleeping kids between them. Her fingers had entwined with his at one point, pulling him closer to the mass of warm bodies and he remembered letting out a disgruntled sigh as he finally gave in and moved those few inches closer. Losing that space he'd kept between them all. He'd rubbed away her worry all night and stayed on guard as the rest of them slept. Kept himself awake to the world around them, listening to the sounds of the farm and the camp and the night.

Listening for that threat that was waiting somewhere along the horizon.

Daryl's head suddenly felt heavy as he held it in his hands and stared at that mass of bedding. The exhaustion from his sleepless night, and everything he'd finally fuckin' come to terms with settled heavy on his shoulders. Shifting he let himself fall onto the cot and instantly rolled onto something. His hand dug behind him and he pulled up one of his bolts. He stared at it long and hard, realizing now that Itty-Bitty Gracie musta been sleepin' with it before she tumbled down onto the ground with them. Musta been usin' it to keep herself safe.

Daryl's eyes skipped to the mesh screen of the makeshift window in the tent and he shook his head.

"Girl shoulda said she was scared," Daryl grumbled as he poked the tip of the arrow through the mesh. "I'd a let her sleep down with us," Daryl poked the arrow through the mesh again and shook his head. "She knows that."

Fuck, she curled up like a kitten next to me in the house an' he hadn't said a damn thing.

Daryl poked the arrow through the mesh one final time and then turned towards the open flap of the tent. The one that Callie had left wide and free when she exited earlier, tellin' him the place smelled worse than the pig sty and needed to air out. He'd slapped half-heartedly at her and apparently fallen asleep not long after her laughin' ass had left with both kids in tow just after sunup. His brow narrowed as he heard the distinct sound of footsteps again, steps that halted and started as if the person wasn't sure whether they should enter or not.

And then Andrea's blonde head poked into the tent and he shifted so that the arrow he was poking through the mesh window settled on his chest.

"Hey," Andrea said, her eyes shifting around the interior of the tent before finally settling back on him. He watched her shift all the way into the tent. "You talking to someone?"

"You eavesdroppin'?"

"Sorry," Andrea said letting out a long sigh as she worked closer towards him. Daryl snarled a bit and shook his head at the both of them and watched her lift a hand. "Callie said you were on bed rest still," Andrea said with a smirk that he felt himself growlin' at. She held out her hand and smiled. "Figured you could use this. It's not great but," Andrea shrugged and Daryl reached out for the book.

He watched her as he flipped the pages, scoffing a bit as she sighed and shifted the small camping stool over so she could sit near his cot.

"What no pictures?" Daryl said earning a bit of a laugh from the obviously uneasy woman. He shifted his eyes away when hers landed on him and he flipped through the pages again.

"Callie and Dale said its Ben's favorite," Andrea said nodding at the book. Daryl flipped the book closed and squinted at the cover 'The Case of The Missing Man'. He lifted confused eyes back to her and she smiled. "Apparently they've both read it to him four times. We figured maybe you'd be able to explain the kid's reasoning, because we're all lost on the appeal." Daryl huffed out a breath and set the book on his stomach. He watched Andrea wring her hands between her knees and felt a bit of unease settle over him at what he knew was comin'. "I feel like shit," Andrea said quietly.

"You an' me both," Daryl responded, opting for sarcasm to lighten the heaviness of the words. He wasn't used to people seekin' him out to apologize for shit, and it just wasn't something he wanted to deal with.

"I don't expect you to forgive me-"

"You were tryin' to protect the group," Daryl said cutting her off and nodding slightly as he continued to twirl his bolt between his suddenly restless hands. "We're good." He watched her nod and squinted. "You and Callie…"

"She pretty much said the same thing when she passed me on my way here," Andrea said shaking her head. "We're good." Andrea quoted as she lifted her eyes to him and smiled.

"Yeah, well," Daryl shifted in his prone position and put one hand behind his head. "That's probably as good as you're gonna get."

"Yeah," Andrea said scoffing and shaking her head at him. The moment was light and that weight of her stilted apology suddenly wasn't so heavy on his chest. But something else nagged in the back of Daryl's mind as he watched Andrea shift and rub her hands on her jean-clad knees. Something about the way she was huffin' that made him remember just how fuckin' annoyin' she could be when she had a point to make. "Callie and Miles are going back out to look for Sophia, did you know that?"

"Yeah," Daryl said tiredly watching the bit of shock play over her face at his nonchalant answer. "She told me. That really surprise you?"

"No, I guess not," Andrea said shaking her head and running her hand through a few of the loose strands of waving blonde that had freed themselves from the clip at the back of her head. She stared at her boots for a minute and then shifted her eyes out the flap of the tent, all the time lettin' off those fuckin' sighs that told Daryl there was more to come.

"Spit it out, blondie. Got shit to do," Daryl said shifting and sitting up, his hand holding his injured side.

"It's been eight days, Daryl." Andrea said finally and Daryl felt his brow furrow as his field of vision narrowed to slits. His mouth curled up into a snarl as she lifted a hand at him and he threw the damn book she'd brought him across the tent. "Listen—"

"We been through this before," Daryl said as his feet shot over the cot and onto the floor. He woulda stood up but she was movin' and he couldn't get to his feet without knockin' into her or possibly knockin' her down so he remained seated. "I ain't got time for your woe-is-me-"

"Callie ran into Walkers yesterday," Andrea said cutting him off and holding his gaze. "Did she tell you that?" Daryl growled in the back of his throat and jutted his chin, not wanting to admit that the woman had left that part out of her little share-time last night. "She did. Only a couple, nothing they couldn't handle, but still. They were lucky." Andrea let out a breath and slipped forward a bit more on the little camping stool, her knees brushing off of his and causing him to lean back away from her.

_Pussy._

"Daryl," Andrea began calmly her hands clasped together between her knees. "We both know the type of person that Callie is. We both know that she will do anything to save someone even if it means her own life." Andrea's hands unclasped and landed on her knees as she stared at him and he bit at the inside of his cheek as he watched her. "In the past few days Callie has searched harder for that little girl than she ever did for her own brother.

"Don't—"

"Hear me out," Andrea said raising a hand and standing up before him. "She has. And you know it. And that could be for Carol. It could be because of what happened to Jenna. But you and I both know why she's really heading out there."

"She ain't doin' that shit for me," Daryl spat back at her. "She knows we're gonna find her-"

"But has she ever told you that she thought you were gonna find her alive?" Andrea said quietly and Daryl's eyes flared wide. He pushed up to his feet then not carin' if he knocked her the fuck down and stared down at her. Andrea didn't back down she just stared right back, nodding her head in that way that she did when she thought she'd made a fuckin' point.

"Get the fuck outta here, Blondie. Ain't got time for this bullshit," Daryl growled low in his throat.

"It's been eight days, Daryl." Andrea repeated as he pushed past her his shoulder spinning her around as it hit off of her. He turned around and glared at her and hunched down digging his hands inside his packs to keep them from lifting up and wringin' her neck. "I know why you're searching so hard. I get it. Your story in the woods," Andrea continued and Daryl glared over his shoulder at her. "You identify with her. But she's not you, Daryl. Sophia isn't you." Daryl's head snapped back to glaring at the inside of his bag and he growled as he listened to Andrea take a tentative step towards him. "She's not. She's a survivor, yes. She's tough. But so was Jenna."

"Don't-"

"Jenna was a survivor. She was tough. She was smart," Andrea shifted and he looked up in time to see her wipe a hand over her mouth, unshed tears shinin' in her blue eyes. Andrea took in a deep breath and let it out, her shoulders square and her mouth drawn in a tight line. "Jenna was a survivor, Daryl. And she was dead on day one."

Daryl's head lifted and snapped over to where Andrea stood staring down at him. He glared at her as she stared at him, workin' those baby blues of hers to try and convince him to see things her way. He heard the sound of running footsteps and watched Gracie fly by the front of the tent off towards where the group was gathering for breakfast.

"You're wrong," Daryl said as he turned back to Andrea. "Callie ain't doin' this for me. She ain't got no problem tellin' me what she got on her mind. There ain't no secrets between us. Her brother, that's shit you don't understand," Daryl said pointing a finger at her and advancing. "Shit you and your feeble little 'me-me-me' brain couldn't comp-re-hend." He stretched out the word as he pointed to his own stitched up head. "She ain't out there because she thinks it'll make me happy. She's out there to find that little girl. Which is exactly what the rest of you all should be doin' instead of harpin' on how impossible it is for her to have survived. Impossible shit happens every fuckin' day, Andrea. Look around."

Andrea backed up as Daryl advanced and she lifted her hands in surrender.

"You think that it's a fuckin' waste of time to look," Daryl said shakin' his head. "Fine. Sit around, play sentry on the RV, and shut the fuck up. But don't you come in here all high-and-mighty 'cause you fucked the sheriff an' tell me to stop."

"Honestly Daryl," Andrea said with a shake of her head and a look of pure anger and confusion on her face as she bristled just a bit at his last statement. "How naïve can you be? Someone's going to get hurt by all this hope you and Callie keep swinging around."

"The fuck outta here," Daryl spat swatting at the air between them. Andrea shook her head and made her way out of the tent leaving Daryl glaring at the sunlight beyond the open flap. His hand lifted and raked harshly into his hair, the pain of his fingers against his beat to hell head dull compared to the painful thud of his heart in his chest.

_Hope's for fools, little brother. Wishful thinkin' ain't nothing but a fool's excuse for avoidin' the truth. _

Daryl scratched his hand at the back of his head and took in three deep steadyin' breaths. He closed his eyes to try and quell the pounding in his head that had rippled his vision and continued to take in those deep breaths. Finally, after what seemed like too long, his eyes opened and he nodded.

Pushing out of the tent his eyes bee-lined for the campsite. He could see Carol's form bent over the fire as she poked at something in a pot. He clenched and unclenched his fists a few times and pushed his feet forward, eyes on target.

He needed to talk to her. Find out if he was the only fool still clinging to hope. Find out if it was even worth it anymore. He walked a few paces and suddenly stopped at the feel of fingers gripping his waistband and pulling him back just a bit. He turned wild, angry eyes to whoever the fuck it was and was met with the slightly amused and now concerned hazel eyes he'd come to -

"Hey," Callie said tilting her head to the side as she pulled again on his pants. He shook his head at himself for not recognizing the gesture that he'd done to her so many times he'd lost count and again raked his hands through his hair. Callie stared at him and took another step closer her fingers slipping away from his belt loop and sliding into her back pockets. "You alright? You look pale."

"Fine," Daryl snarled his head turning towards the campsite. Callie huffed out what he figured was a sigh of frustration and he looked back at her. "You leavin'?"

"Not yet," Callie's eyes were following something just off to his right and he turned to see Miles smile and wave. "Miles needs to get some breakfast. I wanted to check in with Rick." Daryl nodded and reached out as she began to work her way past him. He stared at her and she raised a brow at him in confusion. "Something up?"

Daryl's mouth opened to say something, but then snapped shut again as he realized he didn't know what the fuck he was gonna say to her. Three words seemed to float around. Don't go yet. Please be safe.

_I love you._

"C'mon, Gracie," Miles' voice rang out and woke him from his stupor and he looked to see Miles crossing the field behind him smiling at the little girl who was chasin' after a chicken. Miles shifted his eyes back to them and Callie shook her head.

"I got her," Callie said patting Daryl's arm and moving off to follow behind Gracie as she picked her path behind the chicken no doubt heading for its coop down by the barn. Callie's eyes lingered on him for a minute before she smiled again and jutted her chin at Miles. "You take this one," she said mockingly as Miles chuckled and shifted beside Daryl.

Daryl watched Callie head off after Gracie until they all but disappeared down towards the barn before he began walking with the still chuckling Miles. Daryl's elbow flew out and clocked the kid right in his gut, causing him to sputter and cough.

"Ow, fuck man." Miles said as he worked to catch up with Daryl.

"Shut up, chuckles," Daryl grumbled as he turned to face the kid. He held Miles' eyes and waited for the kid to stop next to him before pointing his finger into Miles' chest. "You keep her in line out there. You get me?"

A single beat passed between them in which Miles simply stared at Daryl. Daryl felt his cheeks warming with a fuckin' blush as he watched the kid's lips tilt up in a bit of a smile before his hand lifted.

"I got you man," Miles said slapping his hand on Daryl's shoulder and removing it before Daryl could pull away from the friendly touch. "I got you."

Daryl nodded and followed behind Miles towards the little eating area that Carol and Lori had worked up. He took the offered plate of eggs from the kid and sat down on a chair nearby, his eyes flitting up to where Ben was situated on top of the RV with Danny. Dale was workin' his way around the RV and nodded his head at Glenn and Daryl shifted his eyes between the two for a second.

"Everything okay out there?" Dale asked Rick as he sat down next to Lori and Carl. Rick nodded and rubbed at the bridge of his nose while his eyes followed Shane's movements around the camp. Daryl's fork dove into his eggs and his eyes shifted to where Carol was bent over the pot on the fire.

"Need ta talk to you," Daryl said quietly to the woman. She stared at him in shock for a moment before blinking and nodding.

"Alright," Carol said shifting her eyes to the pot and then him. "After breakfast."

Daryl nodded once and shoved a forkful of eggs into his mouth. A heavy sort of silence fell over the group for a minute and again Daryl let his eyes roam over the assembled people. Something was clinging to the air as Daryl again watched Dale nod at Glenn. His head tipped to see Danny getting to his feet with the binoculars set firmly to his face as he stared down towards the barn.

"Guys," Glenn's voice barked out rough and unsure and Daryl's eyes flicked to him briefly before returning to Danny who was fidgeting on his bum leg with Ben right beside him. "The barn's full of Walkers."

Daryl's fork hovered over his plate, his eyes shifting automatically to where Glenn stood dancing on the balls of his feet. It took a second for his brain to fully process what the kid had just said. A second for it all to click into place, as his eyes shifted to where Rick was now slowly getting to his feet. A second for Callie's words from last night about Hershel's beliefs to click.

A second to register the image of Danny starin' down at that barn. A second to remember Gracie's dark curls bouncing as she chased after that chicken, Callie right on her heels.

A second for the clipped sound of a very shrill scream to pierce through the fog of the silence that had once again fallen on the group.

The plate fell from his hands as Daryl pushed to his feet, his response immediate and lightning quick as he ran towards that fuckin' barn. He could hear Miles on his heels, followed closely by Rick and the rest as that scream -Gracie's scream- came to an abrupt and heart-wrenching halt.

* * *

Callie smiled a bit as she watched Gracie reach out her hands towards the little chicken she was following. A part of her wanted to reach out and tell the girl to leave it be and head up to get breakfast. But another part, a much stronger part, was enjoying the smile on the girl's face far too much to actually do it.

Running her hand through her loose hair she let her eyes slide over her shoulder for a second picking up on Daryl and Miles as they made their way towards the breakfast area near the RV. Her eyes slid over Daryl's familiar form, drinking in the silhouette of his broad shoulders against the sunny backdrop behind him.

Her eyes slipped to the bustling area the two men were heading to and she caught Rick's familiar lean silhouette followed closely by Shane's as they returned from taking care of that lone Walker Ben spotted out near the woods. Her eyes followed Shane as he stalked around near the RV. Callie felt her lip curl up in a snarl as she continued to watch his dark shape make its way around. Shifting her eyes to where Gracie was up ahead and she wondered if she shouldn't have let Miles follow the girl so that she could check in with Rick. The conversation that she figured had gone down between the two men couldn't have been comfortable, and she felt she needed to be there as Rick no doubt reeled from all of the weight he'd settled on his shoulders.

Or at least to back him up when and if Shane made another dumbass move.

She shook her head and turned back towards where Gracie was slowly trotting a few feet ahead of her, still hot on the heels of the chicken that had somehow escaped its coop.

Poor thing looked like it was hurt too, one leg lifting strangely with each hopped step it took. Callie's head tilted at the sight of the injured chicken and her eyes instantly darted around her, wondering what could have caused it. From everything she'd seen, Hershel and his people took good care of the livestock on the land. It just seemed odd to have an injured chicken bustling about.

Gracie's giggle caught Callie's ear and she watched the girl topple just a bit as she tripped over a rock. A bit of dust stirred up in front of the girl whose hands had spread over the small bit of gravel and dirt. Callie's pace picked up a bit seeing the little girl looking at her hands with a bit of a pout on her face. Just as Callie was about to reach out to the girl Gracie's smiling face shifted over her shoulder then and Callie smiled back just as the girl lowered her nicked up palms and took off again. The chicken was heading towards the doors to the barn and Callie frowned as she watched Gracie continue towards the doors of the rickety looking building.

"Gracie-baby," Callie called out, remembering Hershel's request that they not bother with any of his outbuildings. "Time to head back and get some breakfast, kiddo." Gracie was in front of the doors now her back to Callie as she approached; the chicken hobbling off to the side forgotten as it pecked at the ground. "Gracie," Callie called out again her hands sliding out of her back pockets where they'd been resting and falling to her sides.

Gracie didn't move, she just continued to stare at the doors to the barn. Her little head of curls blocking Callie's view of the door handles, but not the sounds. The sounds of chains rattling as the wind pressed upon the building and shook the old wooden doors with a fierceness that was just out of place. The wind just wasn't blowing hard enough to have caused those doors to move that way.

"Gracie," Callie called out again as she moved closer, her eyes finally catching upon the chains wrapped around the handles and the lock that was banging on the doors. The large two by four that had been placed across the door bent and bowed and it wasn't until Callie opened her mouth again to call out to the girl that the sounds of the chains ebbed away, leaving only one sound behind.

One chilling, heart-stopping sound that had Callie's hand reaching out and her fingers curling in the fabric of the little hoodie settled on the girl's thin trembling shoulders.

The moans and groans of the dead filtered out through the split in the large wooden door. Sounds so haunting and so deeply ingrained into her that Callie's mind instantly went back to the CDC and that horrid lower bowel of hell she'd had to escape with Ben and Carl. The groans of that hungry undead horde on her heels echoing in the back of her mind as she watched that door get pushed upon by the unknown number of the dead inside. The smell hit her next, a smell that she should have picked up on immediately but that bit of wind that was blowing had sent it off in the other direction making it so that you had to be right on top of it before you actually picked it up. It was a stench that she'd never be able to forget and one that had her almost hyperventilating as more visions of those darkened glass rooms and that fucking dark hallway assaulted her.

Instantly she realized what-who was in there, and her hand shifted pulling the still frozen in place girl backwards. Callie's eyes opened wide, and she slipped her eyes over her shoulder back towards the house and the campsite. An act of stupidity that she immediately regretted.

Gracie's scream pierced the air and had Callie shifting her attention back towards the barn doors just in time to wrench the girl away from the grasp of the reaching hand that had slipped through the small space between the doors. Such a small arm, thin and low and at the perfect height to grab onto Gracie. Callie pulled Gracie away from that reaching hand turning so that she could ram her body into the doors and knock whatever was behind that door away.

And that would have worked if Gracie hadn't squirmed and continued to scream, enticing the unknown mass of bodies behind that door. Callie's hand slipped over Gracie's mouth cutting off her scream. She turned again, feeling the pull of fingers on her long sleeved shirt. Callie's body tensed and she had to use all of the self-control she had not to scream as she felt her arm being pulled back by those reaching fingers. Fingers that were higher than the last set.

Callie looked back over her shoulder and stared right into the undead eyes of the owner of the large hand that had snaked out through the space between the doors. She stared and felt Gracie struggling against her bandaged hand as it covered the girl's mouth. Callie wrenched her arm hearing the tearing of her shirt and feeling the jarring pain as she fell hard to her ass on the ground. Gracie was still between her legs, and she wrapped her arm now free arm around the girl as she scooted back in the dirt away from that door and the reaching fingers.

Gracie's face was in her chest now, muffling the sound of the little girl's panicked cries as Callie sat and stared at that door. The blood was pounding in Callie's head too fast, too hard and her breathing was too erratic as she struggled to drag in deep breath after deep breath. She didn't even register the voices yelling at them, not until Daryl and Miles skidded to a stop at either side of her.

"Oh God," Miles' voice broke Callie out of her stupor and she shook her head as Daryl's face swam into her field of vision. His eyes were wide and worry etched his features as his hands wrapped almost painfully at her upper arms. "Jesus." Miles continued and Callie lifted her head to watch the boy pace in front of her. His eyes angled over her head and she turned slightly to watch the rest of the group come to a stop.

"Did it get-" Daryl's voice cracked as he dragged in a deep painful breath, his feet shifting as he no doubt pulled his injured side as he crouched before her and reached for Gracie's trembling body still snuggled into Callie. "Did it get her?" Daryl's eyes remained on Gracie as they both worked to pull the girl's hands from their grip on Callie's shirt. Callie's head was shaking but she couldn't seem to form the words yet. "There's blood."

"She fell," Callie said finally. She lifted her hand from the back of the little girl's head and put it over top of Daryl's stilling his frantic movements and catching his eye with hers. "She cut her hands." Daryl stared at her for a long second before sniffing and settling back on his heels. She watched his eyes roam behind him, catching Rick's figure as he slipped up to them and looked down.

"Everyone a'right?" Rick asked quietly, his own voice hoarse as he struggled to catch his breath. His gun which had apparently been pulled at the sound of Gracie's screams sat limp in his hand at his side. Daryl ran a ragged hand through his hair and glared at Rick as Callie nodded and finally got Gracie away from her chest. "Callie-"

"Gracie-baby," Callie said quietly dipping her head and taking the opportunity to stand the little girl up and give her a once over. Her hands hovered over the girl's still shaking body as she looked for any signs of injury and she let out a ragged breath as she slipped her eyes up to Miles who stood by waiting. "Miles, take her up to the RV-" Gracie's head began to shake and she rammed herself back into the still sitting Callie. The stares of the group fell heavy on to her shoulders then and Callie stared at Daryl as she worked to steady her nerves. Gracie's head was shaking back and forth and then the little girl lifted her tear stained face to Callie. "It's okay baby, go with Miles."

Callie nodded up at Miles and the boy stepped in and peeled the scared girl off of Callie's shirt. He tucked the tiny girl around his torso and held her tight, his eyes immediately lifting to the scared and running form of Ben and Danny making their way towards them.

"Go," Callie said putting her hand to the ground and slowly working to her feet. Miles shifted his eyes around, catching Daryl's nod and waved hand before making his way off towards the approaching pair. Callie's legs were trembling beneath her as she worked to her feet, and as Daryl gripped her arm and helped her up she grabbed his hand for support.

"Callie," Rick's voice was in her ear as he helped her up on the other side and she turned to look at his face.

"I'm fine," Callie said brushing him off and shaking her head as she finally let go of Daryl's arm and dusted at her pants. "Really, I'm -"

"Your shirt," Rick said in as cool and as calm a manner as he could. Callie slipped her eyes down to the front of her shirt, slightly stained with blood from the cuts on Gracie's hands. Her head began to shake as she lifted her eyes to Rick, but the motion stopped as her right arm was suddenly and painfully wrenched forward by Daryl.

"What-"Callie's question was cut off as Daryl's fingers slipped over the large rip in the fabric at her elbow. His eyes darted to hers briefly before he let out a growl and ripped the sleeve the rest of the way so that it pooled at her wrist. He roughly turned her arm this way and that, his fingers digging into her flesh as his breathing grew ever more erratic. "Daryl," Callie said as calmly as she could watching him lift her arm and stare as he ran his calloused fingers over her skin again and again. "Daryl." Callie tried again and she heard Rick let out a relieved sigh before pushing off to fend off the stalking Shane. "Hey, dumbass," Callie said over the Shane's rants. As she dipped her chin to her chest, Daryl's eyes finally lifted to her. Those piercing blue orbs were wide and angered and she felt her lips twitch with a smirk that she knew would do nothing but annoy him further. "I'm okay," Callie said calmly feeling his hand tighten just a bit on her arm. "We're okay."

Daryl's hand fell from her arm and he backed away a step before letting out a growl and turning to glare at the barn doors behind him. He began to pace around in front of that door, his hands clenching and unclenching with each step and his shoulders rising and falling with deep breaths that just weren't helping to calm his unsettled nerves.

"Okay?" Shane's rants finally reached her ears as the blood pounding in her veins slowed and she shifted to watch him stalk up to her. His head was shaking and he glared at the barn before his angered eyes slipped over her. His hand shot out and waved in an arc around the area, his eyes slipping from her to Rick before he spoke again. "You cannot tell me you're a'right with this?"

"I'm not," Rick said tiredly, his eyes slipping from Shane's angry figure as he paced around behind them and over to Callie. "No one is."

"Jesus Christ, Rick," Shane sputtered his arms shooting out again. The shock of the entire situation was sitting heavily upon all of them and Callie took a moment to let her eyes shift over everyone. Slowly she looked back towards the house, catching sight of a lone figure standing on the porch.

"We can't just sweep this under the rug," Andrea said coming up to stand near Callie and putting a hand to her shoulder. "Look what just almost happened," Andrea continued in an incredulous voice as she slipped her eyes over the group. Callie spared her a small smile before shifting her gaze to see the figure on the porch heading into the house and disappearing from sight. "If you hadn't been here with Gracie," Andrea said and Callie held up her hand with the fabric pooled at her wrist and waved it.

"I know," Callie said shifting her hand and running it through her hair as she glanced back at the door that was still pulsing with the movement of the bodies behind it. "I know. God I know." Callie stared at that door for a moment before starting at the feel of Rick's hand on her shoulder.

Callie let out a low breath and let her eyes again roam over the faces of everyone. She caught Carol's worried gaze and smiled at the woman before she moved towards where Daryl was still pacing by the doors. Daryl leaned in close and put his eye to the slat of the door, pulling back immediately when Callie's hand rested at his shoulder. He glared at her hard and let his eyes roam over her arm again before shaking his head and continuing his pacing.

"This ain't right," Shane was saying now, his voice calmer but still obviously perturbed. Callie watched him toss a hand at the barn door she was by and she crossed her arms over her chest as he returned his glare to Rick. "It ain't right. Not remotely," Shane said and Rick let out a ragged sigh as his hand worked through his hair. "We either got to get in there and make it right. Or we have to go," Shane said coming to a stop in front of Rick. Rick shook his head and shifted his eyes from Callie back to Shane. "We have been talking in circles 'bout Fort Benning-"

"We can't go," Rick said forcefully, the exhausted sigh that slipped through his lips sparking yet another angered outburst from Shane.

"Why?" Shane practically seethed as he worked himself into Rick's face. Callie's feet started working towards Shane and the man spared her a glare before shifting his face back into Rick's. "Why, Rick?"

"Because my daughter's still out there," Carol said stepping up to Rick's side. Her eyes slipped between the two men, and then over to Callie. "She's still out there," Carol's eyes shifted from Shane who was shaking his head and pacing as his hands rubbed at his face and over to where Daryl was staring at her. Callie watched Daryl and Carol stare at each other, watched a silent conversation being held between the two and felt her head nodding.

"She's right," Callie said looking at Rick who looked anything but convinced. She shook her head at him and then looked to Shane who was scoffing out a laugh and working his way towards them.

"Carol," Shane said almost incredulously his hands falling from his face as he danced around a bit on his feet. "Carol, honey. I think it's time to start considering-"

"We are not leaving her behind," Rick said forcefully, his hand lifting to settle on Carol's shoulder for a second before he gave Callie a nod. Shane's head shook around and his hands again flew out in utter confusion.

"We're close to finding that girl," Daryl spat stepping forward and getting himself into Shane's face. "We're close," Daryl said looking to Callie who nodded and crossed her arms over her chest as she stood by and watched Shane glare at Daryl. "I just found her fuckin' doll."

"You found her doll," Shane spat back lifting a finger into Daryl's chest and pushing him back. Daryl growled and Callie stepped forward putting her hand to his shoulder and pushing him back while Rick moved in on Shane's side. "You found her fuckin' doll, Daryl. Down at the bottom of a ravine full of fuckin' Walkers." Shane seethed as he pushed against Rick's hand to get closer to the now frothing and foaming Daryl as he bounced around behind Rick's back looking for an opening. Callie's hand was dislodged as Daryl rocked on his feet glaring at Shane and Callie shared a helpless defeated look with Rick.

"You don't know what the hell you're talkin' 'bout," Daryl seethed his hand shooting out and pointing a finger at Shane. "But go 'head, keep on runnin' your mouth, bitch. I owe you one for all the shit you been pullin' round here."

"Enough," Rick said shifting his eyes over his shoulder to Daryl quickly and then back to Shane. Callie's eyes shifted over her shoulder to the creaking doors of the barn and she shook her head at Rick. "Stop." Rick said pushing Shane away from Daryl who was pressing his chest up against Rick's back.

"Daryl," Callie called out again and put her hands to his shoulder only to have them shaken off again. Daryl glared at her and she threw her hands up in annoyance before crossing them over her chest again.

"I'm just sayin' what needs to be said," Shane said shifting his eyes around the group. "What everyone's thinkin', and no one's fuckin' sayin'. Sending people out to search for that girl is a waste of time. You know that," Shane said poking his finger into Rick's chest hard. "No leads after forty-eight hours-"

"Stop," Rick said again more forcefully, his own hand pushing out at his former partner and propelling the other man back. Shane stared at Rick hard, shock written on his features as his eyes moved from Rick to Callie and Daryl close at Rick's back. "Shane, stop. Just stop."

"Tell you something else man," Shane said, his eyes boring right into the still seething squinted glare of Daryl directly behind Rick. "If Sophia was out there, and she saw you comin' all methed-out with your Buck-knife and geek ears round your neck, she woulda run the other direction." Shane spat the words at Daryl and Callie watched Daryl's face contort in outrage and anger. Shane smiled just a bit, knowing he'd hit home, but he wasn't quite ready to stop there. "Man, Jenna was lucky she was already dead when she stumbled upon you. Fuck, woulda died from shock anyway huh," Callie dragged in a harsh breath and slipped her own eyes to Shane.

She witnessed the moment that Shane realized he'd stepped too far over a line and watched him try to backpedal away from it. That split second of horror that had been written over his face, was swallowed hard by the man in the Police ball cap, and Callie watched it burn its way down his throat. In the next instant Daryl was moving, unhindered by Rick who was sharing in the group's moment of disbelief.

"Shut your mouth," Daryl growled as he lunged forward. One hand landed in the fabric of Shane's shirt while the other met his jaw and sent them both men toppling sideways. Callie rushed forward along with Rick and surprisingly Lori and Dale. Rick and Callie worked to get Daryl off, as he landed another punch and ducked away from Shane's hand as it hit home on his shoulder.

"Back off," Rick said as he pushed Shane away while Callie wrapped her arms around Daryl and dragged him backwards. T-Dog came to her aid and helped her get him further away as Rick continued to push at Shane. "Cool down. You were outta line. Back off." Lori and Dale were pulling at Shane, and Shane's eyes slipped down to Lori who was pushing at his chest.

"Keep your hands off me," Shane said breaking Lori's hands away from him and stalking off. Lori stood there shocked for a moment, her eyes following Shane's stalking form before slipping back to where Rick was watching her.

Callie let her hands fall as Daryl pushed away from her and T-Dog muttered as he steadied her on her feet. She reached out to Daryl and he stared hard at her as he raked both hands through his hair. His body was tense and no doubt in pain from the fight but the only pain showing on his face was a deep-seeded internal one that she knew he'd never let out. She looked away from him as he continued to pace and ran her own hand through her hair as she caught Rick's eyes.

"Let me talk to Hershel," Rick said keeping his eyes locked on Callie. She nodded, knowing that he had come to the same realization as she had about who was settled in that barn. Rick nodded back and then sighed as he looked out to the rest of the shocked group. "Let me figure it out. If we're going to stay," Rick said and then shook his head when Shane let out a disgruntled 'fuckin' idiot'. "If we're going to clear this barn," Rick said over Shane's outburst as he continued to address the group. "Let me talk him into it."

"Hershel thinks of these things as people," Dale said quietly his hand arcing out towards the barn.

"They were people," Callie said quietly to him and he nodded at her before lifting a hand in apology. She stared at him for a minute and then really processed what he'd just said. "God," Callie said running her hand down her face as everything started clicking into place. Hershel's odd behavior with Jenna, his words that hadn't made sense before finally finding an odd home in her head. "Oh God, he thinks they're still alive," Callie muttered into her hands as she turned back to the barn and took a few steps towards it. The creaking and groaning of the doors was now being overpowered by the moaning and groaning of the dead inside. "How many-"

"You knew," Shane's accusing voice echoed out and Callie barely registered Dale responding that Glenn had found out and told him and Danny yesterday. Callie's mind was so intent on the Walkers in the barn that she didn't realize that Shane wasn't addressing Dale until a rough hand grabbed her shoulder and turned her around.

"Hey, motherfucker," Daryl's voice rang out just as Callie's wide eyes caught Shane's angry ones.

"You knew," Shane repeated as he worked himself up so that he loomed over her. Callie heard Rick's angered voice call out to Shane and heard Daryl's footsteps but was frozen by the unfiltered hatred that was burning in Shane's eyes. "How long? Huh? You been behind closed doors with Hershel more times than I can count since we been here. So how long you known about it?"

"Jesus, Shane," Dale's utterly disbelieving voice called out as Callie shook her head.

"I didn't know," Callie said her eyes shifting over his shoulder to where Rick was working to calm Daryl. She caught Rick's eyes and then Daryl's and her head shook. "I should have," Callie said quietly looking back to Shane. "I had a feeling-"

"A feelin'," Shane spat turning away and then spinning on his heel to get back into her face. "Don't give me that shit." He looked over his shoulder then at Rick. "You knew too, huh? That's what all those late night conversations have been about? And here I just thought you were finally giving in an' fuckin' her." Shane spat.

"Hey," Callie pushed at Shane's shoulders hard spinning him around. She advanced on him her hands again pushing hard into his chest propelling his unprepared body back again. "Fucker. I don't know where this is coming from but you need to get your head out of your ass." Callie shoved again. "He didn't know. We didn't know. I put two and two together yesterday that things weren't right here. And I went to Rick to figure out what the next step should be," Callie shoved again and this time Shane didn't move back. "That's it douche-bag. God," she pushed again and again he snarled but didn't budge. "Don't pull that useless bullshit about Rick fuckin' me out. Fuck, Shane. Unlike you I've been fuckin' payin' attention to my surroundings and figured shit out."

"Get my head out of my ass, she says." Shane said shifting his eyes around the group. "Get my head out of my ass." Shane's hands shot out and pushed Callie back a step and this time there were more shouts. Callie caught Rick and Daryl moving forward and she braced herself as Shane's hands shot out but instead of pushing her he grabbed a hold of the waistband of her pants and pulled her forward. "Fuck you Callie," Shane seethed his face an inch from hers. "You know what? You ain't the only one who knows how to fuckin' read situations and people. Shit honey I been readin' you like a book for a long time," he pulled on her again and her hands lifted to brace against his chest as she tried to back away. "Take the way you wear this gun of yours," Shane said in harsh whisper at her face. "Just _begging_ someone to fuckin' take it from you. _Beggin'_ someone to fuckin' do what you ain't had the guts to do since you had to kill your family. Maybe I should do it for you, huh?" Shane's fingers slipped to the gun settled at the front of her pants.

Callie's hand balled into a fist at the same time her foot jammed down hard on the top of Shane's foot. Just as he bent with the pain and his hand slipped from her gun she raised her knee and clocked him in his groin. In that moment Daryl's form tackled into Shane's and the two men went down leaving her fist to hit nothing but air. Callie stumbled back as Rick and T-Dog both moved in to work the two men apart. Glenn was at her side and the both of them slipped backwards as the scuffle intensified. Daryl was pounding on Shane's side as Shane landed a few good hits to Daryl's injured thigh and Callie was left to stare in wonder at the entire thing.

"Are you okay?" Glenn asked in a rushed tone as he put a hand to her arm. Dale worked his way towards them and she waved the older man off angrily and he shook his head at her while running a hand under his bucket hat. "Hey," Glenn's voice called out and Callie nodded at him as she shifted her eyes watching as Rick held Daryl back and T-Dog pushed Shane away.

"Cool it, man. I ain't above knockin' your ass the fuck out for that shit." T-Dog spat at Shane who was wiping his hand over his bloodied lip.

Callie and Glenn backed up more as Rick and the still struggling Daryl moved towards them. They backed up until their backs were pushed up against the door. The door pushed back and both Callie and Glenn turned to watch gray fingers curl out at them.

A shot rang out and Callie and Glenn both spun on their heels as they darted away from the door. The moment of fear was quelled instantly by the sight of the three people settled not far off from them. Hershel stood staring hard at the group, Maggie at one side and Danny at the other with the rifle pointed in the air.

"Ya want to get the fuck away from the damn barn now?" Danny called out in a tired voice his eyes skipping towards Hershel. "Some people's children, huh?"

"Shut up, Danny." Maggie muttered tiredly as she shook her head at him. "Just please, shut up."

_I was five and he was six_

_We rode on horses made of sticks_

_He wore black and I wore white _

_He would always win the fight_

_Bang, bang he shot me down_

_Bang, bang I hit the ground _

_Bang, bang that awful sound _

_Bang, bang my baby shot me down_

_~Bang, Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)/ Nancy Sinatra_

_AN: I felt the need to let this end on a bit of a humored note, because I know that there's a lot of not so funny. I hope you guys liked Daryl and Shane finally getting to have a go at one another. It's been a long time comin' and while you didn't get a full on play-by-play ('cause I'm just not good at writing out that much fun action) I hope you used your imagination and made it everything you wanted it to be. _

_Shit's gonna be hitting the fan in the next chapter peeps. To quote a great movie…hold on to your butts. (points if you know where that's from) _

_Not much left to say here other than yet again, thank you for all your support and love and all the new alerts and faves. You guys fuckin' ROCK. Get settled in for the fun of the mid-season finale and I'll try to keep y'all in the happy TWD world with my story as we settle in for that break. _

_Much Love!_

_See ya next chapter~ _


	43. Back Against The Wall

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_Barn-mageddon part 2… electric boogaloo. Well, not really, but we're moving forward people. Moving forward. A quick shout out to all the new readers/reviewers. I love the comments y'all are sending in and appreciate you more and more with each passing day. I'm so utterly flabbergasted with the support I just don't know what to do with myself half the time. _

_As always read, review and most of all enjoy!_

_~michelle_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Back Against The Wall**

Callie sat back on her heels and stared at her hands as they shook.

She'd extricated herself from the tension-filled area down by the barn-the Walker-filled barn- nearly a half an hour ago. She'd bypassed the reaching worried hands of Danny and Maggie and the strangely unsettled look on Hershel's face and walked straight towards the RV. Miles had been settled inside, Gracie on his lap as he cleaned the small cuts on the little girl's hands.

Ben and Carl had jumped up from their seats across from Miles at the small table and barraged her with a myriad of questions that she just wasn't up for answering. Her blood had been pounding too fast in her head and her only thoughts were focused on the poor baby-girl still hiding her face with her mass of curls.

"Knock it off," Miles had spat out at the two boys as they continued to shoot question after question at Callie as she crouched down in front of Gracie. Miles slipped his face towards her as the two boys quieted and settled back in at the little table. "You okay?"

Callie had nodded, lifting her eyes briefly to him before lifting a hand and moving the hair that veiled Gracie's face. The little girl looked up and Callie's head tilted to the side as she regarded the tear-stained cheeks and puffy eyes.

"I'm sorry, Gracie," Callie said quietly. "Did I hurt you any?" Gracie's head shook a few times and she sniffed as she lifted her hands up. Callie took each hand and kissed them in turn before placing them back on the little girl's lap.

"Callie," Ben's voice, a bit shakier than it had been before, had her turning to where he was settled with Carl. "What happened?"

"A lot of stupidity happened," Callie had said rubbing her thumbs along Gracie's hands as she looked at each boy in turn. "I wanna hear from both of you right now that you will not go near that barn." Both Carl and Ben perked and then opened their mouths but Callie's head shook. "There are only two words I want to hear."

"Yes ma'am," both Ben and Carl said at the same time and she nodded before shifting her eyes to Miles.

"Seriously?" Miles responded and she'd raised a brow. Miles huffed and shook his head before shaking his head. "Yes ma'am," Miles said in an exasperated, slightly amused tone. Callie had nodded and wiped her fingers along Gracie's wet cheeks feeling Miles watch her. "We still headin' out?"

"Yeah," Callie said getting to her feet. "Bit of a change of plans but yeah," Callie wiped her hands on her pants and had stared at the sleeve of her shirt, feeling the eyes of all of the kids on it. "I'm gonna get changed. We're gonna take Gracie with us."

"Serious-" Miles stopped and lifted a hand as she snapped her eyes back at him. "Yes, ma'am. I'll have her ready."

"Gracie's going? No way. I wanna -" Ben began and Callie turned to him with a stern face.

"Aren't you supposed to be on watch?" Callie shot back and the boy's eyes flared wide and his chin tilted up. "Go on, get up there," Callie shooed him away. Ben stood up and moved out of the RV pushing past Dale who was entering. Callie turned to Carl. "And aren't you supposed to be in the house resting?" Carl got to his feet and started to take a step away but stopped before reaching the door.

"Did a Walker get you?" Carl said eyeing Callie's torn shirt and the small blood stains on the front.

"Almost," Callie returned quietly eyeing the boy who continued to stare at her shirt. "Get to the house. No detours. I'll be watching." Callie jutted her chin out the door and finally caught Dale's worried gaze. The older man stepped out of Carl's way and made his way towards her and just as his mouth opened she lifted a hand and stopped him. "Not now, Dale. I need to change." Dale ignored her and grabbed for her arm anyway and she sighed as she ran a hand through her hair. "Can you keep an eye on Ben and-"

"Of course," Dale said immediately cutting her off before she could utter anything further. "I'll watch them." His grip tightened on her arm just a bit and she patted his hand tiredly. "Are you alright?"

"No," Callie said slipping away from Dale's grip. "I just need," She shook her head and closed her eyes before finishing. "I need to get away from here for a while." Dale frowned but nodded as she shifted her eyes back to Miles and pointed a finger. "I'll meet you right here. Do not leave the RV until I come for you. Clear?" Miles nodded, shifting his wide eyes to Dale as he held Gracie a bit tighter on his lap.

Callie had given a final nod to Dale before leaving the RV and stalking past everyone as they filtered back up towards the camp area. She'd felt Daryl's hot gaze on her as she walked, but by the time she looked up she was only able to catch sight of his back as he stalked towards the stables. Carol had shifted her eyes to Callie, and Callie had sighed and gave her a pleading look that the woman instantly understood as she took off after the angry stalking dumbass heading off to try and get his ass killed…again.

Callie's shook her head and her eyes slipped to her wrist where the sleeve Daryl had ripped off of her shirt in his frantic need to see that she was okay had pooled. Her hands shook more as the memory of how utterly frenzied his actions had been; the look on his face as he stared up at her after assuring himself that she wasn't bit or scratched. The way he'd stared at her when she assured him that she was fine.

That they were fine.

What a load of shit that had been.

Fine? How could they be fine with a barn full -not just the one or two that Callie had originally suspected, but an entire fucking barn full- of Walkers settled only a few yards away? A rickety wooden exterior and a few chains the only thing protecting them from the horror inside.

Fine. Yeah, sure.

And then there was Shane. Fuck.

Callie clenched her hands tight at that point and then tore at the fabric pooled at her wrist, throwing it to the side. She took three deep breaths and then wrenched her shirt off over her head. She threw the ruined article of clothing across the tent with the sleeve and put her hands to her knees as she stared at her mostly packed bags before her.

'_Like being mad at the weatherman for the rain,' _Danny had said about what happened at the Quarry. _'We should have known better.'_

Or maybe the people who did know better should have made more of an effort to convince the ones that didn't. Callie growled low in her throat as her fingers dug into her knees. The fact that Shane may have been right about something wasn't sitting well in her stomach at all. Callie shoved her hands towards her bag just as the flap to the tent pulled back.

"Callie—" Rick's voice had her turning and she watched him turn his head away as he stepped into the tent. "Sorry." Rick muttered as he raked a hand through his hair. Callie watched his back as he paced a few steps away from where she was settled and let out a low sigh.

"S'nothing you haven't seen before Rick," Callie said grabbing a t-shirt and standing up just as he turned back to face her. Clad only in her bra and jeans she gave him a small smile and he shook his head. "Or do you forget helping me get dressed in Atlanta?"

"No, I remember." Rick said his eyes staying on hers as she shifted her shirt around to find the opening. "You never did tell Lori."

"Yeah, well," Callie said as she ducked her head through the opening and pulled. "I guess that's because I'm not as dumb as I tend to act." Rick chuckled and shook his head as she finished pulling her shirt on.

"Are you a'right?" Rick asked stepping forward and blocking her path out of the tent. He stared hard at her arm and she rubbed at it idly.

"I'm fine," Callie said letting her hand fall as he regarded her with a disbelieving look. "It was a close call. Too close for my liking. But I'm fine."

"Miles says you're still headin' out," Rick said watching her as she adjusted her shirt around her torso. "Says you're takin' Gracie. You really think that's a good idea?"

"She's been traumatized," Callie said angrily running her hands through her hair. "Again." Rick let out a rough sigh and dipped his chin to his chest as he stared at her. "I'm not leaving her alone and letting her fall back into that pit that she'd just started crawling out of. What kind of parent would I be if I did that?"

"So stay here," Rick said tossing out a hand. "Don't—"

"I need to get away, Rick," Callie said with a sigh as she reached out to him. Her hand fell back to her side as he turned from her and she let out another sigh. "I need a bit of room to breathe, and right now I can't do that here. I need to think," Callie ran both hands through her hair and looked around the tent. "We all do."

"I saw Daryl leaving the stable not too long ago," Rick said and Callie's eyes lifted to him. "Carol was following him. He's not gonna do anything rash…."

"The hell he ain't," Callie snapped, a smirk riding her lips. "He would. Trust me. But he's not gonna get the chance. Hence why Carol's doggin' him," Callie said quietly as she shifted her eyes back to the 'bed' that she Daryl and the kids had shared last night. "Dale's on him too," She smiled just a bit and then shook her head. "He's gonna try, but he's gonna fail. I will not risk losing him again."

"Callie—" Rick stepped forward and she shifted away from him as he reached out a hand.

Callie raised a hand and half-turned from him as she moved to take her gun from her waistband so that she could tuck her new shirt into place. Her hand stopped as it settled on the butt of the gun and she stared at her still slightly trembling fingers. The look in Shane's eyes as he stared down at her; the feel of his hot breath on her face as he pulled just a bit at that gun; the threat that had lingered and had her fleeing the safety of the camp so that she could put her mind back at ease. Her eyes closed briefly but flared open again as Rick's hand clamped down on hers.

Rick's eyes were harsh as he stared down at her, a brief flash of something in them before he slipped his eyes down to where their hands sat atop her gun. Her mouth opened to say something but snapped shut as he roughly moved her hand and took her gun from her waistband. He shifted it expertly in his hand and set it on the small camping stool beside his leg. A second later he removed his gun from the holster at his hip and the radio from his back.

"Rick-" Callie's voice was confused and she felt her mouth hanging open slightly as she watched him unbuckle the holster from his hips. "What are you-?"

"C'mere," Rick said stepping a bit closer as she pulled back, completely ignoring her questions. His hand shot out and grabbed for her wrist pulling her closer. She came back stiffly, watching in stunned silence as he shifted the belt behind her and then began to buckle it again this time around her hips. The intimacy of the moment was not lost on Callie and she stilled as he worked the worn leather belt through the metal clasp. "I got another of these in my bag, so you take this one. You know how this works?" Rick asked, his mind obviously intent on the task instead of the strange intimate feel of the moment. Callie shifted a bit and opened her mouth to speak but again Rick cut her off. He picked up her gun, checking the safety in a habitual move that had Callie smiling just a bit and then shoved it into the holster now settled at her right hip. "You're right handed right?" Rick asked idly as he adjusted the belt so that the gun sat properly on her hips. His fingers tipped off of the compass clipped to her belt loop and he tapped it twice before stepping back to look at his handy work. Nodding his head he pulled on the small leather strap that hooked over the gun. "This strap here goes over the gun while it's sittin' in the holster so that it won't fall out. So no one can take it out-"

"Rick," Callie's hand lifted then and settled atop his again on the butt of her gun. His eyes, wild and worried slipped up to hers and she squeezed his hand. "He's not going to try and kill me. He was angry and I was the closest outlet," Callie squeezed his hand and shifted forward. "He's not going to-" she stopped and caught his eyes when he tried to again dip his head away. "You know him."

"I thought I did," Rick said quietly his head nodding as he licked at his lips. "I thought I did, but down at that barn," Rick shook his head and shifted his hand out from under hers raking it through his slightly mussed hair. "Maybe you're right. Maybe I don't know _this_ Shane. Maybe I need to get to know him."

"I don't think you want to," Callie said putting her hands to the holster settled at her hips. It felt strange and looked ridiculous but she felt the sentiment behind its placement like a brick to the head and again slipped her eyes to Rick as he turned away from her.

"What I want to do and what I need to do are two very different things, Callie. You know that," Rick said shifting his eyes over his shoulder briefly before looking back to his gun. He dipped and picked it up, again checking the safety before slipping it behind his back. His hands held there at the gun settled at the small of his back and she watched his shoulders stiffen just a bit as he stared at the floor. "Was he right? 'Bout being able to read you?"

"At one time, yeah, he woulda been right." Callie said honestly and Rick shifted around to stare at her. She smiled at him tightly and put her hands to her hips, her fingers settled along the gun belt tapping idly as he continued to stare at her. "But the way I wear my gun is more a habit than anything else now. I don't need this, Rick. You don't need to worry-"

"Yeah, and you don't need to sick a babysitter on Daryl." Rick snapped back as he again dipped his chin to his chest. His eyes lifted to her, a steady gaze through thin lashes that bored deep into her. "He's not gonna do anything rash, even if he wants to. He's got too much to lose." Callie's lips firmed and she shifted on her feet as she held Rick's gaze wondering which 'he' Rick was talking about. He jutted his chin towards her, his gaze slipping to the belt at her hips. "But we must just be two peas in a pod. Because I'm not gonna risk losing you either. So, unnecessary as it may be," Rick lifted his head and pointed a sharp finger at her. "Wear the fuckin' holster, Callie."

"Well, a'right then," Callie said shifting a small smile to him as he shook his head. He turned from her again, snatching the radio from the stool and made his way towards the flap in the tent. "What are you gonna do?"

"What I need to," Rick said shifting his eyes over his shoulder again. "I'm gonna talk to Hershel. See what I can figure out."

"Do you want me to—"

"No," Rick said again cutting her off as he turned to look at her. "I got this. You go. Clear your head," Rick said giving her a tightlipped but sincere smile. "Do what you got to do, and get back safe. We'll talk later."

Callie watched Rick duck out of the tent and let her hands fall limp to her sides. After another moment she slipped her eyes to the foreign weight of the belt around her hips. She slid her hand down to where her knife was settled at her thigh and realized that she was probably going to have to readjust everything just to accommodate Rick's odd request. Her eyes flipped out to the sun shining outside of the tent and she huffed out a breath.

"The things we do for the people we love," Callie muttered as she shifted her eyes around the tent again.

* * *

Daryl stalked a few steps in front of Carol, listening intently to her footsteps along the crunching grass and sticks as they made their way towards the small pond. He huffed out a breath as he slipped his eyes over the horizon and raked a hand through his hair before shakin' his head.

He'd fucked up.

Big time. Not only with Carol, but with Callie. But since Callie was still out he couldn't really do nothing to fix that fuck up 'til she got back.

_If she got back. _

Daryl growled low in his throat and he heard Carol let out a sigh at the sound as she caught up to him. That sound had his mind slipping back to a few hours ago when she'd made that same sound as he stalked away from her at the stables. He'd been livid after that shit at the barn.

Fuckin' blood-thirsty livid.

He couldn't fathom why Rick-fuckin' Rick of all people- wouldn't just let him beat the living shit out of Shane for what he'd said to Callie. That shit he'd laid down on Callie. That _threat_. It had been said in a tone low enough that not everyone had picked up on it, but Daryl had. He'd heard it loud and clear. Fuckin' seen the bastard put his hand on Callie's gun and make to draw it on her.

And Daryl had seen fuckin' red. He'd lunged and swung and been dead set on takin' that shaved-headed bastard out right then and there. Walkin' 'round threatening people. First a kid. Then a woman. His fuckin' woman.

That shit was just the last straw.

Yeah, Daryl had been livid. And when that shot rang out from Danny's rifle he'd been shocked for a second, but that second passed quickly and he'd lunged right back for Shane. Then he'd seen Callie walking away. Seen her shakin' off Danny's worried hands and workin' her way away without even sparin' a glance back his way. Rick had pulled him off and he'd stood there fuckin' dumbfounded for a minute, watchin' Callie's figure slip towards their campsite and the RV.

His mind had cleared in that moment, cleared and settled on the memory of Gracie's scared little face and he'd seen red again. His eyes had slipped to the barn and then he'd been the one bypassin' reaching hands and stalkin' off. And fuck if Carol hadn't followed behind him.

She'd followed him as he stalked right past the RV and down towards the stables. Followed him and irked him and made him madder than hell with her worried frowns and gentle words. And he's snapped at her somethin' fierce in that barn.

Projectin' his wrath all over that poor woman, as Callie woulda called it. And it wasn't until he'd cooled off that he'd realized he'd done wrong by Carol. Wasn't until he'd been sittin' alone and the wisp of a woman had stepped up to him again that he saw it.

"What the fuck you want now?" Daryl had snapped as he glared up at her from where he sat beside the broke down fireplace of some once standing building. He'd found the spot yesterday, him and Gracie, and he'd liked it immediately. Still near to camp, but far enough away that he could think clearly. And now here was Carol, all up in his fuckin' happy place. He'd glared up at her and she'd crossed her arms over her chest in an act of boldness that had his eyes narrowing.

"You said you wanted to talk to me," Carol said in a matter-of-fact tone that had Daryl's brow lifting. She tilted her chin up in a defiant sort of way and looked down her nose at him. "At breakfast," Carol clarified in that calm, sweet tone of hers. "You said we needed to talk." She took in a breath and let her hands fall, chin still tilted up slightly as she stared down at him. "Well here I am."

Daryl snarled at himself, his tongue darting out to wet his bruised lip from one of Shane's lucky fuckin' punches. His eyes shifted to the side and he'd bit at the inside of his cheek for a good long minute before his eyes lifted back to her.

"Where are we going?" Carol asked from behind him now and he spared a look over his shoulder to see her eyes searching the field around them. He growled and ducked his head before waving an arm.

"Just, shut up and c'mon," Daryl said shifting his eyes forward. He could see the little bramble of Cherokee Roses now and sped up just a bit as she closed in on his slow moving ass. He shifted his eyes back to her and caught her confused gaze. "C'mon. See it?"

Daryl stopped and pointed his finger towards the roses, waiting a few seconds as she slipped up towards him. She stopped right beside him and he felt his body move instinctually away. Her eyes shifted to him briefly, down to his feet as they stepped back and then her head was shaking as she looked to where he was pointin'. The sadness reflected in her eyes reminded him of every time Dale reached a hand out to him and he backed away.

Daryl's eyes slipped down to his feet and he took that step back towards the woman beside him. Her eyes never left the little white flowers scattered about before them, not until he spoke again.

"I'll find her," Daryl said quietly. Carol's eyes slid to him and he shifted his gaze to the flowers. "We'll find her." He amended his mind again on Callie, out there searching now.

Carol didn't say anything for a moment, simply stared at him until he again got uncomfortable and shifted slightly away. Daryl's hand lifted up and he bit at the cuticle around his thumb, his eyes catching on the slight bruising on his knuckles. The unbidden smirk on his face at the sight of them didn't go unnoticed by Carol and he heard her let out a small chuckle.

"I'll bet that felt really good," Carol said quietly her eyes slipping back to the flowers. Daryl didn't respond in words, simply grunted and let his hand fall back to his side. She nodded and slipped her eyes to him for a brief moment before again staring out at the flowers lightly blowing in the breeze.

"He was outta line," Daryl mumbled watching her as she again nodded her head. "'Bout Sophia. That was outta line," he shifted on his feet a bit and watched her smile sadly at the flowers.

"He was out of line about everything he was spouting off," Carol said quietly her eyes skipping up to him. "You were right to hit him. I'm glad you did it," Carol shifted to look at him and this time he stopped himself from backing up that step. "I'm sure Callie is too," She sighed as he averted his gaze from her and he felt the cluck of her tongue like a slap to his face. "She's not runnin' from you."

"She ain't talkin' to me," Daryl said in what he figured to be a fuckin' huffy sounding voice that was reserved for people like him. Fuckin' children like him. He kicked his foot at the ground remembering the stilted conversation he'd had with Callie before she'd left, the look in her eyes when he'd handed her that badge. The fuckin' _silence_ that had followed as she walked away from him. "I fucked up."

"I think it's safe to say everyone fucked up," Carol said quietly shifting her eyes back to the roses. Daryl's eyes went wide at the sound of that word being repeated by the soft spoken woman beside him. When her eyes shifted to him and that tiny little smile spread on her lips he couldn't help but smile back. "That is not the first time I've cursed, Daryl."

"First time I heard it," Daryl responded his head dipping a bit as he continued to smile just a bit at her.

"Maybe you should listen more," Carol said turning away from him and back to the flowers.

"Guess so," Daryl muttered, again lifting his thumb to his mouth as he shifted his eyes back to the flowers. They stayed that way for a while, listening to the soft sound of the water in the pond and the breeze blowing the flowers. "M'sorry 'bout this mornin'," Daryl muttered slipping his eyes to her again. "'Bout what I said."

"As Callie would say," Carol said with a small smile. "We all get one."

"Woman's a fuckin' font of useful idioms ain't she," Daryl spat back shakin' his head at how many times he found one person or another quoting that woman. Carol sputtered a laugh out and waved a hand when he glared at her, he heard her muttering something about having to 'listen more herself' and the word 'idiom' before he scoffed and turned away.

"I believe it's more her Uncle Tug we have to thank," Carol said in return finally her smile slipping back into that wistful fuckin' thing as she stared at the flowers.

Daryl watched Carol as she stared at those little white flowers, remembering how horrible the one he'd brought her looked now in its little beer bottle vase. Thing was damned near dead, petals falling off, lookin' ragged as hell. Yet the woman still had it in that little back room of the RV. Sitting there in the same spot he'd placed it. Waiting to be tossed out.

"We wastin' our time? Daryl said his voice cracking at the end of his question, a fact which had Carol turning and lifting a brow. "You came out with me before," Daryl said continuing on his original line of thinking. "Came out 'cause you believed that she was out there," Daryl sniffed hard and stared down the woman beside him. "You ain't been out since then. So I'm askin'," Daryl shifted closer and this time Carol was the one stepping back just a bit. He stopped immediately and glared at the world around them before sending her a sideways glare. "I'm askin' 'cause Callie and Miles ran into Walkers yesterday. I'm askin' 'cause they're out there now, with Gracie, lookin'. And Rick and Andrea, they're headin' out later." He took a breath and shifted his eyes around the area. "I'm askin' 'cause if you think it's a waste of time-"

"I'm scared," Carol said cutting him off. Daryl's mouth snapped shut and he backed up as she stared at him with slowly watering eyes. "I'm scared." She repeated more forcefully, her chin tipping up in that defiant way it did as she pushed past whatever the fuck that fear was and stared at him. "I haven't been out since you -" She let out a long sigh and shifted her eyes for a second before piercing him with a steady stare again. "I haven't been out since you almost died. Since you -" she dropped her chin and Daryl felt his brow twitch as he stepped closer in an effort to hear her. "Since you found Jenna." Daryl's jaw clenched and he averted his eyes as she again sighed long and low. "I believe my Sophia is out there," Carol said and Daryl's eyes lifted to watch her chin tilt up again. "I do. And every day I tell myself I should be out there searching. But every day, when I see Callie settled by that little grave-" Carol's head began to shake as she again stopped talking.

Daryl's jaw clenched and he looked out towards the water. He let out a breath and felt Carol shift a bit closer to him, her body again turning to face the water and the flowers. The breeze blew over them and he turned so that his shoulder was almost touching hers, his eyes shifted to the side so that he could watch her as she spoke.

"Every day I tell myself I need to go out there and look for her," Carol repeated her head still shaking at her words. "But I can't bear the thought of finding her the way you found Jenna." Carol said in that same flat matter-of-fact tone that he knew so well, her chin again tilted up as she looked over at him and he felt his blood run cold. "I believe that she's alive, and you," she smiled tightly at him. "You reassure me with your adamant searching for my girl; your unwavering belief that she's strong enough to survive. You and Callie and Miles you all believe so much and it makes me feel less of a fool for my belief. It keeps me strong." She ducked her head a bit and caught his eyes as she said the next words, a Callie-quote again, one that struck home faster than anything else she coulda said to him. "Just because I'm not out there every day lookin' doesn't mean I believe it any less."

"But?" Daryl asked after a beat of silence.

"But I'm not a fool," Carol said tightly as she turned back to the flowers. "Despite what people may think. I'm not a fool. And I know that I'm not as strong as Callie; not as strong as you. I'm not," Carol said as Daryl's eyes snapped up to her. "I believe she's alive with all my heart. But I'm not a fool. This world is harsh and cruel and she's alone out there where anything can happen. It's not because I don't believe she's alive. I'm not out there, because I know that I can't bear the thought of seeing my little girl as one of them. I'm not sure I could survive it," Carol looked at Daryl, her eyes roaming his face as he clenched his jaw tight. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Daryl nodded, unable to really form the word. He understood all too well. Because every night since he'd put Jenna down he'd woke from the same nightmare. That moment when he'd plunged his knife into that girl's head and watched that spark die in her eyes as he turned the blade in her skull. The slick feel of her blood running over his hands as she slipped off. Didn't matter that she was already dead and gone. Didn't matter one fuckin' bit.

Every time he woke with Callie's hairs tangled around his fingers as he held her close he thought of Jenna's red strands. Every time.

"She's still out there," Carol said breakin' Daryl from the nightmare he'd ventured into. He slipped his eyes up to her and watched her reach out and to touch the white flower before her. "It's not a waste of time, Daryl. She's still out there." Carol turned to him and smiled and he held her gaze. "We'll find her. I see it."

* * *

_Lori's pregnant._

The last two words that Rick had said to him, at least the last two that had registered in his brain before the fog rolled in and the blood began to pound between his ears, echoed again as Shane stalked away from where Lori sat cutting carrots.

Those words, spoken by his best friend in a rush down near the barn were the only thing that mattered now. The only thing. Shane grimaced realizing that Rick was right about that one thing. Lori and that baby, nothing else mattered.

Shane's head again moved along his shoulders, the weight of everything -the barn, the pregnancy- all of it makin' it so he couldn't keep it from shifting 'round and 'round. He tipped his head from left to right, the snarl forming on his lips as he watched Lori stare at him.

The talk they'd just had, the discussion he'd wanted to be calm and collected, had gotten out of hand. Again. He snarled and shook his head finally turning away from her. His mind was reelin' off in so many different directions lately it didn't seem like he was ever able to get out his words in anything but a rush of violence and anger. No matter how hard he tried he just couldn't seem to do what Rick did.

He couldn't keep his emotions, his anger, his fuckin' outrage at this entire situation out of his voice and actions. He couldn't disconnect the two. Because he fuckin' cared too much about these people. Cared too much about Lori, and Carl.

More than Rick, whose only concern after everything had calmed down had been to check on Callie, and go off and talk with Hershel. Leaving him to defend the camp, and check on Lori and Carl.

Shane snarled again and let his head roll left and right as his feet began pounding the ground below him. He stalked away from Lori and her wide, slightly scared eyes. Away from that discussion that had gone awry.

_Lori's pregnant_

The words echoed again and he smiled just a bit as he walked. His mind going back to the beginning of his and Lori's little explosion, when he'd crouched down before her and caught her gaze. When he'd seen the truth in her eyes.

"Rick told me," Shane had said smiling and looking away as she muttered a soft question that he ignored. "He told me 'bout you bein' pregnant, and I know why you didn't." He looked up then, catching the shock of what had to be truth shining out at him in her eyes. "I know," he'd nodded continuing to fiddle with his hat as his own excitement over the news made his hands and body fidget. "I know its cause you know it's mine."

"No," Lori's voice, quiet and insincere sounded. The meekness in it giving away the lie as she tried to repeat it with a hard fought conviction. Shane had looked up though and seen it in her eyes. Seen the truth. She did know it was his. She did. Shane had nodded at her as she continued to deny it and he smiled just a bit.

"We carried on quite a bit you an' me," Shane had said eyeing her, watching as his words hit home. Watchin' her continue to try and deny when everything she was projecting said otherwise.

Why else would she have kept it a secret? Why? Didn't make any damn sense to him, unless it was because she didn't want to hurt Rick with the truth. And that was the point that things started to go wrong. When his mind had circled back to Rick. His brother. A man he loved and respected.

A man that couldn't handle all the responsibility that this world seemed to thrust upon him at every turn. A man that was bound to break under all that weight eventually.

A man that would get his entire family killed in a sad attempt to protect them.

Shane snarled again as his mind continued to roll on and on. His footsteps were hard and intent and his eye line was set towards the campsite, but his attention was still back on Lori sitting not far off on that little tree stump cutting carrots.

"Shane," Carl's voice called out as he stalked past and Shane stopped on a dime. His eyes shifted to the boy workin' to his feet near the little fire pit and he stared. Stared because that boy's eyes were boring holes into him as he worked to his feet. Carl's eyes shifted to where Ben was sitting nearby with a pile of cans and then he looked back to Shane, ducking his head to the side a bit. A silent request that had Shane shifting into step with the boy. "Can I talk to you?"

"What's up, little man?" Shane asked his eyes angling away to where Ben sat watching them. That little boy's eyes were squinted down so hard that they looked like little slits, and Shane found himself glarin' back. He turned back to Carl and lowered his voice a bit as he continued to wring his hat between his sweating hands. "You okay?"

"Yeah," Carl said quietly, his eyes shifting to where Ben sat. Ben's eyes continued to slide between Carl and Shane in a quiet assessing manner that reminded him of the boy's two new 'parents'. Snarling a bit Shane looked back to Carl and watched as he shifted on his feet, Rick's old hat settled firmly in place shadowing his eyes just a bit. Then Carl squared his shoulders and finally nodded to himself as if he had just finished giving himself a mental pep talk, the movement was so much like his father that it had Shane smiling just a bit as the kid opened his mouth. "I know you think that Sophia's dead," Carl started and Shane's smile dropped immediately. "I know that you think we should stop lookin' for her, and that's-" Carl's eyes skipped over to Ben's briefly before again piercing Shane as he shifted on his feet. "That's bullshit."

"Hey, watch your mouth," Shane said immediately a bit shocked by the language of a boy who before all this happened wouldn't even say the word 'hell' in church. Shane heard Ben let out a scoff and he glared at the little mini-annoyance before shifting his eyes back to the strangely upset boy before him.

"You gotta understand," Carl said nodding his head again in mannerism that was so much like Rick that it almost floored Shane as he watched it. Then Carl's blue eyes-fuckin' Rick's eyes- were staring into him hard again and he felt his breath catch in his throat. "We're gonna stay here until we find her. Callie and Miles are out there now," Carl's eyes skipped over to Ben who was nodding slightly as his eyes skipped between the pair of them again. "We're gonna stay."

"You think that's what we should do?" Shane asked shifting his eyes away from Ben and over to Carl.

"It's what I know we should do," Carl said in a strong matter-of-fact tone that knocked Shane back a step. Memories of the discussion that Shane had with Rick not too long ago flooded back, the way Rick tried so hard to muster that same sort of matter-of-fact, fuckin' without a doubt tone. The way he'd failed miserably. That had been the moment that Shane realized that Rick didn't really believe they'd find Sophia. He didn't. All of this had been for Lori and the baby. All of it.

But Carl, the way that boy was looking at him. The conviction. The strength in those blue eyes. Strength that seemed to elude his father in this time of need, burned so bright and strong there that Shane felt his head nodding. He felt it and couldn't stop it. Carl was a strong boy, a boy who would grow to be a man of conviction and action. A good man. And Shane needed to be there to support that, especially considering Rick couldn't. Rick just couldn't be that strength that his son needed in this world. Not with where his head was. Shane nodded his head and shifted his hands to his hips as he regarded the stoic boy before him.

"Then we stay," Shane said in that same matter-of-fact tone that Carl had just used. Carl nodded and Shane slipped down to catch the boy's eyes. "That means we gotta do whatever we gota do to make that happen."

"Like help with the chores," Carl said back and Shane laughed just a bit. His head was nodding idly as he looked over to where Ben had now stopped whatever the fuck he was doin' with the cans and stared at him. The look in Ben's eyes told Shane that despite the fact that Carl had a few years on him, that little boy had more experience under his wing. He had a deeper understanding for the world around them now, an understanding that Carl was just beginning to make after everything they'd been through at the CDC. An understanding that had Ben shifting to his feet and glarin' daggers at Shane as Shane put a hand to Carl's shoulder.

"Like helpin' with the chores," Shane said keepin' his eyes on Ben as the little boy shifted the small switchblade in his hand and then tucked it into his boot. Ben's little mouth shifted and he spat something off to the side. "All the chores," Shane said with his eyes still on Ben. Ben's head tipped up and he watched as the boy's brows drew together in a bit of confusion. Shane's eyes went back to Carl who was nodding his head, happy with the agreement that they'd made and oblivious to the little exchange between Shane and Ben.

"Carl," Lori's voice called out and Carl and Ben shifted to look where she still sat on that tree stump. "Ben. C'mere, guys." Shane's hand shifted off of Carl's shoulder and he stood to his full height as he watched Carl slowly head over to where Ben was waiting for him.

"Hey Carl," Shane's voice rang out just as the two boys started off and both of them turned towards him. Shane's eyes again shifted to Ben before piercing Carl with a look. "Don't let me hear you talk like that again."

Again Ben huffed out an annoyed breath and he pushed at Carl to move them along as Carl ducked his head and nodded. Shane watched them go, watched and waited for them to be completely out of his sight before turning and making his way towards the RV. His steps were forceful and agitated, and he ate up the distance in no time.

One thought sliding through his head as he walked. That it was time to help out with the fuckin' chores. Time to take out the trash that nobody else seemed to want to touch. Time to take matters into his own hands.

To make it safe.

For his people. For his family. For his woman. For the boy that would be his son.

For his baby.

* * *

Dale shifted the large bag off of his shoulders and let his eyes roam around the small swampy area in the woods. The trek hadn't been rough, or long, but for some reason his heart was hammering as if it had been miles upon miles of walking. As if he'd just run a marathon.

As if it were going to explode.

And he knew as he listened to the sounds of the woods around him, listened and waited for those footsteps not far off to settle, that he was overreacting. Because he wasn't a fool, and he wasn't alone. He took in a few deep breaths to steady his nerves and removed his hat, running a tired hand over his sweat drenched head as his heartbeat slowed to a more normal pace. He heard a sigh and smiled tightly to the wooded ground below his feet. The conversation that he'd had with Andrea, the one that Danny had stepped into the tail end of. The one that had helped Danny apparently make the decision to just wash his hands of it all had another sad smile tilting his lips.

Dale had been foolish to think that perhaps talking with Andrea would fix things. Foolish to think that getting Andrea and Danny to try fix what they had going between them would help things. Danny had still been utterly livid about what Dale had told him Shane said and did to Callie at the barn. And Andrea had still been defending the man. Her feigned ignorance about Shane's actions, his threats, settling badly in both Dale and Danny's stomachs as she stalked off.

Another small shift of the underbrush followed by the heavy fall of a single footstep had Dale shaking his head. He'd finally calmed down and been ready to try and calm down his friend. But when he shifted around to try and see where his agitated counterpart had limped off to what met his eyes had his heart racing at that explosive pace again.

"Man, this is a _good_ hiding place," Shane's slightly amused and agitated voice rang out over the small wooded area and Dale watched in disbelief as the man slowly made his way towards him.

The former deputy's bulky shoulders were rising and falling in a way that told Dale that he was just as agitated as he had been earlier at the barn. A slight feeling of dread slipped into Dale's mind, but he pushed past it and steeled himself for battle. Dale scoffed a bit as Shane's eyes roamed the area, and his head again shook as he looked back to the bag of guns settled against the tree behind him.

"Just imagine if you applied your tracking skills to finding Sophia," Dale said in a humored tone that matched Shane's and just as Dale expected the man scoffed. "What a waste," Dale muttered as he shifted his eyes up behind the tree and then around him as he turned to face Shane. The two of them stared hard at one another for a few moments, until finally Shane closed the distance. A foot of space separated them and Dale fought his instincts to move away. He'd never been the type to instigate a fight, always been more the type to mediate them before they could even approach that point of no return. And while he boasted great skill as a mediator, he figured anything and everything he tried to say to Shane while he was in this state would only add fuel to whatever fire was burning in those dark eyes glaring down at him.

"Give me the bag, Dale." Shane said tiredly as his head nodded. The frown that pulled down his lips shifted into a bit of a snarl as Dale's head immediately began to shake.

"I'm not gonna do that," Dale said shifting just a bit so that his body was in front of the bag. Shane glared harder and Dale held his gaze until a small shifting of shadows over Shane's shoulder had him looking away briefly, allowing Shane to think his intimidation tactic had worked.

"Yeah you will," Shane said moving forward, causing Dale to again shift his attention back to Shane. Dale again put his body between Shane and his goal and he heard the low growl that rumbled in Shane's throat. Heard it and then witnessed the man's eyes shift from agitated to murderous. Dale blinked and felt his chest puff a bit in automatic response. Building up whatever small bit of defenses he could against his opponent. "You will," Shane said glaring down at Dale, his eyes shifting to the rifle settled upon his shoulders. "May as well," Shane said letting his eyes glide back to Dale as they shifted around one another again. "Got that rifle up on your shoulder—"

"You going to shoot me," Dale said trying not to shift his eyes over Shane's shoulder again. Trying to keep the dance between them and not include what loomed at the edge of his field of vision. Dale's head dropped and his voice lowered just a bit. "Like you did Otis," Dale said, the words causing Shane's eyes to flash up and his nostrils to flare. "Like you threatened to do to Callie," Dale continued his words causing Shane to back up a step. Dale nodded, feeling the power of his small win and he stepped towards the other man. "I heard it Shane and I wasn't the only one. You're lies are gonna unravel before you can weave them back together."

There was a beat of silence that flowed out heavily between them. The scratch of feet on leaves had Dale's jaw tightening and his eyes flaring a bit. His head shook once, barely registered by the livid looking man glaring at him, and the movement stopped again.

"Nah man," Shane's words echoed out and Dale's attention shifted entirely back to the man calmly staring at him. A man that so well controlled his rage that even as it pulsed and boiled below his skin he was able to form words and hold himself steady, unlike Dale who felt every tremble of his body. Felt every tremor and hoped to God the other man couldn't see it. "Nah, I ain't gonna shoot you." Shane said shifting forward slightly a tiny smile on his lips. "I ain't gonna shoot Callie neither," Shane scoffed out a laugh. "Fuck that woman," he laughed again and shook his head and Dale's wide eyes again moved over his shoulder to the man who was no doubt close enough to hear the former deputy's words. "That woman's got a death-wish so strong I ain't gotta do nothing but sit back and enjoy the show, you know?" Shane's eyes shifted and Dale balked at his humored, sickening gaze. "Nah, I ain't gonna kill either of you. 'Cause if you really look at it, in the cold light of day, you two pretty much dead already." Shane stepped forward and Dale lifted a hand, an action that Shane interpreted was meant for him. When it wasn't. "Gimme the fuckin' guns, Dale."

"You really think this is going to keep us safe?" Dale asked still lifting his hand, his eyes shifting to the figure settled not far off and then back to Shane. Shane's head rolled along his shoulders, left to right, and he muttered a harsh 'Shut up, Dale,' before again rolling it back, right to left. The agitation and anger boiling in Shane was at the point of no return now, and Dale knew there wasn't any way to control what would happen if it met with the brimming rage he saw behind Shane. So he kept his hand up, and worked to diffuse the explosive before it went off. "Rick is trying to get Hershel to-"

"Just shut up, Dale," Shane said tiredly as he raked his hand over his shaved head. His eyes averted to the side and Dale followed his movements, losing his eye contact with the man watching them. "Give me the guns."

Dale shifted, again putting his body between the discarded bag against the tree, and lowered his rifle off of his shoulder and into his hands. The meaning behind the motion was as clear as day, but the intent wavered as Shane's eyes flared wide. Amusement rode Shane's lips and Dale again felt his chest puff out against the attack he could feel coming. He puffed out his chest and settled his nerves watching the man that had his back shift on his feet, a slow limp bringing him closer as Shane pressed up against the barrel of Dale's rifle.

"I'm going to have to shoot you?" Dale asked, his eyes pleading with Shane as he said the words. Words that just didn't make any sense. "I'm going to have to kill you? Is that what it's going to take to get you to stop this?"

"That's what it's gonna take, ol' man." Shane said chuckling a bit as he pressed his bulky mass into the barrel of Dale's gun. Dale felt the tremble in his arms as Shane pressed harder, felt it deep in his bones. And he knew, simply by the look of disgust on Shane's face, that the former deputy felt every tremor. Felt every bit of the lie that Dale's gun against his chest was. Because as Shane so keenly pointed out earlier, he was every bit as good as Callie at reading situations.

At least, he was at face value. But anger had clouded Shane's once clear vision of things, and left him with a few blind spots when it came to the resilience of those around him. And Dale was oddly thankful for that.

Shane's hand lifted and settled on the barrel of the gun and Dale's grip tightened. Shane pulled, fire burning behind his eyes, and in that moment Dale wondered if this had been last bit of humanity that Otis had been faced with as well.

"You ain't gonna shoot me, Dale." Shane said pulling on the rifle. "You ain't. And that," Shane said pulling again and causing Dale to stumble forward a bit. "That is how I know you ain't long for this world. How I know I ain't got to worry 'bout you. 'Cause you ain't got it in you to do what needs to be done." Shane seethed out those words and leaned forward, his next pull dislodging Dale's hands from the rifle and settled it in his own. "You ain't gonna shoot me."

"He won't," Danny's voice was harsh and gravely, as it came through a jaw clenched tight with the effort he was exuding to keep as calm as could as he spoke. Dale watched Shane's eyes flare open and firmed his lips against the hatred ignited in those dark orbs. Shane's grip shifted on the rifle and just as Dale figured Shane was going to turn with that rifle ready to fire, Shane's head tipped forward as Danny pressed his gun hard into the back of Shane's skull. Dale held Shane's eyes as Danny slipped just a bit closer so that his chest was pressed to Shane's back, his gun pressed deep into the back of Shane's shaved head. Danny's lips curled into a snarl as Shane continued to glare at Dale. "But I will."

_I said you got me where you want me and I can't turn away_

_I'm hangin' by a thread and I'm feelin' like a fool _

_I'm stuck here in between the shadows of my yesterday_

_I wanna get away, I need to get away_

_Now you know, yeah you got my back against the wall_

_Oh God, I ain't got no other place to hide_

_Chained down like a sittin' duck just waiting for the fall_

_You know, yeah you got my back against the wall_

_~Back Against The Wall / Cage the Elephant_

_AN: Well, there we have it…the beginning of the end. How'd you like that bit of a cliffhanger chapter ender… Hmm? Next chapter we're gonna be jumping around a bit… it may be a bit confusing and as always apologize for that (let me know if you get lost) We'll see how the Danny/Shane shit tumbles down, check in with Callie, Miles and Gracie, see Rick wranglin' Walkers, and of course open the barn. (So warning now…it's probably gonna be a bit long- s'that even a warning anymore?)_

_A note: My take on Carol is a bit 'different' from other peoples that I've seen. But as with all of the characters… please remember in this realm. I hope I've done a good job of explaining her reasoning for not being out there every day lookin' for Sophia. It's not how I'd roll. I'd be out there…but I felt the need to delve into what MY Carol may have been feeling. Jenna's death and its repercussions. _

_An Easter Egg for those who may care. This story is a large part of my existence, and has become much more than just the simple release of a great DARYL/OC that was building in my head at one point. It has become this exercise in shifting meanings and mirroring characters, of delving deep into the moral structure of the characters and really exploring things. Now… to the MEAT (if you care) The scenes that I choose to depict are very select and are put in for specific reasons and if you're an avid go-back-and-read-NMSAFE-er (as I know there are a few when tickled by the right thing in a chapter) you may realize that. But instead of leaving it out I'm gonna give you one… Rick's treatment of Callie in this chapter which may of course lead many of you to believe he's in love with her… is really an indirect throw back to Shane's treatment of Callie after Ed attacked her in NM:SAFE (see NM:SAFE Chapter 7 for reference)-guns/ telling her to carry her gun…what not. Also, note: Shane's mirroring / becoming 'Ed'(metaphorically peeps) is something to hold on to for later… just sayin'… (if you've got questions PM me I'll try and explain my madness. If you can see it…then I tip my hat to you)_

_Oh and I got a shit-ton of reviews to respond to. So expect some PM's tonight and maybe tomorrow. _

_As always, happy reading, and see ya next chapter! (Oh that next chapter O_o)_

_~Much Love!_


	44. God & Guns

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_First off, let me apologize for the lengthy wait for this chapter. She and I were having this all out war for a bit…but…._

_Part 3… a lovely little thing called Barn-mageddon's 'bout to go down. God bless each and every one of you, new and old, for sticking with me as long as you have. I love you all…but then, you know that by now. Not much else to say accept, on with the mufuckinshow. _

_As always read, review, and most of all enjoy!_

_~michelle_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**God & Guns **

Callie let her thumb slip over the raised letters and numbers on the gold badge, the flash of sun overhead glinting off the metal causing her to have to close her eyes for a second. And in that brief second, her mind flashed back to the look on Daryl's face when he handed the damn thing to her.

Callie had been working her way over to where Miles was standing with Gracie near the Hummer waiting for her. The bags she'd asked the boy to get were slung over his shoulder along with his bat, and his other hand was being held by the little girl. The little girl who had refused to lift her eyes from the ground since they'd exited the RV moments ago. Callie's gaze had been settled on the barn in the distance, the stalking figure of Shane easily discernible. And she'd been so intently watching as Rick's lean figure headed slowly down the hill that she'd flinched when Daryl's warm calloused hand settled roughly around her arm.

Daryl's hand had tightened for a single moment as her eyes snapped to him, and then loosened as their eyes met. They stood in silence for a few seconds, the sounds of the bustling, slightly perturbed camp around them falling into the background. Daryl's piercing gaze was as unreadable as ever as his mouth twitched a few times. He was apparently searching for the words he wanted to say, just as she was, and for the first time in their entire time knowing one another neither of them could apparently figure out what the fuck those words were.

Fuck, they couldn't even come up with any sarcastic remarks to break the ice with.

"I'm takin' Gracie with me," Callie had said after another few seconds of ridiculous silence, and immediately she closed her eyes and shook her head at herself earning a gruff grunt from the man still holding her arm. Daryl's grip had tightened and when her eyes popped back open she saw he was looking towards Gracie and Miles.

"Figured that," Daryl huffed out, his mouth twitching to the side. It was obvious the man wasn't in agreement with her decision, it was written all over his tight features and in his eyes when they slipped back to her. Callie stared into those hard blue eyes of his and waited. Waited for him to tell her just how fucking stupid she was being, to tell her to stay with him, to tell her that he'd come with her. Because he could have, if he wanted to.

Daryl's eyes fell to where his hand had slipped down to her wrist and he stared. His thumb slipped down so that it smoothed over her still healing sliced palm, the inflamed redness of the slightly infected wound pulsing beneath the bandage over it. He gently moved his thumb over the bandage and she watched his shoulders lift and fall three times.

"Daryl—" Callie began but was cut off by him moving his thumb away and placing something into her hand. Her mouth had snapped shut as she watched him curl her fingers around the gold badge. His thumb resettled over the raised numbers and letters and pressed the badge a bit harder than necessary into her hand, making sure she would hold it when his hand slipped away.

"Take it," Daryl muttered, his eyes slipping over his shoulder to where Gracie was standing still staring at the ground. Callie's eyes slipped down to where Daryl's hand still pressed the badge into her palm and just as she moved to entwine their fingers he pulled away. That hand that had been on hers raked through his hair, and she watched as a myriad of emotions that he apparently couldn't work up enough self-restraint to control marched across his handsome, beaten and bruised face. He ran his thumb across his split bottom lip and looked up at her.

Again silence slipped between them. And again Callie struggled to find the words. No that wasn't true. She knew exactly what fucking words she wanted to tell him. Three simple words. Come with me. I need you.

_I love you._

But nothing made it out. Instead she clenched her jaw and continued to try and read whatever thoughts were working their way through his head. Tried to decipher the indecipherable man. She wondered if Daryl held the same worry that Rick had. About Shane trying something stupid. About her. Three slow breaths later she stepped away from him and felt his heated stare on her shoulders as she slipped the badge into her back pocket and grabbed for Gracie's outstretched hand. Miles had spared a look back at Daryl, and opened his mouth to say something but Callie had shaken her head at the boy and he simply sighed and followed behind her and Gracie.

Hours had passed since that moment, and yet Callie still felt as if she'd made a mistake in walking away from him. Fiddling with the badge in her hand she couldn't help but feel the meaning behind it. It had been Gracie's talisman since the CDC, and Daryl's since the highway. And now it was hers.

Again her thumb stumbled over the raised numbers and letters along the surface and she bit at the inside of her cheek. A shadow fell over the badge in her hand and she shifted her gaze up a bit to where Gracie sat on the grass in front of her. The little girl's baby-fine brown curls were blowing in the light breeze across her cherubic face, but still those piercing blue eyes burned through into Callie's heart. A small smile tilted Callie's lips and she leaned forward a bit in her own seated position in the sunny field. Gracie's eyes followed Callie's hand as she extended the badge out to the little girl.

"You want it back, Gracie-girl?" Callie asked sliding forward just a bit and extending the badge further out on her upturned palm. Gracie's head shook and her little hand shot out pushing and curling Callie's fingers back around the badge. A small little smile slipped onto the little girl's face as she looked up at Callie.

Callie sighed and tucked the badge into her hand, lifting her closed fist towards her chest. Her eyes skipped to Gracie's hands, the tiny fingers fiddling with the switchblade that was so horrid a sight against the pale fading yellow of the little girl's sundress. Callie shifted a bit, dragging her one leg up so that she could rest her elbow on her knee before leaning forward and tapping the little girl's knee to get her attention again.

"That was Jenna's," Callie said quietly watching Gracie dip her head back down to look at the knife. "Now it's yours. You carry that everywhere," Callie dipped her head a bit to catch the little girl's eyes. "Show me again."

Callie sat back and watched the tiny hands of the child before her expertly flip the switch to extend the blade. Gracie shifted the knife in her hands feeling the hilt with her fingers, her eyes taking in the sun glinting off the blade with a keen interest.

"We're all set up Cal," Miles called out, his shadow falling over the spot where Callie and Gracie sat. Callie nodded up at him and then shifted to her feet snapping a finger at Gracie who slowly worked the blade back into place. Gracie got to her feet and tucked the knife into her new, well-fit pair of boots. In the same exact place that Callie had told Ben to always keep his knife. Gracie's eyes skimmed over Callie and then to Miles as she grabbed onto Callie's outstretched hand and walked with her. "You sure about this?" Miles asked as he watched the two as they approached him.

"I'm sure it needs to happen sooner rather than later," Callie said quietly as she put Gracie in front of her. She shifted her eyes to the side where the lanky young man stood staring at her with a raised brow. Callie shook her head at him and waved her hand away. "Keep eyes on things. I'd rather not be caught off guard again," Callie said quietly and Miles simply nodded turning and shifting so that he could look out across the rolling field.

Callie shifted down to her one knee beside Gracie and put her hand to the small of her back, extricating the small gun that she'd settled there earlier. Miles dropped the bag full of ammo beside her and gave Gracie a bit of a smile, his hand ruffling her hair as he moved on to pace the area. Callie shifted the gun to the little girl and took a very deep breath.

"A'right, Gracie-girl," Callie said slowly extending the gun. "Let's get a bit of practice in, hmmm?" Callie watched Gracie's eyes widen just a bit, those blue orbs shining at her as she caught her gaze for a second. Callie shifted behind the little girl, settling her firmly against in her kneeling position.

Callie's eyes slipped out before them as she put the gun to Gracie's tiny hands, her own hands dwarfing them as they sat atop the small black six-shooter that they'd confiscated from Carl days ago. The gun was small enough that it didn't look completely ridiculous in the little girl's hands, yet still the sight of her tiny fingers curled around the butt had a shiver running down Callie's spine. And the kickback of the first shot that Gracie fired bounced through bone, muscle and nerve endings until it landed in a heap atop that hard heavy weight in Callie's stomach.

Callie's eyes shifted to Miles briefly, catching the younger man's frowning nod before he turned away to scout the area. Three deep breaths and a reassuring smile to the four-year-old holding the gun before her and they fired again.

"So how long are we gonna do this?" Miles asked quietly as he shifted on his feet. Callie slipped her hands off of Gracie's and closed her eyes for a moment before shifting her eyes to the waiting boy.

"Not too long," Callie said tiredly, shifting her attention back to the little girl who was staring at her. Callie shifted Gracie's face forward and worked her hands to where Gracie was cradling the gun. "I figure we get a little practice in, then head back to the farm. We can drop Gracie off with Danny and Daryl," Callie shifted and sighed as she looked back over to the now slightly smirking Miles. "We'll drop her off and then head back to the ravine and start lookin' for Sophia from there again."

"You don't got to," Gracie's tiny voice slipped into Callie's ears and both she and Miles turned wide eyes to the little girl staring at her shoes again. Callie slipped the small six-shooter into her hands as she turned Gracie to face her, and she caught Miles in her periphery as he moved towards them.

"What's that Gracie-girl?" Callie said, putting a shaking hand to the little girl's tiny shoulder. Callie quickly glanced at Miles now crouched down beside her and then back to Gracie, her chin dipping to her chest as she worked to catch Gracie's down turned gaze. "Baby what did you say?"

"I thought she was playin', hide 'an go seek," Gracie's tiny little voice sounded again and a ragged breath left Callie. A breath that then stuck somewhere in her chest as the words the girl was saying started to piece together.

"Oh God," Callie said, her hand clenching tight on Gracie's shoulder, finally causing the little girl's gaze to lift to her. "Gracie—"

"S'why I froze up," Gracie continued, her eyes shining with unshed tears. Her little mouth formed a grimace of such sorrow that her bottom lip began to tremble along with the rest of her. "I thought she was playin' a game. Thought-" Gracie's head began to shake and a single tear rolled down her cheek as chin dipped to her chest. Callie's grip tightened on her shoulders and she pulled the little girl towards her. Gracie dug in her feet and shook her head, staring hard at Callie. "But then I 'membered, Glenn said the barn's full of Walkers. She wouldn't be playin' in there."

"Jesus," Miles seethed out from beside Callie as he clamored to his feet. Both of his hands raked through his hair as he stared down at them and his breathing heavy and harsh.

"You ain't gotta go look for her, Callie." Gracie said sniffling as her bottom lip trembled again. "Sophia's in the barn."

Callie's hands fell and wrapped around Gracie as she shoved her face into Callie's waiting chest. The little girl's body shook with each shuddering breath she took in, her tears instantly wetting Callie's shirt. Callie blinked away the tears in her own eyes and let her hands lift to hold Gracie's head to her. Her eyes shifted up to the sky for a moment and then over to where Miles was staring at them, the look on his face probably a mirror to her own lost expression.

"Callie," Miles began in a quavering voice, his hands falling from his hair.

"We need to get back," Callie said cutting off whatever else he was going to say. "Now."

* * *

A deep heavy silence clung to the heated air of the swampy woods. No birds were chirping. No breeze was blowing. There was nothing but the harsh ragged breathing of three men who were standing on the precipice of insanity.

Dangling along the edge of a cliff that couldn't hold all of them. Not anymore.

"Danny," Dale's voice reached out from some great distance. It echoed as if the older man stood at the end of a long cavern rather than four feet away with his back against a mossy tree.

Danny's eyes wanted to slide to Dale, wanted to reassure the older man that things would be okay. That he was okay. But he just couldn't muster the strength to do it. He heard Dale call out his name again, the blood pounding between his ears making this call more muffled than the last. A single bead of sweat trailed down the side of Danny's face, tickling the already alive nerves in his body and causing his head to shift spasmodically along his shoulders in an effort to remove the odd sensation.

Danny stared at the back of Shane's head, his gun pressed so tightly into that shaved surface that the skin rippled around the barrel. He took in the tension riding the man's stiff bulky shoulders. Watched the barrel of the rifle—Dale's fuckin' rifle- shift just a bit into view as Shane no doubt began to wrestle with the idea of some sort of retaliatory action. Danny pressed just a bit harder into the back of Shane's skull and the rifle moved so that it was held by one hand out away from Shane's body completely.

Again, Dale shifted and again he heard his name in that tunnel, but another voice boomed louder. Another voice echoed over Dale's calming tone. Danny's own voice, echoing low in the back of his brain reminding him of all the trouble that Shane had caused with his idiocy. Telling him that he should just end the man's suffering for him, since obviously killing him was what it would take to stop him from flying over that cliff-edge that they all sat upon.

Shane shifted the rifle in his hands and lowered the butt end to the ground slowly, his fingers peeled away from the barrel and the rifle fell to the ground. Danny's eyes slipped very quickly to watch Dale shuffle forward and retrieve it, before returning his glare to the barrel of his gun and that shaved head rippled under the pressure he was exerting.

"This is the second time you put a gun to my head, Danny-boy," Shane said in a seething caustic tone through what Danny could imagine to be a smirking set of lips snarled back over a tightly clenched teeth. Danny's finger twitched just a bit on the trigger and finally his eyes slipped to Dale's. The older man's eyes widened in fear as he again shook his head and tried to plead with Danny to step back. Shane's head shifted just a bit so that Danny caught the sideways glance that the man shot him as he limped forward just a bit more. "I hope for your sake you fuckin' loaded it this time."

Danny felt his eye twitch as he stared at Shane. Disgust at the man at the end of his gun's barrel settled deep in his chest and burned a path upwards. Swallowing the harsh metallic taste of his own bile Danny shifted his hand just a bit on his gun and slipped his body just a bit away from Shane.

"No worries, Shane," Danny said, his voice still gravely as it burned out of his throat. "I ain't the type to make the same mistake twice. Not anymore."

"Good for you, Danny-boy," Shane muttered as he pressed his head back against the barrel of Danny's gun. "Now show some balls for once and put some muscle behind them words you like to spout off. Or do you need Callie here to do it for you." Shane's head shifted side to side as Danny pressed harder but still didn't fire, the chuckle falling from Shane's lips raking over Danny's shot nerves and making his finger twitch again.

"Danny-" Again Dale's voice sounded and again it was overpowered by the pull of Shane's scornful muttering.

"I swear to God it does amaze me that she is the only other person in this fuckin' group that seems to not only understand what needs to be done, but how to fuckin' follow through with it." Shane said again shifting his eyes to the side to regard Danny's hate-filled expression. "You ain't gonna shoot me Danny. You ain't got it in you. You ain't the type."

"You don't know a damn thing about the type of man I am, Shane." Danny seethed pressing his gun forward and putting his lips so close to Shane's ear that Shane actually flinched away. Dale slipped forward both hands up in the air as he settled near Danny's side. A whispered plea from the old man went ignored as Danny's gun pressed harder. "You don't know a damn thing, but what I _let_ you know. You think Callie's the only one who's taken another person's life in this shit hole of a new world? You really think that?" Danny snarled at Shane's slightly widened eyes. "You really think I won't pull this trigger, Shane." Danny shifted away from Dale and slid so that he now stood before Shane, the barrel of his gun pressed hard into Shane's forehead. "Look me in the eyes and tell me I ain't got it in me, boy-o."

Shane was silent as he stared hard into Danny's face. It was shocking to watch the former deputy come to grips with the side of Danny he'd never allowed himself to see before. Dale was shifting his worried gaze between them, his hands at half-mast as a ragged breath of some kind of disappointment slipped between his lips. A sound that had Danny blinking and finally breaking eye contact with Shane. Danny met Dale's eyes, watched the older man's head shake, and finally felt that bit of disappointment that he'd garnered in a man he respected. Felt it like a blow to the head. It was that small shake of Dale's head and the shining unshed tears in the older man's eyes that had Danny's gun moving from its position against Shane's head.

Another heavy beat of silence.

"Take your guns and go," Danny said lowering his gun fully to his side and staring hard up at Shane. Shane stood still, shock edging over the slight fear that had filtered onto his face. Danny's chin dipped to his chest and he stepped out of the way to Dale's side, feeling the older man put a hand to his shoulder and squeeze just once. "Go on," Danny spat his gun hand flying out in an arc towards the bag settled near the base of the tree.

"Now Danny," Dale said calmly his hand patting Danny's tense shoulders now. "Let's think-"

"No, Dale," Danny said shaking his head and glaring at his friend. "I'm fuckin' tired of babysitting this asshole. I'm tired of playing Jiminy fuckin' Cricket to a man that doesn't want it. Doesn't appreciate it-"

"I don't need you playin-"

"Fuck you," Danny spat at Shane cutting him off as he swung his angered glare back up to him. His gun hand arced out again towards the bag of guns. "Fuck you. I been watchin' your ass let this world get the best of you. I've watched and I've tried to keep you from headin' down that road. At the Quarry. At the fuckin' CDC. But I can't do it anymore, man." Danny shook his head and shook away from Dale's hand on his arm as he advanced forward. "You see I can brush aside the idiocy you showed at the CDC with Lori," Danny seethed as Shane glared and stepped back. "I can let that go, because Lori did. I can even set aside what happened with Otis," Danny said shrugging his shoulder as Shane's mouth contorted. Danny sneered and nodded at Shane's shock. "Yeah, man I can. I didn't know him. And honestly, Carl's alive." Danny shrugged. "That's the world we live in now, right, Shane? Eat or be eaten. Kill or be killed."

"Danny," Dale again distraught now and that voice tore a bit at Danny's resolve.

"I can excuse the way you've been actin'," Danny continued again shaking off Dale's grasp. "Understand the strain you've put yourself under. The pressure that's pushin' on you. But I will never excuse you threatenin' my family." Danny's hand arced back and waved at Dale over his shoulder. The older man's mouth firmed into a line and he lowered his eyes to the ground for a moment before meeting Danny's eye and then Shane's. "So congrats, dumbfuck," Danny shifted away from Shane and tucked his gun into his waistband at the small of his back. "I'm done. You wanna take that trip down the rabbit-hole man, that's all you. Have fun. Send me a fuckin' postcard."

Silence shifted around the small area again, Shane's eyes shifting between Danny and Dale as they stood shoulder to shoulder. His eyes skipped away as his mouth twitched to the side and then his hand raked over his shaved head, pulling the sweat from his brow. Shane's eyes shifted away from Danny and Danny's chin again dipped to his chest as he watched the man eye the bag of guns on the ground.

"Go on," Danny said in a much calmer tone that again had Shane's eyes lifting to him as he stepped towards the bag. "Take 'em. Do what you want. See how the chips fall. I'm done with you." Danny looked to Dale and watched Dale's head nod in reluctant agreement with his words.

Shane shifted away quickly, his arm reaching out and scooping up the bag on the ground. He glared at Danny and Dale in disgust as he shouldered the bag, his eyes roving Danny from head to toe as his lips pulled back in a harsh sneer. Danny's head remained dipped low to his chest, his eyes regarding a man he'd once respected through the veil of his lashes, causing the image to become dark and distorted. Fitting for who and what Shane was now.

"You're a fuckin' fool," Shane seethed at Danny as he stepped forward. His eyes skipped to Dale and he snarled a bit more. "You both are. Thinkin' I need you to babysit me, need you to be my conscience. My fuckin' conscience is clear. I'm doin' what needs to be done here," Shane seethed his chin jutting forward with the force of his words. "It's you two that need the babysitter. You and the rest of these idiots walkin' 'round thinkin' that those Walkers ain't a problem." Shane stepped away again and turned to leave, his head shaking as he took two steps and then turned back to face them. "And that's the real difference I guess," Shane said shaking his head as he backed up a couple steps. "I know what it takes to survive in this world."

"You're right Shane," Dale said again placing a hand to Danny's stiff shoulder. "You belong in this world. And I know that I may not have what it takes to last long. Maybe neither of us really do," Dale's eyes skipped to where Danny had shifted to look at him and then back to Shane. Again a reassuring squeeze that had Danny's eyes staying on Dale's face as he calmly spoke to the glaring Shane. "But at least we can both say that when the world went to shit, we didn't let it take us down with it."

Shane scoffed and adjusted the bag of guns on his shoulder, sparing one last glare at Danny.

"You put a gun to my head again, Danny-boy. You best be sure to pull that fuckin' trigger." Shane seethed out pushing a single finger towards him. Danny simply glared back, his jaw clenched so tight he thought for sure he would break his teeth from the pressure.

Shane spat at the ground before he stalked off into the woods; back towards the farm. Back to exact his brand of justice upon the world. His brand of leadership upon the land. Danny's eyes fell from the spot that Shane had occupied and both hands shot up to his head, pulling at his grown out hair roughly as he let out a ragged breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

"Jesus," Dale's voice echoed around the area and Danny's eyes skipped over to him for a beat before again sliding to the ground. Dale's hand again landed on Danny's shoulder and he squeezed tightly giving a single shake. "I thought you were going to—"

"I was," Danny said to the ground, feeling Dale's hand still on his shoulders. Danny's head fell a bit more, his chin touching off of his chest as his hands slid out of his hair. They were shaking as they fell into his view, each finger pulsing with unhinged nervous energy. He stared at them for a few moments more before blinking hard and clenching them tight.

"It's alright, son," Dale said quietly near Danny's ear. Dale again gave a friendly squeeze to Danny's shoulder and this time Danny shook him off. Shook himself away from that friendly reassuring gesture that he didn't deserve. His head began to shake even as Dale opened his mouth to no doubt say something kind. Something he didn't deserve to hear.

Danny shifted, wincing only slightly as he stepped backwards away from Dale. He clenched his hands into fists and raised his eyes and head to regard Dale with a look that he was sure was as lost as he was currently feeling. Dale's head tipped to the side, his mouth stuck in a grimacing frown, his words halting on his lips. Danny's head shook again and he let his gaze roam around them.

"I need to get out of here," Danny said feeling his head continue to shake as he backed away from Dale and his reaching arms. "No," Danny said raising his own hands to deflect that gesture. "I can't go back there. I can't. Not now, Dale." Danny's eyes shifted around him. "I'm goin' for a walk."

"Danny," Dale's voice called out but Danny turned his back on him and began walking. His arms lifted and he waved away Dale, knowing that the man was worried about his safety.

"I'll be back, Dale," Danny turned half-way catching Dale's eye and gave a small sad smile. "I will. I just need some time to myself. I just-"

"Be careful," Dale said shifting his rifle on his shoulder as he frowned at Danny. He raised a single hand palm out and stopped Danny's apparently unnecessary explanations. "Just be careful, son."

Danny nodded and then shifted on his feet to head off towards where he knew the road to the Greene's farm lay. He didn't spare a look over his shoulder as he walked, but he could feel Dale's worried eyes following him as he walked.

* * *

The sounds of the two Walkers growling and hissing from their imprisonment along the silt covered banks of that small creek bed had Rick's stomach churning as he followed behind Hershel and Jimmy. His mind slipped slowly back to when he'd come into the man's house two hours ago in an effort to have a discussion that he'd been avoiding. A discussion that he'd been a fool to think he could avoid.

Especially after Callie had handed him all of the information he'd needed to have it.

Danny had been in there with Hershel, seated at the table Rick's eyes settled upon the older man as he read from his Bible. Danny's hands had been idly scribbling into the front of a book himself, and it was only as Rick settled a hand to the back of Danny's chair that Rick realized it was another Bible. Smaller, less ornate than the one that Hershel had glanced up from and pierced Rick with a look that spoke volumes. Danny had slipped his Bible closed and muttered a single phrase as Hershel continued to glare at Rick.

"_He that answereth a matter before he heareht it, it is folly and shame unto him_." Danny had smirked lightly up at Rick as he furrowed his brow and then looked back to Hershel as he patted his hand atop the Bible he'd been scribbling in.

"Proverbs," Hershel said in a tired tone, a small almost imperceptible smile on his face. "Really? We're back to that are we?"

"Try, try again, right?" Danny said smiling. Danny's gaze had slipped to Rick at that point, and Rick's brow had lifted as he realized Danny had apparently been working to appeal to a side of Hershel that Rick just couldn't. "Do you want me to stay?" Danny had asked Rick, his brow lifting in a manner that said very clearly what the younger man was thinking. 'You are obviously in over your head-out of your depth and I am offering to bridge that gap.'

Rick had shaken his head, his eyes sliding back to Hershel and holding the older man's gaze. Danny had nodded and got to his feet, his Bible in hand and his pen between his teeth as he smiled widely at Hershel while he smacked Rick on the shoulder.

"Thank you for lettin' me sit with you, Hershel." Danny mumbled as his pen bobbed around in his mouth.

"I wasn't really given much choice," Hershel responded.

"Don't let him fool you Rick," Danny had said squeezing Rick's shoulder as he shuffled and limped towards the door. "Man loves bein' irritated." Danny caught Rick's gaze then and nodded once. "I'll be 'round near the RV, keepin' watch, if you need me."

Rick had again nodded his thanks and cupped his hand over his mouth as his eyes shifted back to the still seated patriarch of the farm. Hershel's hands had settled on either side of his large Bible and he stared back intently at Rick. The staring match went on longer than either man had probably expected, time ticking away on a small clock on the wall behind them. Rick's fingers hand scratched at his cheeks until he was sure the skin was raw and red and then finally he had dropped his hand and put both hands to his hips.

"About this mornin'-"

"I don't want to talk about this mornin'," Rick said immediately cutting off the elder man's statement. "We don't _need_ to talk about this mornin'," Rick continued, his tone a bit more harsh than he'd really wanted it to be. He'd snarled a bit at himself, his eyes slipping to the floorboards for a moment before once again sliding back up to the now annoyed man glaring at him. "We _need_ to talk about the barn."

"Hershel," Jimmy's voice had cut off whatever response Hershel would have had at that point, but it didn't garner either man's attention. "It's happened again. I –" The boy had looked between the Rick and Hershel still glaring at one another and fumbled forward a bit. "You told me to tell you."

There had been a heavy silence in the room, and again that clock ticked loudly between Rick's ears. Each second that ticked by another moment of wasted time. Rick had held his jaw clenched tight as Hershel continued to stare at him long after Jimmy had stopped talking. The older man had stared, and to Rick, it seemed like he was trying to read him. Tryin' to gauge what type of person he was.

"How much do you want to stay on this farm, Rick?" Hershel had said finally, his hands slipping off of the table as he pushed to his feet. Rick had clenched his jaw against his almost immediate want to be honest, his want to tell the man that he just didn't know the answer to that question. He clenched his jaw tight and let his eyes slide to where Jimmy was waiting in the doorway, wide-eyed and nervous. A fact that had made Rick uneasy at the time.

And now, standing where he stood, staring at what he was staring at he was more than uneasy. He was anxious and uncomfortable, and finally coming to terms with exactly what Callie had been trying to tell him atop that RV last night, hell the past few days since Jenna's passing. Her worries about Hershel and the farm; things he'd set aside as he worked to convince himself that this place could be the answer to all of their problems.

He was uneasy, anxious, and wishing he had asked Danny-or hell Callie for that matter- to come along because damn if Rick wasn't in completely over his head with this one.

"That's Lou Bush," Hershel's calm voice echoed through Rick's ears as he stared at the two figures snapping and snarling from the small creek bed. Rick's eyes shifted away from the two Walkers as he followed behind Hershel and Jimmy and cleared his throat as he shook his head.

"You knew him?" Rick asked, his voice still a bit more hoarse than he would have liked. Hershel sent a look over his shoulder as they trudged through the brush towards the two Walkers.

"Lou as in Louise," Hershel responded, and Rick's eyes slipped back to the Walkers. The woman, what was left of her, was a graying decayed corpse with hair hanging limp over the half of a face she still had. Her thin arms were reaching wildly for Jimmy standing on the nearby bank. Rick held back his disgust as well as he could, the muscles in his jaw clenching tight over and over as he continued forward. Hershel waved a hand out at the Walkers and continued. "She has a farm up the road," the older man said in such a conversational tone that Rick's eyes skipped away from the Walkers and over to him. He knew his brow was furrowed in confusion and there wasn't a damn thing he could do to fix that.

This man, this _doctor_, was the first person he'd actually come across in what was left of the world to speak of Walkers in such a way. It was…disturbing.

"She worked at the bar in town on the weekends," Hershel said as they came to stop not far away from the two clawing Walkers. "Don't know the man, but I've been to the garage on his overalls." Hershel continued to stare at the two Walkers, and Rick continued to stare at Hershel, the growling of the two 'people' an eerie backdrop to the entire conversation. "How many have you killed?"

"Too many to count," Rick said after a beat, his eyes switching back to the two Walkers.

"Can you stop?" Hershel asked quietly, his gaze intently boring into the side of Rick's face. The older man's eyes skipped to where Jimmy stood, the boy's head bowed in a submissive sort of way as Hershel's head nodded. "There are people out there who haven't been in their right minds. People who I believe can be restored."

"You aren't talking about the Walkers," Rick said shifting his eyes from Jimmy back to Hershel. "Are you? You mean us?"

"I've spoken to Callie at length about her feelings on what's going on here. I understand her feelings, I understand her guilt. I believe she is a good person who was lost her belief and has paid dearly for it. A person who continues to do penance for things out of her control." Hershel's head was nodding as he spoke and again Rick was struck with just how much he'd let Callie shoulder for him at this farm. "The way it stands is thus," Hershel continued pointing a finger at the Walkers, the woman he'd known as Lou. "It doesn't matter if you see them as human beings anymore, but if you," Hershel caught Rick's gaze. "And your people are going to stay here, on my farm, that's how you will treat them." Hershel's head shook just a bit his hand falling limp at his side. "Callie was going to leave with Jenna," Hershel said quietly causing Rick's brow to furrow as he met the older man's steady sincere gaze. "You may have to give up more than just your current way of thinking if you choose to stay on at this farm. You should understand that."

Rick felt his mouth drift open, his mind working a mile a minute at the truth in Hershel's words. Callie had been pushing even before this morning at the barn for them to find a nearby farm to set up camp in for the winter. She'd been pushing for them to stay close for Sophia, but to find their own place. Because she'd known. Maybe not full extent of the truth of the Walkers in the barn, but she'd seen exactly what staying meant. Figured it out long before Rick had even decided to look at the possibility. Hershel's words, about Callie leaving with Jenna struck a chord deep in Rick's chest.

Knowing that this decision could break their group apart sat heavily on his shoulders. His eyes skipped back to the two Walkers in the silt, and the boy who had shot one of their own in a misguided attempt to 'help' that stood nearby.

His mind reeled back to Carl, who could have died had they been any further from this farm than they were when he got shot. To Lori, who was carrying a child-his child- and if they moved on, even if it was at a farm nearby- maybe Lou Bush's. It may not be close enough when the time came for her to deliver.

"You have to give me time to talk to them," Rick said, his tongue feeling heavy and thick in his mouth as he worked the words out. A sick sort of feeling welled in the back of his throat and he swallowed it down as he looked back to Hershel.

"My farm. My barn. My say," Hershel said quietly eyeing Rick closely. "There's no wiggle room here, Rick."

Rick nodded and watched Hershel step towards the waiting Jimmy. He stood back and watched them expertly maneuver the lead around the female Walker, Rick shook his head and snarled a bit-Lou Bush's head -and onto _her_ neck. Again he felt that acrid taste in the back of his throat and again he swallowed it as his hands came to rest heavily upon his hips. His eyes shifted down to where his hands sat on his pants, the feeling of his missing holster making him feel a bit more naked out here in the woods than anything else.

"A'right, Rick," Hershel's slightly labored voice sounded and Rick's eyes lifted to see the man working towards him with Lou Bush on the lead. Following him like the animal that _she_ was now. Rick sniffed back his distaste and side-stepped the _woman's_ reaching arms as Hershel moved past him. "Your turn."

Rick's eyes slipped over to where Jimmy was standing, the boy's hands shaking slightly as he held out the second lead. Rick's gaze shifted back to Hershel for a moment before he started walking. His hand reached out and took hold of the lead, his eyes boring holes into Jimmy's before his attention again shifted.

"How many times have you done this?" Rick asked as he rolled his eyes to where Hershel stood with the still clawing _woman_ at the end of his lead. "How many are in that barn?"

Silence followed Rick's question. A silence that hung heavier than the idea of calling the Walkers people. A silence that spoke volumes and answered his question more clearly than any words could have.

"You don't know, do you?" Rick asked almost incredulously as he half-turned from Jimmy. His eyes shifted between Hershel and the boy staring at him with a confused and worried look in his eyes. The same look that Rick remembered seeing on the boy's face when Callie had asked him to take them to where he left Jenna. "Jesus…"

"Otis put most of them inside, after-" Hershel cut himself off, his watering eyes shifting away briefly before lifting again to pierce Rick with an angered gaze. "We've only put two others in since his death. And I apologize but I did not do a headcount while doing it."

"Maybe you should've," Rick muttered shaking his head and looking back to Jimmy. He snatched the lead away from the boy and glared. "What happens when the barn gets full?"

"That's my problem-"

"It's all of our problem," Rick said quietly and forcefully as he worked towards the _man_ still struggling in the silt for his meal. "No matter if we're camped out on your lawn, or if we take ourselves off your land to a nearby farm. If that many," he looked over his shoulder to Hershel and stared hard. "If that many _people_ get out, it's everyone's problem. You should understand _that_."

* * *

Daryl squinted in the bright sunlight overhead as he slowly made his way towards the porch of the farmhouse where he could see Ben sitting with Carl in the dirt at the bottom of the stairs in front of Maggie and Glenn. Between the boys were a bunch of cans and some string. Daryl's brow furrowed a bit more before Ben raised a smile and a wave that had him nodding and looking away. His eyes shifted down towards the barn and he snarled a bit at the sight of Andrea and T-Dog heading up from where they'd been standing guard. Shifting his eyes sideways he looked towards the grassy field beyond, wondering how long Callie was gonna be out there with Gracie and Miles.

Hopin' it wasn't much longer.

"She's fine," Carol's voice from behind him rolled over his tense shoulders and had him shifting to watch her struggle to keep up with his quickened pace. She gave him a tight smile that he shrugged off as he slowed to let her catch up. His eyes roamed back to Andrea and T-Dog, his mouth twitching slightly at their hurried pace.

"What the hell?" Daryl asked as he glared at the assembled group, his eyes slipping to Andrea and T-Dog as they came to a stop near where Glenn and Maggie were now standing. "Thought y'all were goin' out. Where's Rick?"

"He went out with Hershel a couple of hours ago," Andrea said putting her hands to her hips as she shifted her eyes between everyone and then back to Daryl. "He's not back yet?"

"Fuck, people," Daryl growled catching sight of Carol as she shifted towards the porch where Beth and Patricia were now staring down at them. "Ain't no one takin' this seriously? We got us a trail," Daryl's hand arced out towards the fields and he spotted Shane coming in the distance.

"Callie's out there," Glenn started, his eyes shifting from Maggie to where Daryl was now glaring at him.

"Callie ain't lookin' for Sophia. Not right now," Ben said as he continued to mess with the cans at his feet. All eyes fell to the boy, but Ben only looked up at Daryl. "She wouldn't do that with Gracie. She ain't gonna put Gracie in any kinda harm's way. She's just walkin'." Ben shrugged and turned his attention back to the cans he was stringing together. "Don't take a brain surgeon to know that."

Daryl stared at the kid and then shifted his eyes to the slightly smiling Carol. Again he shrugged off her smug look and shifted his eyes to the faster approaching Shane, and the large bag he had slung over his shoulder.

"Where's Danny and Dale?" Andrea asked quietly but the sound of her voice was drowned out by Daryl's angered steps heading towards Shane.

"What the fuck's all this?" Daryl spat watching Shane pull a rifle out of the bag on his shoulder and hand it out to Daryl. Daryl stared at the gun for a moment before takin' it. Knowin' it was better in his hands that that dumbass'. He grabbed for the rifle but Shane held tight as he caught Daryl's eye.

"You with me man?" Shane asked gruffly and Daryl bit at the inside of his cheek. His eyes shifted away from Shane's for a moment down to the barn, and Shane pulled on the rifle to get Daryl's attention. "I know you ain't dumb enough to believe that we can live with them in there. I lived with you long enough to know, you ain't _that_ stupid. You know this is the way it has to be man." Shane leaned in and Daryl growled at him. "All our differences aside. I know you ain't that man. Now, you with me?"

Daryl snarled but let his chin dip low to his chest as his eyes skipped to where Ben was staring at him. He growled a little and pulled on the rifle and finally Shane let go, nodding his head. Daryl cocked the weapon, getting it ready and let his eyes shift around the area. Shane moved forward spoutin' off like some kind of fuckin' war general leadin' his troops as he passed out weapons to the assembled group. Daryl hardly paid him any attention as he watched Ben get off the ground and slip over towards him.

"Are you gonna shoot 'em?" Ben asked up to Daryl as he continued to watch the area for a sign of Callie or Rick. His eyes shifted to the little boy lookin' up at him fearfully and again his mouth twitched. Involuntarily his thumb lifted to his bottom lip and he growled behind it as he tore at that worn out skin. "That's not what Rick wants us to do?"

Daryl glared down at Ben and shook his head, again his eyes slidin' around the area for any sign of fuckin' Deputy Do-Good. His gaze slipped over to where Carol was starin' at him, barely catchin' sight of Maggie as she begged for Shane not to do this. Begged and pleaded with him to stop, knowin' that this would be the end of it. No more discussions. No more rest time for their wounded. This would be their last act upon this land.

Daryl's eyes again slipped to Carol who had stepped up next to Lori, helping to pull Carl away from the gun that Shane was offering the boy. Carol looked to him with that fuckin' pleadin' look of hers, implorin' him to take a stand and put a stop to this. Daryl snarled and turned his attention back to Ben, they boy givin' him that same look Carol had offered, mixed with a fear and confusion that tore at that lump in his stomach. Daryl growled low in the back of his throat as Shane continued to go on and on about this place not being safe, and needin' to make it safe.

Maggie and Lori workin' to be the voice of reason echoin' in the back of his head, as Ben and Carol's gazes bore holes into him, had Daryl just about seein' red. What the fuck was he supposed to do? What the fuck was he supposed to say? What? When part of him, a part he hated to admit existed, actually fuckin' agreed with the bastard handin' out guns.

Livin' here with them Walkers wasn't safe. Not for any of them, and if Rick wanted to stay here, then they fuckin' had to make it safe.

"Yeah, well Rick ain't here, little man. So," Daryl finally responded shrugging the last word to Ben as he knelt down before him. He pulled the handgun from the small of his back where he'd had it tucked since his walk with Carol. He flipped it around and held the butt out to him. Ben looked at him wide eyed and stepped back a bit and Daryl pushed the gun towards him. "C'mon, little man. I ain't gonna have you unarmed and unprotected if things go down the way it's lookin' like they're gonna. You take it." Daryl pushed it out again and Ben put his hand to the butt of it, his eyes lookin' right up at Daryl.

Daryl held Ben's eyes for what seemed like forever, before he shifted his gaze to where the boy was gripping the gun. His hands looked ridiculously small on the weapon and for one fleeting moment Daryl felt his stomach dip at the sight. It wasn't like he had been much older than Ben when he first learned how to shoot. Fuck, Merle woulda had him out earlier if he coulda. But Ben wasn't Daryl.

_But he's becomin' just like you, ain't he, little brother? _

"You stay back by Carol and Lori if shit goes down, you hear me?" Daryl growled as he slowly let go of the gun and moved to stand. "You don't play hero. You keep your ass safe, and you keep them safe. Get me?" Ben's head nodded and Daryl gave a single shake. "I ain't a mind-reader kid, you say it."

"Yeah," Ben said in a low voice as he stared down at the gun in his hands. "I get you, Daryl."

Daryl put his hand atop Ben's head just as T-Dog uttered a loud and confused 'What the hell?' Daryl's eyes shifted towards the wooded area near the barn and for a single moment he had a horrifying thought that it was Callie. That something was wrong. But he was only half-right in that way of thinkin'.

It wasn't Callie, it was Rick. And something was definitely fuckin' wrong with the picture he was seeing. Shane was muttering by the time Daryl's brain clicked into place, and Shane's bulky ass was off and runnin' towards where Rick, Hershel and Jimmy were leadin' to fuckin' Walkers towards the barn. Daryl took off runnin' as did Ben, the boy practically instep with him until Daryl reached back and pushed him towards the back of the pack.

"What I just say to you?" Daryl shouted as he kept runnin', his eyes watching Ben roll his eyes and slow his steps so that he was back towards Carol and Lori as they too ran. Daryl's attention shifted forward again, and his eyes slipped over to the left for a brief second as he was hit with the odd sensation of being watched. Shakin' his head, Daryl ran full tilt and then pulled up, his rifle aimed and ready to take out the Walker in the coveralls that Rick was struggling with.

"What are you doin'?" Shane bellowed as he ran towards Rick. The dust flew up around his feet as he rounded and then backed away from Rick and his walker on a stick. Daryl growled low in his throat as he came up and shifted his rifle at the head of the Walker Rick held. Rick's eyes slid to him for a moment and then moved back to the irate Shane. "The hell are you doin'?"

"Back off, Shane." Rick growled as he continued to struggle with the Walker. His hands slipped and Daryl shifted forward, his breath hissing out as he sighted down his barrel. Rick shot him a look and with a single shake of his head warded off Daryl's pulling of that trigger.

Shane continued to growl and hiss at Rick, his voice hoarse as he yelled obscenities and flared his nostrils as h went on and on. He stalked in front of the two men brandishing Walkers and glared daggers as Hershel yelled back.

"I see _who_ I'm holdin'," Hershel's voice echoed strangely in Daryl's ears and as he shifted his gaze around to the rest of his group he could see that the words seemed just as out of place to them. His gaze shifted to where Carol was standing with a hand to Ben's shoulder, the boy's jaw clenched tight as he nodded at Daryl and held tight to the gun in his hands.

"Just let me do this," Rick's voice ground out causin' Daryl to shift his attention back to the Walker lunging towards him. Rick angled the lead away roughly, growling with the force he used and put himself between Daryl and the Walker. Daryl growled and shifted around so that he could again sight the head of the Walker and Rick shot him an angered look. "Just let me do this," Rick said shifting his eyes back to Shane. "Then we can talk—"

"Talk!" Shane barked his eyes wildly roaming the area. "What you wanna talk 'bout, Rick?" He held both of his arms up and shrugged his bulky shoulders as he again addressed the crowd, workin' them up so that they saw his side. Saw that he wasn't the one talkin' crazy with a Walker. "Ain't nothin' to talk about. These things ain't sick. They're dead."

Shane spat the words at Rick and Daryl watched Rick pause, his anger fadin' just a bit as he stared at his friend tryin' to talk sense into him. Rick's mind was no doubt exactly on level with Shane's, but he was workin' hard to _try_ and see things differently. Tryin' to accept another man's point of view for the safety of his family. To keep his people safe here on this land. Daryl saw that clenchin' of Rick's jaw as he glared at Shane, and knew that his silence wasn't because he was angry. It was because he agreed, no matter how hard he was tryin' to convince Hershel otherwise.

He fuckin' agreed with Shane on some level.

"All they do is kill," Shane continued on in his loud tone, his eyes again lifting from Rick out to the crowd.

Daryl snarled at the man, workin' to rile people up instead of calm the situation. The harsh difference between Rick and Shane was clear as fuckin' day as Daryl's eyes shifted between the two men in a power-struggle that neither had wanted to enter into. Again, Daryl let his eyes roam the distant area up and to the left hopin' Callie would come and help. This wasn't Daryl's strong suit, it was Callie's. Daryl wasn't a man to diffuse shit like this. He was the cannonball that blew it apart after someone lit the fuse. An act Shane was pretty damn close to doin' with all his yellin'. Daryl's brow furrowed just a bit as he thought he spotted something off in the distance.

"They killed Amy," Shane's angered heavy voice continued. "They killed Jenna," Shane spat, his utterance of the girl's name causin' Daryl's eyes to shift from those specs he wasn't sure he was even seein' back over to the sum'bitch now glarin' at him. "They killed Otis," Shane said in a lower yet still forceful tone, his eyes sweepin' away from Daryl and again up into the crowd, hitting hard on Patricia and Beth and then over to the glowerin' and glarin' Maggie. "They're gonna kill us all." Shane said in a lower tone, his voice finally falling from the higher level of yelling and down to a more controlled growl.

Daryl watched Shane's angered, disgusted glare roll over the equally angered and disgusted Rick and his hands twitched on his rifle. Just slightly, as Shane shifted and reached for his gun, Daryl's rifle shifted to sight the shaved head of the asshole lookin' to take the reins of this group by any means necessary. Daryl shifted his sight and shuddered against that chill that ran down his spine at the prospect of actually havin' to pull the trigger on him.

"Shane stop!" Rick yelled as he watched Shane shake his head and shift away. Shane pulled his gun and Rick tried to follow but the Walker on the end of the lead was fighting more and more as more potential meals filtered closer to it. Daryl sniffed and again shifted his rifle towards the Walker earning an angry glare from Rick. "Shane-"

"Hey, Hershel," Shane said loudly as he circled around putting himself between the old man and the barn full of Walkers. Hershel's steely glare would have withered a lesser man, but as of right now, Shane wasn't a man. He was runnin' on the power of a fucker who fancied himself the highest authority. Which was more dangerous than any simple _man_. "Let me ask you somethin'," Shane said nodding his head in a high and mighty way that made Daryl sneer at him and shift his rifle yet again as Rick's Walker made a lunge for him. "Can a living breathing person walk away from this?"

The three shots Shane fired into the chest of the Walker echoed around the group. Stifled gasps and cries of alarm rang loudly along with Rick's shouted attempts to get Shane to stand down. Futility, anger, fear it was fueling everything in that field now and Daryl fidgeted on his feet as he worried what was to come. His eyes shifted to where Ben was putting himself slowly in front of Carol. Daryl's gaze shifted back to Hershel, watchin' the shock ebb its way onto his face as his grip slowly loosened on the lead he was holding. Rick's eyes caught his and his chin jutted towards the Walker Hershel was slowly releasing. Daryl growled but took the cue slipping sideways and sighting down his barrel at the woman clawing at Shane as he advanced and again raised his gun.

"That's three rounds to the chest," Shane explained as if he were teachin' a fuckin' seminar. "If someone was alive could they just walk away from that?" Shane fired three more times and Daryl shifted on his feet anxiously as the Walker rocked back towards where Maggie stood by Glenn before Hershel got it back under control. "That's the heart, the lungs. Tell me, _Doctor Greene_, why's it still comin'? Huh? How the fuck is it still comin'?"

"Shane that's enough!" Rick yelled, his hands shifting and pushing the Walker off to the side a bit. Daryl's rifle shifted and he growled thinkin' shit would be a lot easier if he just put a fuckin' bullet in both geeks' heads. But he wasn't the man to throw that first stone into the pile, Rick was still workin' towards some kind of peaceful end to this. And as fucked up an idea as that seemed now, Daryl respected that.

"Yeah, man. That is enough," Shane said calmly his gun lifting one more time. The world slowed just a bit as that bullet ripped out of his gun and through the head of the dead woman on the end of the lead in Hershel's hands. Gore shot out the back of the Walker's head and splattered over Maggie and Glenn, causing the girl to scream and Glenn to pull her to him. Daryl growled as Hershel's grip finally fell from the lead and the man fell to his knees upon the dry dirt and dead grass.

"Enough Rick," Shane said his voice again risin' in anger as he shifted his eyes away from Rick and to the group. Rick struggled with the Walker he had and continued to yell, but Shane's voice boomed over top of him. "Enough riskin' our lives for a little girl who is gone!" Shane seethed his eyes shootin' over Daryl's head to where Carol and Ben stood in the background. Daryl's feet shifted below him and again his instinct to shift the rifle towards the man was overrun by Rick's obvious struggle with the undead sum'bitch on the end of the pole he held. "Enough livin' next to a barn full of things that are goin' to _kill_ us. Enough Rick. Enough!" Shane seethed as he advanced on Rick who was now struggling to get someone to take the lead from him. Shane's eyes were on fire as he glared at Rick and Daryl wasn't sure who was shootin' more flames at the other as he shifted his eyes between them. "It ain't like it was before, Rick." Shane said shakin' his head in disgust as he turned away from his best friend, his fuckin' brother."You gotta see that. You gotta understand, man." Shane's eyes again skipped out to the crowd and he again began to rile them up. "You wanna live!" He yelled out and Daryl's eyes shifted away from him and over to Rick who was desperately tryin' to get rid of the Walker he was tryin' to control. Daryl's head shook and Rick glared at him as he struggled. "You wanna survive. You gotta fight! I'm talkin' _fight_. Right here, right now."

Shane turned away and headed towards the barn, grabbing an axe from the ground and banging away at the door. Rick was growling after him, pleadin' with Hershel to take the lead from him, still tryin' to maintain that air of respect to the man's way of thinkin'. Daryl growled and shifted closer.

"_Rick_," Daryl seethed through his teeth catching the former deputy's wide angry eyes. "Man ain't there no more. Time to end this shit."

Rick stared at Daryl for a moment before the truth of that dawned on him. Shane had broken the lock and dragged the chains from the door now, the shocked gasps and cries of alarm, cries for him to stop all echoed through both Daryl and Rick's heads. Daryl again caught Rick's eye as Shane worked the large two by four off of the door and finally Rick gave a begrudging nod. Daryl sighted down his barrel and took out the Walker at the end of the lead. Rick dropped the white pole immediately and moved to take off towards the barn but his steps faltered just as Daryl's did at the sight of those doors slowly pushing open on their own.

"Rick! Daryl!" Callie's voice broke through the haze and Daryl's eyes snapped back to the left to see the woman running through the field on the side of the barn with Miles and Gracie. Daryl's body instinctively moved towards her but he stopped, lifting a hand as the creakin' of the damn barn door and the cacophony of groans and moans set free caught his attention.

Shane was backin' away now, and Callie was running full tilt towards the front side of the barn. She and those kids were gonna come out right beside the fuckin' horde of Walkers now pushin' their way towards the group.

"Stop!" Daryl yelled out, his hand raised up to ward her off as he finally caught Callie's eye. Callie's feet continued on, but her hands reached out to wrap around the faster moving form of Gracie beside her. She wrapped her arms around the girl just as Shane had lifted his gun. From this angle Daryl really couldn't tell, but it looked like the man had his gun pointed right at Callie. Daryl's rifle was raised and ready.

One Walker, then four, then four more shifted out of that barn. One turned to where Callie had skidded to a stop, causing her to fall back on the ground. Gracie was settled between her legs and Miles was bringing up the rear, his gun raised and ready. The boy fired and took out the Walker, before kneeling down and pulling at Callie and Gracie.

Shane shifted his gun and fired at one Walker then another. Daryl's eyes stayed on Callie and Gracie on the ground for a moment, his gaze locked with that those hazel eyes that he loved so much. He felt his lips draw back in a snarl as she waved at him, and then he sighted down his barrel and stood in line with the rest of the group.

They were like some sick firing squad. Each shot takin' out another monster come from the darkest recesses of their minds. Daryl didn't pay any attention to how many he shot. He didn't pay any mind to the amount of bodies, whether they were male or female as they fell to the dirt before the barn. The only thing registering in his head was that these things needed to die. If they wanted to survive, if they wanted a chance to fuckin' live. These things needed to die.

When the firing stopped, the sound of it continued to echo in Daryl's ears. His eyes roaming over the bodies that lay piled before the doors to the barn and splayed out in the dirt a bit further out. His rifle slowly lowered, and he let out a shaky breath as he continued to eye the bodies for any sign of movement.

Sounds slowly began to make it through the blood pounding between Daryl's ears. The sound of Maggie cryin', of Beth and Patricia weepin'. The sounds of the group's heavy breathing had his eyes shifting down the line of people who were still standing awe struck by what they'd just done. Daryl spared a quick glance over his shoulder to where Rick stood, struck still by shock his hand loosely settled at the gun at the small of his back, mouth agape as he too surveyed the _justice_ that had just been wrought.

Daryl shifted at the sound of footsteps and his rifle slipped up, lowering instantly as he watched Callie shuffle forward with Gracie. Miles was breathing hard as he picked a path around the carnage, his eyes lifting to meet Daryl's for a quick second before shifting over to where Beth and Maggie were wailing on the ground beside their stoic father.

Callie continued into the throng, her hands pushing the silently sobbin' little girl into the reaching hands of Miles as he passed her. Daryl swallowed the lump in his throat as he watched Callie's booted feet pick a path through the carnage, her eyes swinging over the bodies. It took a second for him to shake off the unrelenting urge to rush forward and pull her away, get her out of that field of death and decay and safe in his arms. Took him a second to realize that her brow was furrowed not with shock but with confusion as her eyes skipped over the forms. Took a second to realize she was lookin' for something among those bodies. No, not something…someone. She was half-facing him and half-facing the barn when the doors creaked open again and a snarling hiss echoed out from the dark confines.

Callie's body hid whatever was comin' out of that fuckin' barn, but Daryl wasn't worried as he saw Callie's hand slide towards the gun settled in Rick's holster at her hip. It wasn't until her hand began to shake uncontrollably as it hovered over the butt of her gun that he began to worry. Wasn't until her legs began to shake and she backed up a step that his hands tightened on his rifle.

"Oh God," Callie's strangled sounding voice echoed that one simple phrase into the stillness that had fallen over their assembled group. It echoed and reverberated deep in Daryl's chest as he staggered forward a step, only to stop cold when Callie shifted back enough that he could see what she was starin' at.

_Who_ she was starin' at.

The world slowed again, and Daryl stared in shock at the tiny form of Sophia staggerin' out into the sunlight. Her poor little feet, one bent at an odd angle as if broken, trudging along and catching on the bodies that lay strewn in her path. Her skin was ashen and gray in the bright sunlight. The bright colors of her dirt and blood encrusted little rainbow t-shirt garish and harsh next to the deathly paleness of her exposed skin. It was the blood, thick and infected, that had run down her left shoulder and disappeared behind her that had the bile risin' in Daryl's throat. The way her dead eyes surveyed them as she staggered forward towards where Callie still stood that had his hand dropping his rifle to the ground as the breath rushed from his lungs.

Memories of another little girl, dead and bloody staggerin' towards him rushed back to him nearly takin' him to the ground.

"Sophia!" It was Carol's anguished cry that seemed to wake him back up, his eyes shiftin' just in time to catch the woman as she barreled past him towards her daughter. Callie hadn't moved yet, and Sophia was creepin' closer, her little blonde head dipping left and right spasmodically as she caught onto the scent of the woman shakin' before her. Daryl's arms wrapped tightly around Carol as she continued to cry out her little girl's name, and together they fell to the ground. Daryl's eyes shifted to catch Ben come to a stop beside them. His tiny body turned towards where Sophia was staggerin' out of the barn towards Callie, his hands trembling as they held on tight to the gun Daryl had given him. Daryl blinked back tears that he hadn't even realized had welled in his eyes as he held tight to Carol's body and rocked her away as she tried desperately to claw her way forward. Ben's eyes shifted then, as if he could feel Daryl's eyes on him and in a moment that simultaneously dumbfounded Daryl and rocked him to his core the little boy shifted so that he was standing in front of Daryl and Carol, is gun raised. Steady in the face of everything and ready to protect the two people on the ground behind him.

Daryl and Carol both shifted so that they could see around Ben's tiny frame as he stood between them and what was happening at the barn. Daryl shifted his eyes away from Sophia for a single beat, his gaze slidin' over the shocked group that had just dealt swift justice to every other undead person that had staggered out towards them. Slidin' over them in disgust as they stared at the little girl that he knew none had every expected to actually find. Finally his eyes caught on Rick, the man's face hard and unreadable as he shifted slowly towards where Callie still stood shaking. Daryl's eyes shifted back to Callie, watching the woman's shaking hand finally settle upon the butt of her gun. Her thin shoulders lifted and fell three times as Sophia's slow progress seemed to quicken a bit as she neared her. Callie's hand shifted her gun free from the holster and she lifted it, the barrel shaking as it pointed at Sophia's head.

"Don't look," Daryl was mutterin' over and over to the distraught woman clutched in his arms. He held her tighter to him, tryin' to offer what strength he could to this woman who now had to lose her baby…again. His eyes shifted to Callie and he was surprised to see the woman looking back at him, sorrow etched into her features that tugged at what was left of his resolve. Carol's anguished cries continued, her hands clawin' deep into Daryl's arms; her protests losing steam as her body sunk into his embrace. Daryl put his forehead to the back of Carol's then, feeling his tears flow free down his dirty cheeks, and he shook his head. "Don't look."

He wasn't sure what made him look up again, but something clicked in the back of his head as he said those words again. His eyes shifted up to see Miles standin' close by, Gracie's body in his arms, her head pushed into his shoulder so she couldn't watch as he stared wide-eyed at the scene unfolding. Daryl's eyes went to Ben still standing before him, gun limp at his side now as he stared forward. Daryl reached out quickly and grabbed onto the boy's shirt, tuggin' him backwards. Ben stumbled and stared at him for only a second before shovin' himself under Daryl's arm and around to his back. Daryl felt the boy grab fistfuls of his shirt and bury his little face between his shoulder blades, and he kept arm wrapped around behind him holdin' the boy as tight as he could, while Carol clung to his other arm and gave up her fight. Again Daryl's forehead fell to the back of Carol's head and he shook it as he watched Rick approach Callie.

"Don't look," he muttered, not only to Carol but to himself as he continued to shake his head against the back of hers.

Rick stepped forward then his hand reaching out to Callie's shaking shoulder. She looked over her shoulder to him, the tears rolling down her cheeks shining in the bright sunlight, streaking the bit of dirt and dust that had covered her face during her mad dash towards them. She stared hard at Rick for a second and lowered her gun, as Rick raised his. Rick's hand guided her to turn around and she willingly did, her head bowing as she remained close at his side. Her hand lifted and she settled it upon his shoulder as he lifted his gun.

The sound of that gun going off was the last thing that registered in Daryl's mind before it shut down completely and his head fell to the space between the shoulder blades of the woman cryin' out her agony in his arms.

Dully, he realized she'd watched the whole damn thing.

_Oh, there was a time we ain't forgot_

_You could rest all night with your doors unlocked_

_But there ain't nobody safe no more_

_So you say your prayers and you thank the lord_

_For that peacemaker in your dresser drawer_

_God & guns keep us strong_

_That's what this country, Lord, was founded on _

_Well we might as well give up and run_

_If we let 'em take our God & guns_

_~God & Guns / Lynyrd Skynyrd_

_AN: *throws hands up in the air and backs away from the computer* DEAR GOD, that was HARD. I'm not sure why, but that Barn scene was what was holding me up. BIG TIME. I just couldn't seem to piece it together in my head…and then having it in Daryl's POV and tryin' to really get that PERFECT…it seemed like I had taken on an impossible task. _

_But I got it out, and it's done. And we can move the fuck on now people. Let me know what you thought, I'm interested to know if you think I got it right. Were you surprised with Gracie speaking? Or what she said? Had you caught onto those tiny arms reaching out to her from inside the barn? Did Danny's altercation with Shane leave you lookin' for more? Let me know!_

_For those wondering…Danny's quoted passage is from Proverbs 18:13. _

_As a side note, I'm going to be workin' hard on this over the next few days/weeks…but with the holidays it may be a bit further between updates than you're used to with me. I say MAY BE, because you never know, if I hit a good flow (like I did last night) we could be rockin' and rollin' along at a much faster pace. But don't hold your breath… _

_I love you all and Happy Holidays, Happy Winter Solstice, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah…whatever your pleasure, celebrate with your family and friends. I share my wealth of joy with you all and can only hope that this season brings you joy, laughter and love. And may we all welcome in the New Year…by watching Season 1 and 2 in Black and White…and getting ready for a fuckin' fantastic February (yay alliteration!) _

_Much love!_

_See ya next chapter! Where we will possibly answer the question of where the fuck is Danny heading? Any guesses?_


	45. After The Storm Pt 1

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_HI!_

_Where to pick up after that horrid ending… where oh where…_

_As always I ask you to read, review and most of all enjoy our journey through crazy town….because seriously, Crazy-town is the next fuckin' stop, people._

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**After The Storm Pt. 1**

Callie had been close enough to the precipice of blacking out enough times to recognize the harsh roll of her own blood as it pounded through the space between her ears; the pinpricks of black and white specks that danced over her field of vision. She'd been at that point so often that the fact that she could no longer hear any sounds of the world around her didn't really instill any fear, but instead was a welcome reprieve from the cacophony of agonizing noises-of heartbreaking whimpers and screams-that had to have been echoing in that small area by the barn.

Her hand clenched on Rick's shoulder and she felt his muscles ripple and twitch under her fingers. She felt him tense and then, felt him shudder beneath her grasp. Her mouth twitched in a futile attempt at keeping her lips from trembling. An attempt she knew must have failed when she felt Rick shift just a bit towards her, that shudder running through again him before he steeled himself against it. Callie's chin lifted slowly from where it had fallen to her chest and she caught his gaze quickly, the unshed tears glistening in his eyes before he snarled them back and broke eye contact shifting his gaze to where Sophia lay dead at their feet broke her heart a bit more.

It was Carol's voice that finally broke through the haze in Callie and apparently Rick's minds, her agonized cries that had both of them shifting to where Daryl was struggling to hold the woman. Callie's head shifted to the side at the sight of Ben sitting alone on the ground staring towards Sophia's body, and she met the boy's gaze for a moment before shifting her attention to where Daryl and Carol now stood. Carol broke free from Daryl's arms, even as the man pleaded-that was the only word for the foreign tone that Daryl's voice had taken on as he repeated over and over the words 'Don't look'.

Carol had broken free and took a single staggering step towards where Sophia was, but Callie shifted just slightly and caught the woman's horrified gaze. Tears welled up anew as Callie held her eyes, shared her grief, felt her pain. Carol again moved forward and this time Callie stretched out a hand to block her as she shook her head. Carol let out another wretched sob, her eyes shifting between Callie, Rick and Shane standing not far off. Her mouth opened to say something but no words made it out. Instead she turned and fled from them.

Fled from the horror.

Callie's eyes shifted to the ground and she firmed her lips as her hand slipped up to her suddenly dry mouth. Rick's hand settled at the base of her neck his thumb moving quickly twice over the nape of her neck before falling back to his side as he shifted back towards the carnage. Callie's eyes lifted to see Daryl yanking Ben up from the ground even as Gracie plowed into his legs. The man was nearly floored by the two kids, and when his eyes lifted to meet Callie's she knew he was too damn close to a breakdown to be able to handle them right now.

Teetering at the edge of his sanity and not up for comforting children, no matter how much he may have cared for them. His eyes edged around Callie and worked towards the body of Sophia on the ground and again Callie stepped over just a bit to impede his view of the dead girl he'd spent so long searching for.

Held such hope for.

What was it he was always saying, 'Hope's for fools. Wishful thinkin' ain't nothing but a fool's way of avoidin' the truth.'

Callie let out a sad sigh for the man staring at her, trying his best to hold on to what he had left of his own sanity in the moment while comforting two children. Shifting her eyes to where Miles had stepped up to her side, she lifted a hand and put it to his shoulder. The sound of Beth's cries and hurried footsteps stopped her request to the boy before it even started. Callie shifted to see that the girl had broken free from Jimmy's hold and was headed their way. Both Callie and Miles shifted, as the girl slipped past Rick's reaching hands.

"Beth," Callie said stepping in front of the girl and putting her hands to her arms. "Beth." Callie's hands fell as Beth pulled away, and she shook her head looking back to where Hershel and Maggie were still frozen. Miles shifted and kept pace with the girl, murmuring something that she was ignoring. Callie stayed in step with Beth and then watched the girl hesitate at a pile of two Walkers on the ground.

Beth's hands went to her mouth and her eyes skipped up to Callie for a brief moment. That look of horror that had marred the girl's face when she'd walked into Jenna's room so long ago was back in place and Callie sucked in a deep breath watching helplessly as Beth dropped her gaze to the pile and fell to her knees. Callie exchanged a knowing glance with Miles who instantly nodded. They both knelt down, and Callie grabbed Beth's timidly reaching arms while Miles worked to silently move the body of the Walker off of the woman beneath.

Miles sat back on his heels surrounded now by Walker carcasses and stared down at the bedraggled woman he'd uncovered. Callie's settled behind Beth and slipped her hands up to the girl's upper arms as she slowly reached forward and then backed up. Callie continued to rub up and down Beth's arms, her eyes sliding behind her to where Maggie stood by her father, both of them looking on in horror.

"Mom," Beth's wavering voice pierced through Callie's chest and had her blinking back tears. Miles shifted his eyes to Callie and then to Beth and held, watching the girl finally take in that breath that brought her the strength she was looking for. "Mom," Beth's hands reached out and Callie closed her eyes for a moment as she felt the young girl quake under her hands.

"Beth," Callie's voice sounded hoarse as she tried to keep the girl steady as she moved her shaking fingers towards the scraggly hair matted to her once beautiful mother's gray decaying skin. Callie's eyes opened again and shifted down to the dead woman on the ground. The breath that she'd just caught rushed from Callie's body painfully as the dead woman's milky eyes popped open. "Jesus!" Callie's hands were sliding down to Beth's hands to pull the girl away at the same time as the dead woman's were reaching up to grab at her. Callie felt her knees scraping along the dirt as she worked to move pull the girl away and she heard her screams mixing with Beth's as the Walker's hands found purchase on Callie's arm and tangled in Beth's hair.

It was a split second of time that passed before the sounds of their screams were overtaken by the hurried gasps and yells of the people behind them. A split second that lasted forever before Callie's eyes lifted and she saw Miles lunging forward and straddling the Walker, his hands grabbing the frail wrists of the dead woman slithering and rocking to get to Beth. The Walker's fingers were tangled tight into Beth's loose braid and Callie felt the grip on her wrist pull her forward, a pull that had her body rocking into Beth's and almost sending the girl's face right into the snapping mouth of her dead mother. Callie's knees dug in again and she arched herself backwards as Beth's screaming continued. Callie's mind was moving a mile a minute and she didn't even register the feel of the familiar arms wrap around her waist and wrench her backwards. Didn't stop her own screaming until Glenn had pried the Walker's hands from her wrist and out of Beth's tangled hair. Didn't stop until the back of her head had come to rest upon the Daryl's chest, his arms wrapped around her waist as she wrapped hers around Beth's shaking shoulders. Callie felt Daryl tug her backwards again settling her and Beth firmly between his legs. She felt his rapid breaths fanning the sweat-slicked skin at her neck and closed her eyes against the sight of T-Dog's foot ramming hard into the head of the woman that had once been Mrs. Annette Greene.

Beth's anguished cries continued and Callie turned the girl's head into her shoulder as her eyes opened to watch Miles fall backwards away from the still moving Walker. T-Dog stepped back as the dead woman lunged upwards and Andrea, finally finished her with a well placed scythe to the back of her head.

Beth's body sagged for a moment as did Callie's as she stared hard at the now fully dead woman upon the dirt. Callie's vision wavered behind the wall of wetness that had filmed over her eyes and she felt her body instinctively tighten its hold on Beth at the feel of a gentle hand on her arm. Looking up she saw the soft features of Patricia as she firmed her lips against the horror. A single nod of the older woman's blonde head and the gentle prying of her fingers had Callie letting Beth fall easily into Patricia's open waiting arms. Once Beth was up and moving towards the rest of the Greene family Callie's body sagged further, and if it wasn't for Daryl's arms around her she would have crumpled in a ball to the ground.

"Did it get you?" Daryl's voice was rough and woke Callie from her stupor. Her head was shaking, but the motion went unnoticed as Daryl shifted her around between his legs and began searching her arm. Again looking for any signs that she'd been bitten or scratched; again not believing her but needing to see for himself. Her eyes lifted to watch him as his trembling fingers worked over the wrist that had been grabbed. He smoothed those calloused fingers over her skin a few more times before he finally looked up at her. "Fuckin'-" he shook his head and roughly pulled her towards him by her upper arms. "Stop that shit."

Callie had no voice to use, her mind still reeling from everything that had just gone down. She nodded to him and let out a ragged breath as he shook his head and closed his eyes to gather his wits. She watched as he took in a single deep breath and then firmed her lips when his eyes shot over her shoulder to where the bodies had fallen. Where one body in particular had fallen.

"Daryl," Callie struggled to find strength to keep her voice from cracking and worked up onto her knees. Her hands landed on his tense shoulders and she pulled him towards her breaking his eye contact with Sophia's lifeless form. "I'm so sorry," she whispered when he looked at her. His jaw clenched and she watched his lips curl into an angry snarl before he shifted his eyes back to Sophia. She pulled again and this time worked her body to a place that blocked his line of sight. "Don't look. Just don't-"

Daryl pushed her away sending her falling to her backside in the dirt. He stared down at her as he got to his feet, the shock of his actions towards her rolling over his face. The apology written in his features even as he glared down at her. She stared back at him and watched his eyes glaze over with unshed tears. He gave her one more regretful look before stalking away, past Dale's reaching hands and off towards the RV in the distance.

Callie heard the sounds of Shane's bellowing as he followed behind the retreating Hershel. She caught Rick's eye at a distance and shared a mournful look with the man before wiping her own fingers over her brow.

"Are you alright?" Dale's voice echoed down and Callie looked up to find him standing before her offering his hand. Her head shook as she accepted Dale's hand and she squeezed his shoulder still not really ready to speak.

Callie's eyes shifted around the carnage and let her hand hold loosely over her mouth. Blinking a few times she shifted her eyes back to Dale and shook her head as he grimaced at her.

"Jesus Dale, what happened here?" Callie said letting her hand fall to her side.

"I need to talk to you," Dale said quietly leaning towards her as they turned to where Miles was standing with the shocked and crying Ben and Gracie. Miles looked utterly stricken as his eyes met Callie's and she again shook her head and raised a hand to Dale's shoulder.

"Can it wait?" Callie asked looking back at the slightly perturbed older man.

"It's about Danny," Dale shifted his eyes around and lowered his voice. "And Shane." Callie let out a disgruntled sigh and shook her head.

"Is Danny okay?" Callie asked quietly as Miles' eyes ping-ponged between them. Dale nodded giving a small reassuring smile to Miles and Callie patted his shoulder squeezing just a bit. "Can it wait?" Dale let out a sigh and nodded slowly. "Can you take the kids up to the RV please?"

"Of course," Dale said stepping towards Ben and Gracie. Callie listened to Dale's voice as he ushered the children off and she shifted her eyes to where Miles stood.

"Go with Dale," Callie said quietly watching the older man head off slowly. She stepped towards Miles and put a hand to his shoulder as she whispered. "Find out what happened with Danny and Shane. See what's what, I'll find you later."

"Sure," Miles said quietly his eyes glistening a bit with tears as he shifted his eyes over her shoulder. "Callie," Miles' voice cracked and she nodded her head.

"I know," Callie pulled the boy into a hug and kissed his slightly tear-stained cheek. "Go on. I'm gonna help out here," Callie lifted a hand as Miles began to say something to deter her and she shook her head. "Go on. I need you to see what's up with Danny, and check on Ben and Gracie for me. I'll be up soon."

Callie turned away as Miles nodded and let out a shaky sigh. Her eyes shifted to T-Dog and Andrea who stood ankle deep in the rotting bodies, both of them just staring down at Sophia. She started towards them slowly, her eyes picking up Lori settled on the ground not far off in quiet conversation with Carl. She shared a look with the other woman and smiled tightly before letting her eyes drift down to Sophia at her feet.

"This whole fucking time," T-Dog's tight angry voice echoed out. His eyes shot to Callie and then over to Andrea and he shook his head.

"It doesn't matter," Callie said quietly, lifting her hand to settle it on his shoulder as he started to protest. "It doesn't matter," she repeated in a more firm tone. He shook his head and shifted away slightly as Andrea moved forward with a blanket. Callie crouched down to help Andrea place the blanket over Sophia, her eyes locking on the large wound in the little girl's neck.

A wound that most likely spelled her fate. Callie's squinted a little at that wound before Andrea put a hand to her arm and lifted the blanket over her.

"What do we do now?" Jimmy's slightly confused voice rang out and Callie's attention snapped to where he stood behind her. His eyes were fixed on Sophia's body, his hands wringing together. She stared at him until he looked to her.

"Same as before," Callie said in a sharp angry tone standing up with Andrea.

"We bury we the ones we love and burn the rest," Andrea supplied as Callie continued to stare at Jimmy.

The boy held Callie's eyes until a single tear rolled down his cheek. Andrea and T-Dog shifted slowly away, Andrea's hand settled on T-Dog's shoulder as he continued to mumble his outrage. Callie shifted towards the boy and glared at him, her fingernails digging into her palms as she tried to control her breathing.

"When?" Callie ground out through tightly clenched teeth. Jimmy stared at her, wide-eyed and scared and she advanced on him her hand shooting out and grabbing his shirt. Her eyes flicked to where Lori and Carl still sat and she dropped her hand as again pierced Jimmy with a glare meant to kill. "When?"

"The day your man came back busted up," Jimmy stuttered out and Callie stepped back a bit her head shifting back to the blanket covered form of Sophia. "I put her in there. Hershel didn't know. It was me." Jimmy continued, his voice wavering a bit as he shifted forward. Callie shifted her eyes back to the boy and was shocked to see his face contorted with shame. "I didn't know it was your girl. Really I didn't. And Hershel didn't know, didn't see who I put in. I was going to tell him about her and then your man came back and the shot Andrea fired had Hershel runnin' to help-" Jimmy shook his head. "I'm so sor-"

"Shut it," Callie seethed out as she pushed her finger into the boy's chest. "You listen and you listen good, boy. I am done with your apologies." Callie stepped back and stared at Jimmy as he stared back fear written across his face. "Done. I don't want to hear another word. I don't want you tellin' anyone else what you just told me either. You keep yourself out of my people's business, or I won't be held responsible for what they do to you." She pushed at his shoulder. "Now go get the fuckin' shovels."

* * *

Dale shifted on his feet and waved Miles after him over towards the roadway leading off the farm. He removed his bucket hat and ran a tired hand over his sweat covered head as Miles came to a stop beside him. The boy shifted his eyes to where Ben and Gracie were settled under the awning of the RV, both young children settled close and kicking at the dirt in silence.

"I really thought-" Miles began shaking his head and looking back to Dale. Dale smiled tightly and put a hand to the boy's shoulder. Miles shook his head again and then shifted to look at Dale, sniffing back whatever was left of his tears. "Where's Danny?"

"I don't know," Dale said quietly watching the boy for a moment. He shifted his eyes away from the shocked slightly worried look on Miles' face and out to the road. "There was an…altercation between him and Shane earlier," Dale continued his eyes shifting to watch Miles lift a brow. "A rather heated altercation."

"Yeah I can imagine," Miles said tiredly running a hand down his face and shifting his eyes back to where they'd left Callie and the rest.

"He needed to blow off some steam, clear his mind, so he took a walk," Dale said shifting his gaze up and down the road. "I was sure he'd be back after hearing the gunfire…"

"Unless he was too far off to hear it," Miles said shifting his eyes along the road and letting out a sigh. Dale's eyes shifted to the boy and Miles cracked a grin. "He's a tougher son of a bitch than y'all are givin' him credit. That leg ain't gonna slow him down if he's got his mind set to somethin'. Where would he go…?" Miles shifted his eyes up and down the roadway a bit. "The highway maybe?"

"I don't—"Dale stopped as he turned and caught Shane approaching the cars.

Shane's steps faltered and stopped as his eyes met Dale's and time seemed to standstill for a moment. Dale heard Miles shift and he put a hand out to hold the boy off from making a move in any direction. The look in Shane's eyes as he shifted his gaze between the two of them told Dale that any move would be seen as the wrong move. Shane scoffed at the sight of them and shook his head in disgust as he moved towards the old truck. He let the door fly open and then threw himself inside before slamming the door shut.

Dale shifted his eyes to Miles for a second before returning to watch Shane sit in the truck. Dale could feel Shane's eyes on him still, reflected back at them so powerfully in that side mirror that it was as if the man were standing right there staring him down. Again Dale felt his heart begin to hammer in his chest. Miles shifted just a bit closer his mouth open ready to ask something, but the door of the truck flying open again stopped the boy in his tracks.

"What?" Shane spat as he bounded out of the vehicle and headed towards them. "What Dale? What?" Dale shifted as Miles turned around fully and worked the boy behind him a bit with an outstretched arm. Miles let out a low discontented sigh but remained at Dale's back as they watched Shane stalk forward. "C'mon man, you got something to say?" Shane scoffed and shook his head. "Who'm I kiddin', of course you got somethin' to say." Shane's eyes shifted to Miles briefly before spearing Dale with a snarling glare. "Well, go ahead, Mr. Moral-Authority. The, uh," Shane shook his head again at the distaste in his mouth and half laughed. "The voice of fuckin' reason. Go ahead."

Dale shifted just a bit and clenched his jaw tight as Shane continued to stalk forward. He held his ground, moving Miles back as the boy moved forward, hoping to avoid adding any further fuel to the fire burning in Shane's dark eyes. Dale watched Shane's eyes as he came to a stop, watched the man's jaw clench and his head shake. Shane waited for Dale to respond, but Dale new better than to egg the man on. Shane wasn't interested in hearing anything Dale had to say, he was picking a fight. Plain and simple.

The question was why?

"You know what man," Shane continued after a few beats of silence. "Instead of you jawin' off 'bout some higher moral knowledge, let me ask you somethin'," Shane lifted a finger and pointed it at Dale completely ignoring the presence of Miles. "Let me ask you, man, what do you do to keep this camp safe, huh? What? You," Shane shook his finger and ducked his head to the side and Dale's eyes widened as he watched the man before him completely lose it. "You-you fix up an RV? You fuckin' baby-sit some guns?" Shane's dark eyes lifted with a renewed anger and locked on Dale. "Man you point one at my chest," Shane thrust his finger at Dale and then pointed it at his own head, "fuckin' let Danny hold one to my head."

Dale felt Miles shift behind him slightly and he again shot his arm out to keep the boy from advancing. A quite hissing sound left Miles' mouth and Dale knew that he was going to be explaining quite a bit before Miles left his side again.

"You," Shane pointed his finger and glared at Dale. "You _prick_. You _bastard_," the words were leaving Shane's mouth with such vehemence that Dale actually felt them and he backed up just a bit pressing Miles further away. "You hold a gun to me, you let Danny hold a gun to me," Shane's head shook as he stared at Dale. "But you just couldn't pull that trigger. Stopped fuckin' Danny from doin' it," Shane's lip curled and he nodded as he pointed again at his head. "He woulda too. I saw it. But you stopped him. So tell me Dale," Shane said letting his hand fall. "What the fuck do you do to keep this camp safe? If I'm such a threat, what did you do to stop me? Huh?" Shane let his hand fall to his side and he stared at Dale.

Dale held his gaze and was shocked to see that it wasn't the glare he was used to. It was full of rage and anger and questions. And it was the questioning in Shane's eyes that had Dale's hand falling from its protective position before the stunned Miles.

"I smashed that barn," Shane continued calmly his mouth distorting in a grimace of pain and anger. "I smashed it open. I kept us safe. I saved Carl." Shane's eyes shot to Miles briefly and then back to Dale. "That ain't Rick or Callie, or fuckin' anyone else. That's me." Shane's thumb flew back into his own chest and Dale lifted his chin against the other man's puffed out chest. "And you ain't done nothing to stop me. You tried, but in the end, you let me do it all."

"Tell me, Shane. Are you angry that we _tried _to stop you?" Dale said quietly watching the man's eyes flare back to life with that burning bit of anger that Dale's voice simple seemed to cause now. "Or that we failed?"

The silence that fell between them was heavy and as Dale watched he saw something pass over Shane's dark eyes. That same bit of questioning that lit up Shane's eyes was back now and Dale stood watching as his words rolled over the other man. Shane's shoulders twitched a bit before he rolled them and then cracked his tension-filled neck. Again Shane lifted a finger and his mouth twitched down in a harsh grimace while he nodded idly. Just when Dale thought the man was going to say something else, he turned away and waved his hand over his head.

"You stay 'way from me, old man." Shane said as he walked back to the truck. He put one hand on the open door and turned to look back at Dale and Miles. "You too boy. You keep Danny outta my way, too. I ain't got time for any of you and your bullshit. Y'all just stay outta my way."

Shane threw himself back into the truck and then started it up. Dale let out a long sigh as he watched the dust roll up from the back wheels as Shane drove off towards the barn. His eyes closed and his hand lifted to his mouth and his head shook. Beside him Miles stepped forward, the boy's eyes watching Shane drive off. Dale shifted his eyes to Miles and was surprised to see the boy staring after Shane with concern written across his features.

"He fell over it," Miles said quietly his eyes shifting to Dale who simply stared in confusion back at him. "The edge. He fell over it, didn't he?" Miles stared at Dale for a moment before letting out a ragged sigh and shaking his head. "I didn't really think-He's gone man. Jesus," Miles shook his head and put a hand to Dale's shoulder. "We gotta tell Callie."

* * *

Callie wiped her hands on her thighs as she walked, her eyes fixed to the spot where Lori, T-Dog, Andrea, and Shane were figuring out the placement of the new graves. She shifted her eye line just a bit as she walked feeling the tears well behind her eyes as she smiled sadly at the small white cross that marked Jenna's grave beside Lori. Her hands clenched as she neared Jenna's grave and she settled her fingers atop the small cross just staring down at the dirt before her barely listening to the group talk about what was going on next.

Callie's eyes shifted to her slightly red-tinged fingers, the beds of her nails caked with mud and grime and she felt a bit of bile rise up in her throat. Slipping her eyes over her shoulder she looked back to the shaded spot where the bodies of Annette, Shawn and Sophia had been laid. She let her eyes linger on the tiny wrapped form of Sophia and wet her suddenly dry lips before covering her mouth.

After she and the rest had settled the bodies upon the ground near the burial spot she requested to be allowed to clean up Sophia. The request had shocked everyone at first, but luckily no one asked any questions about it. Instead they left her to her task and moved on to working out where to burn the other bodies and where to bury the rest. She'd watched them for a few moments, making sure that no one would bother her as she worked. Because she wasn't sure what to really tell them about it if they did.

Yes, she wanted to clean up Sophia so that she was buried in reverence rather than necessity and haste. But that wasn't the real reason she'd wanted to be the one to clean her up. That task could have fallen to anyone. No the real reason behind it had been that odd sensation that Callie just couldn't shake when she'd looked upon that wound in Sophia's neck. That wound that everyone had assumed to be a Walker bite.

But it wasn't. Callie's jaw clenched tight as she shifted her eyes back to where the group was busy digging graves. She'd spent the better portion of the last half an hour scouring that little girl's lifeless corpse for any signs of a bite or a scratch and what she found, or rather didn't find was causing her stomach to stir and her mind to roll in a million different directions.

"Are you alright?" Lori's voice broke through Callie's thoughts and she lifted her eyes to where the other woman was slowly heading towards her.

Lori's eyes shifted down to where Callie's still blood stained hand rested on top of the cross at Jenna's grave. Callie sniffed away a tear and shook her head as Lori's eyes lifted back to her and she tried to give the woman a tight smile.

"Not really," Callie said quietly as Lori came to a stop on the other side of Jenna's grave. Lori crossed her arms over her chest and nodded slowly and then turned back to where the group was digging.

"We're putting Sophia next to Jenna," Lori said quietly her eyes flicking to where Callie was slowly working her way around the grave to stand next to her. "We figured that would be best." Callie nodded and stopped next to Lori. T-Dog looked up at her and as he worked to start on what she figured would soon be Sophia's final resting place. The man nodded once and then went to work and Callie turned to face Lori. "We figure we'll have everything ready soon. And then we can get everyone buried before noon."

"We can bury Sophia," Callie said quietly watching T-Dog and everyone stop their digging and look up at her. She raised a brow at the crowd and then looked back towards the confused Lori beside her. "Hershel needs to be the one to okay the burial of his family. We can't take that away from him and his girls." Callie's eyes shifted to Jimmy who looked startled for a moment before nodding his head a bit. "He needs this closure. We can't just bury his family without him."

"So what we have a funeral for Sophia and then what?" T-Dog asked leaning on the edge of his shovel and staring at her. "We just wait?"

"Yes," Callie said nodding at him and then looking over to Andrea before skimming her eyes over Shane's brooding face and back to Lori. "We wait until the man is ready."

"Callie's right," Lori said nodding her head and putting a hand to Callie's shoulder. She squeezed once and Callie gave her a small smile. "This is his family. And he needs this closure," Lori's head shook a bit as she let her hand fall back down to her side. "He needs it more than any person I've seen since this whole thing began."

"Man's gonna kick us off his land," T-Dog uttered as he shook his head and drove his shovel into the hard ground. "Why the fuck we diggin' these holes. If the man's gotta have his own peace he sure as hell can dig his own graves."

"You're absolutely right. No one is makin' you dig, T," Callie said rubbing her temple a bit as she stared at him. He stared back at her for a long time and then shifted his feet along the shovel before plunging it hard into the ground.

"Like I got somethin' better to be doin'," T-Dog muttered shortly shaking his head. His eyes shifted down for a minute then over to the small cross settled behind Callie. "Besides, no man should have to dig his own child's grave."

"I still can't see how he could really believe they were alive," Andrea said as she stood near her shovel and jutted out a hip. She tilted the straw hat on her head back a bit and looked at Callie. "I mean, after everything how-"

"Do you know where Rick is?" Callie asked Lori cutting off Andrea's questions and shifting a bit away from the crowd. Her mind was reeling again and she barely registered Andrea's angered huff as she was ignored.

"Um," Lori stuttered for a minute at Callie's abrupt change of subject and stared in Callie's eyes for a moment. It was obvious the woman was trying to read what was going through Callie's mind as she stared and was flustered when she couldn't. "He headed up towards the house a few minutes ago. Glenn's inside trying to talk to Maggie and I think Rick wanted to see if he could get in to speak with Hershel."

"Thanks," Callie said nodding and turning to go. She stopped after a few steps and looked back at Lori who was still staring at her in a bit of shock. "Carol?" Callie took a breath and put her fingers to her temple. "Daryl?"

"Carol's in the RV," Lori said in a stilted confused tone, her eyes searching Callie's face. Lori's face softened a bit and then she sighed before stating the rest. "Daryl stopped by here a while ago but I don't know where he went after."

Callie nodded and turned around without another word to the group of grave-diggers. She clenched her hands as she walked towards the house, running her sweaty palms again and again over her jean-clad thighs in an effort to rid them of the feel of Sophia's cold dead skin. Callie shook her head as she walked and closed her eyes taking in deep breath after deep breath to settle her nerves. She had just made it to the side of the house, the same side that she and Danny had sat smoking not too many days ago when she heard the very distinct sound of retching. The sound continued as Callie slowly made her way towards the corner of the house, and then dissipated into cough as she rounded it.

Rick was hunched over; one arm braced against the side of the house for balance while his other hand was settled at his knee. He coughed a few more times and Callie watched his back convulse in a dry-heave twice more before he shook his head and spit out what was left of the contents of his stomach. He spit a few more times before lifting his head and resting his forehead against his upraised arm on the side of the house. Callie shifted on her feet causing the dry sticks and grass below her to crunch just enough to alert the man to her presence. Rick's eyes shifted over his arm and the expression she read in those blue eyes of his was completely lost, tired and alone.

"You okay?" Callie asked quietly stepping forward as he pushed off the house and stared down at his vomit.

"Wasn't really anything in there to come up," Rick said quietly kicking at the dirt to cover what _had_ come up. He shifted his eyes over to her and shook his head a bit. "I didn't want anyone to see that."

"I don't think anyone would think less of you for it," Callie said lifting her hands in surrender and giving him a smile. He glared at her and grimaced and she smiled a bit more. "No one that matters anyway." Rick looked away and scoffed out a laugh before running the back of his hand over his mouth.

"I just needed to get it out," Rick said quietly still looking down at wet ground at his feet. "After…after everything. The Walkers at the creek. The barn." Rick took a breath and closed his eyes as he rubbed at the bridge of his nose. "Sophia," Rick shook his head and Callie shifted just a bit closer. "After that shit Shane pulled and then chasin' after that family like a maniac," Rick shook his head and sighed again waving Callie off as she stepped closer. "Maggie's not lettin' anyone in but Glenn." Rick's hand shot out in frustration and he stared at Callie in bewilderment.

"Well, then let Glenn try and work some of his magic," Callie said quietly stepping towards Rick and putting a hand to his shoulder. "He's got something at stake here too. Let him talk to her. Maggie's a level headed girl. She's in shock and after what almost happened with Beth, I'm sure she's fuckin' scared too. Just give them a bit of space," Callie said squeezing his shoulder. Rick nodded and shifted his eyes around the field near them.

"Everything goin' a'right?" Rick asked shifting his eyes back to her. She raised a brow and he waved his hand around. "You okay?"

"No," Callie said quietly letting her eyes shift around them briefly her hand falling from his shoulder. "Rick," Callie took in a deep breath and shook her head. "I cleaned up Sophia for burial," Callie said as calmly as she could, her eyes again shifting to her stained hands. Rick sighed and reached out for her but she pulled away and raised her hands to wave him off. "I'm-That's not why-I wanted to see the wound on her neck better."

"Why?" Rick asked incredulously, his eyes narrowed in utter confusion. "Why would you do that?"

"Because it didn't look right to me," Callie said her voice cracking a bit. She shifted her eyes around to make sure they were alone and then stepped closer to him. "Rick, we need to tell the group what Jenner told us at the CDC. We need to tell them that we're all infected."

"Jesus, Callie," Rick said in an aggravated tone as he half-glared at her. "Do you really think now is the time to be-"

"Sophia wasn't bit, Rick. She wasn't scratched," Callie continued in a seething tone as she stepped forward again. Rick leaned back from her and stared down at her and she shook her head. "That wound on her neck. I cleaned it up. I - Rick, I think she fell down that ravine that Daryl found her doll in. I think she fell and she must have hit off one of the rocks," Callie looked away at that point her mind rolling through the pain that the girl must have been in and hoping that it was quick. "I think she hit off the rocks and she got sliced open there, the wounds on her body," Callie shook her head and looked back at Rick. "They're just like the ones we cleaned up on Daryl. Maybe she cracked her skull or broke her neck on the way down, but I don't have any way of knowing for sure. I just -that's not something I'm equipped to check." Callie shifted her eyes back to the still awestruck man before her and put a hand to his arm. "Rick, I think she fell down that ravine and she died, and then she just got up and wandered. Just like Jenna did when she came back. That ravine runs right into the creek bed that you were at with Hershel and Jimmy right?"

Rick's hand lifted slowly to cover his mouth as he turned his wide, unblinking eyes back to the side of the house. He shifted listlessly on his feet as if he were going to pass out and then braced himself against the house again. Callie put a hand to his back and stepped closer so that her face was near his.

"Rick," Callie began and he shook his head.

"You're sure?" Rick asked in a hoarse voice as he peered over his upraised arm at her. "You're sure?"

"I've seen what a bite and a scratch does to a person's body enough times to know what it looks like, Rick." Callie said in a hard tone that had his head lifting just a bit. She sighed and slipped her hand over to his neck. "You remember Jim's leg? Jenna's? The way the flesh decayed-" Rick lifted a hand stopping her and nodded his head wearily. "I could be wrong Rick, but-what if I'm not?" Callie shifted her hand and forced his head to turn to her. "Rick this group is breakin' apart and this secret is just one more thing that's gonna weigh down that camel's back. You said it yourself," Callie said quietly her hand squeezing into his neck in support of her next words. "You said you were waiting by Carl's bedside with your gun ready. Somewhere deep down you know what he said is true."

"Is it wrong to just want to believe that he was insane?" Rick said tiredly as he rested his forehead against the side of the house. "Everything that was goin' on there," Rick shook his head and looked at her. "It's not really too hard to believe. Is it wrong to just want to think he was a mad man who had lost touch with reality?"

"No," Callie said with a smile as she stepped back. "But it's dangerous, and naïve. After everything we've seen, everything we've been through. I think it would be foolish not to believe him." Callie let out a breath and watched Rick brace his hands against the side of the house. His head lowered and he sucked in a few deep breaths before he stood up straight and gave her a quick nod. "We need to tell Hershel. I know he needs time, but if he's kickin' us out we need to explain the _entire_ situation to him. Patricia, Maggie, hell all of them. They all need to understand this. I won't be leaving here with a guilty conscience if I can help it."

"You're right," Rick said quietly lifting his hand and putting it on her shoulder. "We'll give Hershel some room and then you and me, we'll go in and tell him what we know. We could hold off the burial, have him look at Sophia?"

"No," Callie said shaking her head. "Sophia needs to be laid to rest. For all of our sakes, let the girl rest."

"A'right," Rick said running his hand through his head and nodding. "A'right. Then we tell him what we know. Both of us comin' at him, I think he'll listen. He knows now, despite how horrible what Shane did was, it definitely drove the point home." Rick let his hand fall from his hair and shot his gaze around the fields at the back of the house. "We tell Hershel, only Hershel. When and who he tells in his family is his business. We tell him and then we tell our people."

"God," Callie said covering her own mouth with her stained hands. Rick lifted his hand to her shoulder and squeezed.

"I'm sorry you had to do that alone," Rick said quietly causing her eyes to lift to him. "If you woulda told me what you were thinkin', I woulda helped."

"I know, Rick." Callie said smiling at him and putting a hand to his face. "I know."

* * *

Callie stared at the side of Carol's face as the other woman stared blankly out of the window. They were settled across from each other at the small table in the RV and had been since Callie left Rick nearly an hour ago. They'd sat in complete silence, Carol staring out the window and Callie waiting for her to speak.

But nothing came; it was as if she were closing the door on anything and everything that wanted in. An act that Callie understood all too well.

A shuffling at the doorway had Callie shifting her eyes instantly meeting Daryl's as he worked his way into the RV. He stopped for a moment as if shocked to see her there and then looked away quickly, his eyes shifting to where Carol had now turned to watch him. The two of them locked eyes for a moment before Carol sighed and looked away again. Daryl shifted and settled himself up onto the counter his eyes shifting back towards the small bedroom.

The room that Carol had spent hours cleaning so that Sophia would have a nice place to come back to. The room that she had then destroyed in less than five minutes of thrashing. The broken beer bottle and half-dead flower on the floor were visible through the doorway. Daryl snarled and looked away and Callie wanted nothing more than to take him away from the RV in that moment.

But she knew better.

A timid knock on the door some minutes later had Callie's eyes again shifting, this time away from the staring match she was having with her own hands, that slice on her palm looking back at her. Mocking her. Lori's head popped into the RV and she smiled sadly at the three of them.

"We're ready," Lori said quietly her eyes shifting around again. "Danny's not with you? I thought he'd be—"

"He took a walk," Callie said calmly. She felt Daryl's eyes shift to her and she held his own confused gaze for a moment before turning back to Lori. "We'll be down in a minute."

"I'm not going," Carol said quietly. Callie stopped half-pushed up from the table and looked at the other woman. Carol's eyes shifted over to Lori and she half-heartedly shook her head as she frowned. "Why would I?"

"That's your little girl," Daryl said in hoarse voice that was obviously being restrained. Callie watched the muscle in his jaw tick as he met Carol's watery gaze, watched him glare at that woman as he struggled to understand what she was thinking.

"That's not my little girl," Carol said holding his gaze for a moment before shifting her eyes to Callie now standing beside the table. She held Callie's gaze for a long time and Callie firmed her lips against the press of her tears. "That's some…some _thing_. Some monster. My Sophia was alone in the woods," Carol continued letting her gaze drift back out the window. Callie closed her eyes at the peacefulness of the other woman's voice and let her chin drop to her chest. "All this time I thought-" Carol cut herself off and shook her head and Callie looked towards Daryl as he slipped off the counter and stared hard at Carol. "Sophia died a long time ago. That's not my little girl."

Callie watched Daryl snarl back whatever comment he wanted to yell at Carol. She watched his eyes flick to her and then watched him slam his way out of the RV. Callie shifted forward after him her hand briefly reaching out to touch on Carol's shoulder. The woman waved her off and settled herself back to staring out the small window at the world.

Callie hopped down the stairs and half-ran after Daryl, only to be stopped by Lori's reaching hand.

"Where is Danny?" Lori asked as Callie pulled away. Callie sighed and raked her hand through her hair searching the area.

"I don't know, Lori. I haven't had a chance to check up on him." Callie shook her head. "I shouldn't need to fuckin' check up on him. Ask Dale. I need to—" Callie waved her hand after quickly moving redneck. Callie looked back to Lori's concerned face and sighed putting a hand to the woman's shoulder. "I'm sure he's fine. Really. Danny's may act like an ass at times, but he's not an idiot. I'm sure he's fine., otherwise I'd be out there right now chasin' him down. Give him a bit longer."

Lori nodded and Callie set off at a jog to catch up to Daryl. Her hand shot out and he spun around faster than she expected knocking her back a few steps.

"The fuck you want?" Daryl growled at her and she lifted a brow at him.

"I'm gonna chalk up your most recent acts of stupidity on grief, Dixon." Callie said poking him in the chest with her finger. "But don't think that buys you some kinda free pass at being an asshole to me all the time." Daryl snarled but more at himself than her and averted his gaze. Callie shifted on her feet and let out a sigh watching as he blinked at the ground rapidly. "Daryl," Callie said stepping forward and reaching out to him. He watched her hand come as if in shock and she let it fall before actually touching him. "I'm so sorry."

"I didn't hurt ya, did I?" Daryl asked out of the blue, his eyes shifting up from the ground. She stared at him for a moment and he sighed. "Back at the barn," he continued rolling his eyes at her apparently annoying lack of understanding. "When I tossed ya off of me?"

"No," Callie said smiling just a bit and stepping closer this time allowing her fingers to touch to his arm and slide down to his hand. He stiffened a bit and then let her link her fingers with his.

"What the fuck is that back there?" Daryl asked after a beat his free hand tossing towards the RV.

"People need to mourn in their own way," Callie said quietly. "And we need to respect that."

"Said it ain't her girl," Daryl spat at the ground as if the words themselves were ill-tasting as he said them. "Said it was some _thing_. Some _monster_." Daryl shook his head and glared over her shoulder towards the RV before letting his confusion get the better of him. He pierced her with an almost agonizingly lost look that stole her breath and then continued in a hushed tone. "You lost Jenna. You went and got her, cleaned her up, went to her funeral. Ain't no different."

"Sure it is," Callie said letting her thumb rub idly at his rough knuckles. Daryl stared down at her as she stared at her thumb moving across his skin. "I've had a lot more experience in this, more time to adjust to it. I never had to see them turn because I took them out before it happened, except Jim-" Callie shook her head and Daryl closed his fingers around her hand squeezing. She lifted her eyes to him and held his gaze for a moment. "She's mourning in her own way. The way she's seeing things, seeing Sophia, that's her choice. That's her way of coping." Daryl looked away over her shoulder at the RV again and she let out a sigh. "She can sit there and think of her as a thing, a monster, or she can sit there and think of it as her little girl. But then," Callie said tugging his hand and getting his attention on her and squeezed his hand again. "Right now, to her. If that's her little girl, then Rick didn't take down a Walker, he murdered her baby. Do you understand?"

Daryl furrowed his brow and stared hard at her for a moment until he finally nodded once. Callie smiled tightly and let her fingers slide out of his grip, both of their hands lingering near each other as they stared off into the fields and towards the burial site. One more deep breath in and Callie raked her hand through her hair and took a step.

"We should probably head over-" Callie started but was cut off as Daryl reached out and grabbed her arm keeping her from moving forward. She turned back to him and met his confused and somewhat angered glare. "Daryl….?"

"Did you know she was in there?" Daryl asked in a rough voice through clenched teeth. His grip on her arm tightened just a bit and he pulled her closer so that he could spit his next angry questions in her face. "You got to the barn and you were walkin' 'round lookin' at the bodies. Lookin' for somethin'. Someone. You knew she was in there," Daryl yanked her closer again and she braced her other hand on his chest as he spit his grief in her face. Callie held her ground and glared up at the man as he continued to rail on. "You knew, and you just let me go out there and look. Let me put myself out there like some kinda jackass. Let me almost die for her and you knew. You soothe me, placate me, tellin' me that you believe we're gonna find her and the whole time you —"

"Fuck you, Dixon!" Callie seethed at him pushing him away and watching the shock roll over top of his anger. She stepped forward and pointed a finger at his chest. "I told you I'd only put up with so much stupidity from you because of this, and boy, you just hit your limit." Callie snapped her mouth shut and pressed her finger hard into his chest anger rushing her words as blood pounded between her ears. His ridiculous accusations were fueling her little tirade on with little to no mind of what she was actually saying anymore. She shook her head at him and pushed her finger into his chest. "Fuck you. Fuck you. I have never once lied to you about anything. Never. I've told you _everything_." She shook her head and let her hand fall from his chest. "I have never placated anyone I love with lies. Never. You'd be a shitty person to start with."

Callie turned from him in that moment and walked away feeling his eyes boring holes into her back as she trudged towards the group assembling for Sophia's funeral. She felt him step after her, felt his presence at her back maintaining a good distance from her as they both headed to the same destination. Callie's watering eyes met Rick's steady gaze and she shook her head as she put a hand to Ben's shoulders. Bending to pick up Gracie she let Ben shuffle off to meet Daryl and watched the man wave the boy off a bit as he continued to stare at her. She shifted Gracie on her hip and held his gaze as Ben settled in next to him, pressing his back as close to the man's legs as he could without touching him.

After a moment, Daryl lowered his gaze to the ground and snarled at himself before placing a heavy hand on top of Ben's head. Ben looked up, or tried to but Daryl's hand kept his head down, and the boy shuffled closer to Daryl before settling as Dale began to read from Danny's Bible.

Callie let her eyes wander the group, their faces so broken and defeated. So lost and scared. She caught Rick's gaze and he looked away trying to put up a strong front for Carl situated next to him. Miles was settled near Dale and Andrea, and when he caught her eyes she read the need to talk immediately. A shiver ran through her in that moment and she let her gaze slide around the area.

Danny was still nowhere to be found and the daylight would be fading sooner rather than later. She sighed as she put her cheek to the top of Gracie's head and shifted her eyes to Daryl, again catching his piercing gaze settled upon her. He stared at her for a moment, some expression she'd never seen before riding his features. Her brow furrowed a bit, silently asking if he was okay. Knowing no matter how much he pissed her off that she couldn't take it too personally. He was grieving in the only way he knew how. But she didn't have any plans to just sit there and take it. A moment later Daryl clenched his jaw tight and then looked back to the two tiny graves set up next to one another, leaving her to stare at him this time.

Dale finished the small reading and lifted his sad eyes around, the unasked question hanging in the air. Would anyone speak for Sophia? He waited for a long beat in a heavy silence for someone to speak up and say a few words about the girl they'd just laid to rest, but no one did. Callie shifted a bit on her feet under Dale's gaze but gave a quick shake of her head in answer to his plea.

There really just wasn't anything left to be said, that they hadn't said only days ago when they'd laid Jenna to rest. For Callie it was all too fresh, all too—a single tear slipped down her cheek and she shifted her hand so that she could swat it away before anyone could see. The heat of Daryl's gaze on her face as she slipped Gracie down to the ground told her that she hadn't moved fast enough. Then again she never did when he was around.

The group began to disperse, everyone silently going off in their own directions. Shane's stalking steps passing by Callie's field of vision. She was a bit shocked when his angered gaze landed on her so hard but the strange sort of acknowledging nod that he gave her was what had her taking a single step back. With her hand at Gracie's shoulder Callie stood by the graves for a moment longer, her eyes again finding Daryl who had let his hand drop from Ben's head.

The man stared at her for a moment, again that odd expression on his angered face, and then he turned and stalked off. Ben shifted on his feet, his eyes watching the man he'd come to think of as a surrogate father just leave him behind. Callie let out a breath and waved the boy over when he sent her a confused stare.

"Callie," Miles' voice slipped over her as she reached out a hand to Ben and she shifted to see the boy standing with Dale not far off. She grimaced, knowing that the looks in both men's eyes were portending something she really fucking needed right now. With a sigh she held up a finger to them and looked down to Gracie and Ben.

"Stay with Daryl," She said looking Ben in the eye and then shifting her eyes to the silently crying little girl. She wiped Gracie's tears and gave the girl a hard look before looking back to the still confused Ben.

"He don't want us with him," Ben said shifting his eyes over his shoulder to where the man had fled.

"You think I give a shit," Callie said with a smile. "He isn't fully healed up yet, and you and I had a deal." Callie said shifting to a crouch and watching Ben's brow furrow. "One of us is with him at all times. Now I got a few things I got to deal with here with Dale and then Hershel. So I need you," she shifted her eyes to Gracie and smiled. "Both of you, to make sure he doesn't go off and do somethin' stupid. Get me?"

"I get you," Ben said a bit excitedly as he grabbed his sister's hand and started dragging her off towards where Daryl could be seen rummaging in his tent not far off.

Callie stood up and watched them go, waiting until she knew they were out of earshot before sighing and rubbing a hand over her mouth. She turned to where Dale and Miles still stood and let her hand fall to the gun settled in the holster at her hip.

"You two look like you're _full_ of good news," Callie said tiredly her eyes rolling at the grimace that slipped onto Miles' face. "Do I need to sit down for this?" Callie said waving a hand at the two of them.

"Shane went and jumped off the cliffs of insanity. Danny almost shot him, and then he went off for a 'mind-clearin walk' that he ain't come back from yet. And well, I'm pretty sure I saw Carol walkin' out of the RV and into the woods." Miles said quickly his eyes widening at the end of his explanation before he let out a long sigh and raked his fingers through his hair.

Callie shifted her eyes to Dale who grimaced and raised both brows and then back to Miles who continued to hold his hand in his hair and stare at her. Sighing heavily Callie shifted her eyes around the farm and shook her head.

"So that's a yes," Callie said as exhaustion began to shift into her muscles causing her to bounce on her feet a bit. "I should sit down."

_And after the storm_

_I run and run as the rains come_

_And I look up, I look up_

_On my knees and out of luck, I look up_

_Night has always pushed up day_

_You must know life to see decay_

_But I won't rot, I won't rot_

_Not this mind and not this heart, I won't rot_

_And I took you by the hand_

_And we stood tall_

_And remembered our own land_

_What we lived for_

_~After The Storm / Mumford & Sons_

_AN: Oh MY GOD. Have I ever taken so long to update. I'm SO sorry. I really am. Got lots going on…I'll fill y'all in later but let's just say it's been crazy here. Finding time to write is like pullin' teeth and good lord… ANYHOOOO… here it is. _

_I'm sorry it's been broken up into a Two-parter, but there just really wasn't any way around it. I'm hard at work at part two…all broken up and ready to go… so hopefully if I can just find some good chunks of time to write I'll be golden!_

_A quick shout out to all my NEW followers/readers. Welcome. Also, not sure if you'd seen it or not, but (Fic-pimpin' my own shit) I wrote a little Caryl it's called "Something". Short little baby fic (for me) and hey, I don't know if you like that kinda thing head on over. _

_Much love_

_And Happy New Year!_

_See ya in Part 2_


	46. After The Storm Pt 2

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_Venturing into the lovely horror that is part 2. God bless you all for stayin' with my long-winded ass. _

_As always, read, review and most of all enjoy!_

_~michelle_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**After The Storm Pt. 2**

Danny shifted and then winced slightly as he pulled his knife out of the skull of the Walker letting the rotting used-to-be man fall limply to the ground at his feet. He let out the breath that he'd apparently been holdin' since the bastard grabbed him and spun him around and grimaced at the gore-covered knife in his hands. Wiping the blade along his worn out cargo pants he wiped the back of his free hand over his mouth and stared down at the body at his feet.

Danny shifted his eyes up and down the small road way that he'd been aimlessly walkin' for God knew how long and checked for anymore unwanted, fuckin' unwelcome visitors. He shifted on his feet as his eyes came again to rest on the body at his feet. Instinctively he kicked out with his bum leg and toed the body. His own sick and twisted rules about checking twice makin' him feel like a fucked up Santa Claus as he did it. The body jiggled but the dead milky eyes didn't move which made Danny let out another shuddering breath.

One more shift of his eyes up and down the road before he tipped and began to crouch down beside his new friend. His left leg protested his bendin' it and gave out as he moved down making him crash to the ground in a heap on his ass beside the body. Letting out a sarcastic scoffing laugh at himself he shook his head and waved his knife in the air in a chiding manner.

Shifting on his hip Danny brought his good right leg up and rested his arm on it as he stared down at the Walker on the road. The dead man was staring straight up at the slowly approaching evening sky above and Danny shifted his eyes upwards as well.

"S'gettin' darker earlier now," Danny muttered to the dead man at his feet as his eyes shifted back to the road. "Shoulda headed back by now. Just couldn't seem to bring myself to do it." Danny snarled at himself and shifted the back of his right hand to his mouth while his left still gripped his knife, as if he expected the bastard to get up again even after he checked him.

Danny worked the back of his hand over his mouth a few times, feeling the growth of his stubble scratching off of the skin and catching in the small hairs near his wrist. He continued that motion as he stared down at the Walker, his mind scattering in a million different directions again.

Thoughts of what _had_ happened and what had _almost_ happened in the woods with Shane and Dale seemed to maintain center stage for most of the portion of his walk, and as he stared down at the Walker they yet gain surfaced. Followed closely be the faces of everyone else at camp, all the people that he knew he was probably worryin' sick with his ridiculous need to get away. Callie's face, her understanding yet disappointed look that he knew she'd have waitin' for him when he did saunter back. Dale and his unrelenting worry and fatherly affection.

Danny stared down at the Walker at his feet and kicked his left foot out grimacing past the pain he caused himself and watching the body. His mind shifted again, to where it had finally shifted to an hour or two ago, and he felt his jaw clench tight.

Jake.

Sniffing back what he was shocked to feel were fuckin' tears that had started to well up behind his eyes he shook his head. Shifting on his hip Danny slid his hand into his back pocket and pulled out the photo that had felt like a red hot poker with every step he'd been taking. His left foot kicked out again and he shifted his eyes to the dead man on the ground with him.

"Hey," he said to the Walker his left hand tapping his knife's blade on what was left of the man's chest cavity. "S'my boy," Danny muttered to the dead man as he unfolded the photo and stared at his son's face. "You seen him?" He shifted the photo around so that the Walker could see and then scoffed out a laugh at his own actions. "I should be lookin' for him," Danny muttered. Shaking his head a bit he flipped the photo back so that he was once again met with his son's vibrant green eyes.

They were really the only feature on the boy that could actually be made out anymore. Too many months of sittin' in his fuckin' back pocket. Too many times folded and unfolded so that it was barely held together anymore. Danny blinked his eyes a few times and stared at the photo.

"I don't fuckin' deserve to find him," he muttered to the dead man beside him. Shifting he tapped his knife along the dead man's head while nodding his own. "Shit I've done," he shook his head. "I like to pretend that I've changed. That I ain't the man that Leslie left in ruins in Savannah. Like to pretend that me givin' up the drugs and that life is good enough. But it ain't."

Danny shifted his eyes to the dead man's unblinking glare at the sky and sniffed back his unshed tears.

"I almost killed a man. A good man," Danny muttered shakin' his head. "He's lost and on the edge and I almost—"

A familiar sound echoed around him and had Danny's head snapping down the road back towards where the farm lay. He squinted his eyes and shifted on his butt staring in awe at the sight of headlights heading straight for him. In his mind's eye he saw a pissed off, at-the-end-of-her-very-fuckin'-frayed-rope Callie behind the wheel glaring at the road ahead. He moved his body around and settled back on his ass again, his right arm rested atop his raised right leg his hand still holding onto the photo of him and Jake.

Danny's brow furrowed a bit not recognizing the car as it closed in on him. A moment of panic entered into him as he wondered if perhaps this wasn't one of his people, but a stranger. He shifted his knife back into the sheath at his hip and slipped his left hand around to the small of his back where his gun was settled. The feel of the weapon as his fingers slid over the butt instantly brought back that rush of memories of holding it to Shane's head, but he shook them off and steeled himself for whatever was heading towards him.

The sun was still shining brightly enough that he knew whoever was behind the wheel of that car had to see him. A part of him hoped that if it was a stranger and they saw him settled there on the ground next to a Walker that they would just keep on going. He'd never been as much a fan of the whole stoppin' and pickin' up strays aspect of his travels with Callie, so the idea of new people wasn't really an appealing thought at the moment. Especially when his mind wasn't really in a place that it should be.

The car continued to barrel towards him and Danny crab crawled a bit out of the way as it sped past him. His brow narrowed as the car sped only a few feet further before screeching to a halt and turning hard to the side of the road. The car's engine cut off and Danny's breath held painfully deep in his chest. Danny's hand was clenched around the butt of his gun and he slipped it out slowly as the driver's side door slowly opened.

The site of Hershel's white hair gleaming in the overhead sun had Danny's eyes rolling back and his hand falling from his gun. His shoulders sagged and he lifted his now empty left hand to cover his mouth before letting out a ragged sigh.

"Jesus fuckin' Christ, Hershel," Danny half-chuckled out lifting his hand to his sweat-slicked forehead as he stared at the stoic face of the man staring at him. He watched Hershel's eyes settle on the body of the Walker on the ground by him and felt this strange unsettled feeling flow over him when the older man's eyes finally lifted to his. It was as if a light that had been in the man's eyes before had suddenly been extinguished leaving this shell in place of what had been a cantankerous but lively man. "What-"

"Are you hurt?" Hershel's voice was hoarse and gravely and Danny stared hard at him for a moment.

"'Bout to have my ass a fuckin' heart attack, thank you very much," Danny responded a bit peevishly as he shifted to work up to his feet. He slipped his photo back into his pocket and then braced his right hand on the legs of the Walker to help him gain his footing. "But other than that I'm just peachy. Havin' a good ol' time here with my new friend."

"Right," Hershel said quietly before turning away and shifting himself back into the car. Danny blinked a few times at the spot where the man used to stand and shook his head as the driver's side door slammed closed.

"The fuck?" Danny muttered as he took a single step towards the car. His movement stopped as the car started up and the brake lights flared to life for that single second as Hershel no doubt shifted out of park and into- the car started off down the road again and Danny's mouth dropped open. "Hey!" Danny shouted after the old man as he drove down the street away from him. "Hey! Where the fuck are you goin'?"

Danny started off down the road after Hershel's car his left leg shooting a pain through his body right up to his stitched up side as he bent his leg more than he probably should have. He stumbled forward a couple of steps and watched the brake lights flare to life again as the car stopped a good distance down the road. Growlin' low in the back of his throat Danny shuffled forward at brisk pace he was gonna be payin' for later, his eyes shifting around him as he moved. After what felt like too fuckin' long he came to a stop at the open passenger side window. Placing his hands to the window frame he ducked his head and glared at the older man inside.

"Now I know we ain't the best of friends, but that was just fuckin'-" Danny stopped speaking as he finally had a good look at the older man inside the car. His eyes were glued to the steering wheel where his hands held in a white knuckle grip. His face was drawn and the darkness under his eyes seemed to have grown in the few hours since Danny had last sat quoting scripture to him. Danny's breath caught in his throat as Hershel's head dipped down, the wetness on his dark lashes shining in the sunlight filtering in through the windshield. "What happened? Are you-"

"No questions," Hershel's clipped voice echoed out and Danny's mouth again to speak. Hershel's eyes snapped to him then, the red rims around his eyes and deep lines dug in around his mouth speaking more clearly than any words ever could. "I'm about to travel down a dark and lonely path, Danny. It looks to me you've been workin' down that road yourself. I'd be glad to give you a lift. I feel we're both lookin' to go to the same place in the long run."

Danny stared for a moment longer before shifting his hand to the door release. He pulled and threw himself into the seat next to Hershel, his eyes continuing to stare at the older man as Hershel once again stared at his hands upon the wheel. Danny closed the door and shifted his eyes out the windshield and down the road ahead of them.

"Drive on, Hershel," Danny said quietly feeling the older man's gaze on the side of his face. Danny shifted and caught his eyes. "You can tell me everything when we get there."

* * *

Carol's hand were red and raw and angry, and they mirrored exactly what she'd felt as she thrashed away at that bramble of Cherokee Roses that Daryl had shown her only yesterday. She felt the tears welling behind her eyes as she shuffled slowly out into the full sun away from the carnage she had wrought on those beautiful flowers and shook her head lightly against the pull. She wasn't ready to fall into that part of her grief yet, she wanted to hang on to the anger. Hang on to her hatred of this world. Wanted to let it fill her up so that when she finally did let herself fall into a fit of tears she would have something to hold onto. Something that would bring her back from the abyss.

A quiet shuffle had her eyes snapping up from the ground and she stopped short at the sight of Shane leveling his gun at her. She stared at him for a long moment, watching his eyes take in her form as if looking to make sure she was still herself.

She couldn't blame him really. They'd seen so many of their own turn now that having to take out one of their own was almost an inevitable consequence of survival.

Shane lowered his gun and Carol shifted her feet and lowered her gaze as she moved forward again. She'd expected to go around him, to bypass whatever he planned to say to her and not have to deal with placating the man, but he stepped in front of her and stopped her.

"Carol," Shane said quietly as he slipped his gun back into his holster. His hands reached out and his eyes sought hers as he dipped his chin down and she spared him a glance. A glance that became a stare at the lost look on the usually stoic and confident man face. He took in a deep breath and let his hand, the one that had at some point landed on her arm, slip down to her dirty, ragged and raw hands. She moved to slip her hand away but he held tight and looked down in what Carol was shocked to see as genuine concern. "Hey, hey," Shane said tugging just a bit at her hand as she pulled away and yet again worked to catch her eyes. "You a'right?" his head shifted right to left as if trying to duck around whatever she was projecting at him and he firmed his lips. Tugging her forward he turned and half-dragged her towards the water pump he'd been cleaning himself up at. "C'mere."

Carol remained silent as he helped her to sit down on the small concrete slab. He didn't seem to mind her silence, in fact, it seemed to suit him just fine as he pumped a bit of water onto her ragged hands. She winced as the water hit, and again as his rough hands slipped over the tiny cuts on her palms, but he didn't seem to notice. Didn't seem to care.

It was clear as he stared down at her hands that his mind was somewhere else, and as he continued to clean her wounds she was slowly transported to another place too. And when he opened his mouth to speak she was fully away from that farm and that beautiful sunny day and back in time staring at someone else as he cleaned her blood away in the gray hues of their dark home.

"Want you to know I'm real sorry," Shane said causing her eyes to flare open just a bit. "Real sorry for-for your girl," Shane's voice continued and Carol snarled just a bit in her mind at the fact that he couldn't even say her name. "I opened that barn but I had no idea," Shane's eyes lifted to her and he stared hard into her eyes imploring her to believe him.

Carol just stared at him, his words echoing in her head the same way Ed's had years and years ago after the first time he'd hit her. The first time he'd smacked her hard enough across the face to blossom blood on her cheek and send her hands crashing into the dishes she'd just finished washing. His face so hard and young then, but lined with regret that she realized too late wasn't really for her or what he'd done.

"_I'm sorry, Carol. I really - I never meant to hurt you. I'm so sorry, I just-" Ed's said with that same imploring look on his face. _

"Everybody thinks I'm a-" Shane's voice continued and Carol's mouth firmed into a straight line as she suddenly began to feel ill. Shane continued to rub the pad of his thumb along her palm and then over the back of her hand and she suppressed the shiver that wanted to run down her spine.

"_I'm just so stressed right now," Ed continued as he wiped the blood off of her cheek with a nearby dishtowel. "Everyone at work treats me like a-" _

"I was just trying to keep everybody safe, Carol." Shane said his voice echoing strangely through the thrum of blood pounding between her ears. She stared at him as he looked up at her and she realized that he wasn't sorry for her loss. That he wasn't telling her any of this to express his sorrow for her.

"_And then I come home and you-you just-" Ed's voice and the site of him shaking his head. "Everyone treats me like an idiot. Like I'm nothing and I just couldn't-can't-" he looked up at her then and held her hands. "I'm just under so much stress tryin' to provide for us." _

"I had no idea she was in there," Shane said quietly holding her hands and again staring into her eyes.

"_I had no idea you were pregnant," Ed said tightening his grip on her hands. "I promise you I would never—I won't ever-" Ed rubbed his thumbs along her knuckles and smiled. "I promise you. It'll never happen again." _

Carol flew back to the present at the feel of Shane's thumbs slowly working over the back of her knuckles as he held her hands. She stared at him and held his gaze, knowing that she was right in her assumption. He wasn't trying to tell her how sorry he was for her loss. He was trying to get her to soothe him, to tell him that everything was okay. That no one thought of him as a monster for what he did at that barn.

He was begging her to say those words.

Because from her, the woman he saw as most hurt by his actions, the words would mean more.

Carol shivered as she remembered the way Ed had kissed her bruised cheek and held her hand. How he had begged her for her forgiveness as he placed a hand to her small belly where their child had barely just sparked to life. Remembered tossing away what remained of her dignity and strength and giving in. Remembered lifting her cut palms to his cheek and giving him those words of forgiveness he'd been seeking.

Remembered the feel of each and every hit after that. Remembered the bruises, the fear, the horror of watching her own child's eyes as she had to witness that. Remembered the feeling of her spirit crashing to the cold hard ground and shattering in such a way that she didn't think she'd ever be able to piece it back together again.

But she had.

It had taken the dead walking the earth for her to do it, but she had. Slowly. And after Sophia had gone missing her world had been shaken again, but things had been different. Ed hadn't been there to crush her down. No the group, her new family, had been there to pick her up and help her carry on. To give her faith.

Carol stared down into Shane's eyes and knew that a part of him _was_ sorry for what had happened. He was a good man, somewhere deep down under whatever he was letting grow on top of him. He was still the good man that had kept them all safe at the Quarry for those many months. She knew that somehow along the way that man had just been broken, cracked, and that it wouldn't take much to shatter what was left of the good man that used to be Shane Walsh and leave the dark, brooding, angry creature she'd seen more often now in its place.

Yes, a part of her knew that he was sorry, but another part of her knew something more. Knew better than to accept that feigned apology. Knew better than to judge a man by his words alone.

She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of clearing his conscience for him, but she wouldn't be the one to break him either.

"Carol," Callie's voice echoed out and broke Carol and Shane's little staring match. Carol's eyes slipped up to where Callie had stopped at the corner of the small out-building. Callie's eyes shifted from Carol's startled gaze to her hands watching Shane drop them as he leaned back on his heels to glare back at her. Callie held Shane's snarling gaze and let her hands fall from their crossed position over her chest and settle at her slim hips. "Everything okay here?"

Carol's mouth opened to tell her that everything was fine, but was cut off as Shane launched up to his feet. He stood there glaring at Callie for a second before shaking his head idly and averting his gaze to the grass at his feet. His hands absently wiped at the back of his pants and Carol let her head fall to the side as she watched him. Shane's eyes shifted to Carol briefly and then he was looking away again. Glaring at Callie who maintained her place near the building, not making any move with her hands. Nothing that would be seen as a threat.

Because Carol knew that if she could see how close Shane was to his breaking point, then Callie could as well. And no matter what may have erupted between them, Callie didn't want to be the one to shatter what was left of the good man that used to be Shane Walsh either.

"Miles said he saw you walkin' off into the woods earlier," Callie continued, her eyes slipping to Carol again and a tiny smile tilting her lips. "Just wanted to make sure you were okay. See if you needed anything."

"She's fine," Shane snarled out his hands clenching into fists briefly as he stalked towards the dark haired woman staring him down near the building. Callie stood her ground, her hands easily settled at her hips and eyes taking in the stalking form heading towards her. For an instant Carol envied Callie for her ability to keep her cool in the face of such a man approaching her.

"I can see that, I didn't realize-"

"Best just stop stickin' your fuckin' nose into shit that ain't your concern, Callie." Shane snarled as he pushed past her. "For your own fuckin' good," he sneered as he passed. His shoulder just barely grazed Callie's as she shifted out of his way and the glaring eye contact that held between the two of them put Carol on edge.

Callie shifted and watched Shane as he walked past her, her hands held tight to the holster settled along her hips. Carol got to her feet and worked her way slowly towards Callie who was still watching Shane's departing form. Coming to a stop at Callie's side they both stood in silence and watched Shane's back. Callie's attention shifted slowly to Carol and she reached out a hand to where Carol was unconsciously rubbing her raw palms.

"You okay?" Callie asked almost confusedly as she looked at Carol's hands. Carol stared a bit longer than she probably should have at Callie's concerned tired eyes and then blinked a few times to clear her head. She nodded idly as she let her hands fall to her sides.

"I'm fine," Carol said quietly and Callie smirked just a bit at her before shaking her head. "Are you-"

"That man is on the edge of something I don't think there is any pullin' back from, you know?" Callie said quietly as she shook her head at the figure of Shane in the distance. She looked back to Carol and gave a sheepish sort of grin. "I'm fine. Really," Callie shook her head a bit more and ran a hand through her hair. "I'm actually gettin' used to him using me as a sounding board for his bullshit. Gives me new purpose in life."

Carol scoffed out a laugh and then looked down at her hands again. The stood in silence for a few moments before Callie reached out and put a hand lightly atop Carol's. When Carol looked up and saw the wealth of grief in Callie's eyes she smiled tightly and allowed a tear to roll down her cheek.

"I didn't mean to push anyone away," Carol said lightly as she squeezed Callie's hand firmly. "I should probably explain it to them. I just couldn't watch her being put in the ground. I couldn't- I'm not strong enough to be able to survive that."

"You're stronger than you think," Callie said squeezing Carol's hands back. "Strong enough to know you don't have to force yourself to watch just to prove a point. Strong enough to realize your weaknesses and embrace them. You're strong enough to survive this Carol."

"Daryl," Carol said quietly looking through her lowered lashes as Callie let out a sigh and looked off towards camp. "I should have explained it to him. He deserved that much. He was so-" Carol shook her head and cupped her hand over her mouth briefly before just staring at Callie with sorrowful eyes. "How is he?"

"He's angry," Callie said quietly. "Angry. Sad. Worried. Conflicted. And honestly just too damned emotionally stunted to be able to deal with it all hitting him at once." Callie looked back to Carol and smiled tightly. "So he's pulling away. Shutting down and processing." Callie shook her head and Carol frowned.

"We can't let him pull away," Carol said lifting a hand to Callie's shoulder. "He needs us and we need him."

"He's not as strong as you," Callie said with a small smile. "Not in the way you are. He wasn't planning for this outcome the way-" Callie shifted to look at Carol and she lowered her head in shame but Callie put a gentle hand to her shoulder and shook her head. "We all wanted to find her. We all _thought_ we would. He _knew_ we would. He expected it. He needs time to figure out how to deal with this. Jenna-" Callie's hand lifted to rake through her hair but it stopped midway. Carol watched Callie stare at her sliced palm, free of its bandage for the first time in a long time. "Everything that's happened. He needs time."

"You really think that's best?" Carol asked watching Callie as she let her hand fall limply to her side. Callie shook her head slowly and lowered her eyes to the grass.

"I don't know," Callie said in a defeated tone that just didn't suit the woman. Carol shifted and tried to catch Callie's eyes. "I don't want to push him further away, Carol. He's too important to me. I can't lose him, but I can't go over there and force him to be something he isn't. He deserves his chance to process and grieve just as much as anyone else and he's never really been given that chance. Everything that happened with Merle," Callie shifted on her feet and let out a ragged sigh. "He was just forced to move on. Didn't even want to process what might have been. The possibility of Merle being dead has never existed in his head. He treated Sophia the same way and being forced to actually see…I don't know…" Callie lifted her hand to rub at her forehead and took in a deep breath. "I gotta get back," Callie said shifting her tired eyes to Carol. "Beth collapsed. Hershel's nowhere to be found. Danny's apparently decided to take a long walk and take in the sights," Callie let out another ragged sigh. "I'm sorry…"

"Don't be," Carol said quietly as she lifted a hand to Callie's shoulder. "You know this all doesn't need to land on your shoulders. You and Rick have shouldered quite a lot-"

"I'll gladly share the load with him," Callie said quietly as she and Carol began the trek back up to the house. "The moment that man is allowed to take it all is the moment he finally falls under the strain, Carol." Carol held Callie's eyes for a long moment and frowned when Callie looked away.

"The same could be said for any of us, Callie." Carol said quietly causing the other woman to turn to her with an assessing look that had Carol shifting slightly on her feet. Callie held Carol's eyes for a moment before nodding and turning her attention back towards the house in the distance.

* * *

Callie settled her backside on the back door of the station wagon and ran her hands down her face, letting her fingers settle over her lips. She stared at her boots on the grass and felt Rick's gaze shift from where he'd been watching Glenn talk to Maggie and over to her. Callie barely lifted her gaze to meet Rick's stare before Miles was talking again.

"I wanna go too," Miles said in what would have been a whiny voice if he wasn't being so damned forceful and scarily adult about everything. Callie's hands fell from her face as Rick raised a hand to her in a clear-cut 'it's your call' move. Rolling her eyes at the man now almost glaring his impatience at Glenn as he dallied with Maggie on the porch Callie shifted slightly so that she could address the boy at the end of the car waiting.

"No," Callie said simply and she heard Rick huff out a bit of a laugh. Shifting her back to the annoying man toying with his fuckin' gun at the open driver's side door she held up a hand as Miles opened his mouth to again debate the topic. "I need you here."

"Danny's still out there," Miles said in an imploring tone as he shifted around and caught Rick's eye as he turned to face them again. Rick settled at Callie's back and Callie spared him a brief glance as Miles advanced on them. "Who knows maybe he's with Hershel. Maybe they took off together-"

"That's a big maybe," Rick said quietly as he settled his gun into its holster on his hip. Sparing Callie a look he shook his head. "Too big to risk you comin' with us. I'd rather have you here. Glenn knows where we're goin', we'll be in and out faster if I don't have to worry about you."

"I'm not a kid, Rick," Miles spat as he glared at the man raising brow at him. "You don't have to mind me like one. Figured I'd proven that by now."

"Yeah, well you're little tantrum here ain't helpin' your cause," Callie said quietly before lifting a soothing hand to Miles' shoulder. "Look," Callie said squeezing his arm. "I'm gonna go talk to Dale, try and get an idea of where Danny took off from. If he's not back soon I'm goin' out after his ass-"

"Callie-" Rick's voice sounded but she raised to stop him her eyes still on Miles.

"I need you here, Miles," Callie said forcefully her hand squeezing his arm just a bit tighter. She held his gaze and pulled him towards her. "You know why." After a beat Miles nodded and then sighed before letting his gaze slide around them.

"So you're gonna go alone?" Miles said tiredly as he raked his own fingers through his hair.

"I don't even know if I'm going at all," Callie said squeezing his arm one final time before letting her hand fall. "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it. In the meantime-"

"Yeah, I know," Miles said tightly his eyes lifting to the slightly confused Rick still settled at Callie's back. "Contingency plans. Gotta love 'em." Miles shook his head and lifted his eyes over the roof of the car giving a single nod to the approaching Glenn.

"What did that mean?" Rick asked watching Miles skulk off towards the campsite near the RV. His eyes shifted to Callie who was also still watching the boy's departing figure.

"It means if Danny and I go down, he's all Ben and Gracie have left," Callie said quietly before lifting her eyes to Rick. "It's-" Callie lifted a hand and furrowed her brow. "It's something we came up with way before we met up with everyone at the Quarry."

"I think it's time to update your contingency plan," Rick said tightly lifting a hand and settling it heavily on her shoulder. She nodded and sighed before shifting her eyes to where Glenn stood waiting on the other side of the car. "You're not really going out after him alone, are you?" Rick asked causing her to shift her attention back to him.

"I don't know, Rick," Callie said catching Glenn shift closer out of the corner of her eye. She smiled at him again as he rested his arms on the top of the car to hear her more clearly and shook her head. "I know he's armed. I know he can take care of himself-" Glenn's mouth opened and she lifted a hand. "That leg isn't gonna slow him down if his life's on the line, Glenn. Trust me I've seen him handle a lot in the months we traveled together." She let out a long breath and raked her fingers through her hair as she looked back to Rick. "I just can't shake this feelin' that he's not back because something happened. That he might be out there hurt or-" She firmed her lips and waved her hand around as Rick sighed and shared a glance with Glenn. "At this point I'm just foolishly hopin' he is with Hershel. I'd rather have him fall of the wagon than dead."

"Talk to Dale and standby," Rick said shifting so that he could maneuver himself into the car. "We should be back in no time. Once we find Hershel and tell him about Beth I can't see him not wantin' to come right back." Rick looked to Glenn who nodded in agreement. "A couple of hours," Rick said as he got into the car, Callie shifted and closed the door letting her hands rest on the open window frame. "If Danny's with Hershel we'll bring him back with us. And if not, and he hasn't limped himself back by then," Rick shook his head and firmed his lips trying to suppress his own anger. "Then we go out after him." He caught her eye and held it. "Together."

Callie held Rick's gaze for a moment before giving a noncommittal nod and shifting her eyes to Glenn seated beside him.

"How's Beth doin'?" Callie asked, ignoring the sound of Rick's disgruntled sigh at her apparent side-step of his order. Glenn shifted his eyes to her and let out a low breath as he rubbed at the back of his neck.

"Same I guess," Glenn said shrugging and sparing Rick a look. "Still catatonic. Patricia's doing what she can and Maggie…" Glenn's gaze shifted to where Maggie was still settled on the porch staring at them. Glenn let out another sigh and Callie shifted awkwardly at the next question she was about to ask.

"They checked her right?" Callie asked, her left hand lifting to rub where she'd been grabbed by the undead form of Beth's mother Annette not too long ago. Both Glenn and Rick watched her and she let her hand fall back to the window frame as she pierced Glenn with a hard look.

"Yeah," Glenn said grimacing a bit. "They didn't want to but I kinda made 'em."

"Good," Rick said for Callie as he nodded to the boy beside him. Rick looked back to Callie and gave her a stiff nod that she read immediately. She patted the door and stepped back slipping her hands into her back pockets as she rocked back on her heels. "We'll be back soon. Don't go off alone."

"Yes, sir," Callie said with a smirk and a mock salute that Rick rolled his eyes at. He shifted his gaze forward then, no doubt catching sight of Lori slowly working her way around the camp. Callie shifted and ducked her head towards the open window again. "Don't worry. I've got eyes on everything," Callie shifted her gaze from Rick and over to Glenn and then back. "You worry about you. Keep your eyes open, be smart, and stay safe."

It was Rick's turn to nod in that noncommittal fashion and Callie scoffed at him as she stepped back away and let him put the station wagon into gear. She stood there for a minute staring after the car as it drove off, her fingers clenching tight in her back pockets as the dirt flew up and clouded the air around her. The sound of the screen door slamming shut had her eyes shifting to the house and she let out a sigh.

Footsteps behind her had her turning with wide unblinking eyes as she prepared for whatever the fuck was coming next. She'd expected Lori. For some reason, she'd just expected the woman to come and voice more of her concerns and anger over her husband's choices. But when she turned she was instead met with the raised brow of Miles.

"May wanna see this," Miles said waving a hand for her to follow him. She rolled her eyes and let out a sigh as she followed the kid back towards camp.

"Danny back?" Callie asked as she trudged behind him, he shot her a look that clearly said 'fuck no' and she waved a hand. "Wishful thinkin'," Callie muttered as they continued on. Callie rubbed at the bridge of her nose as she mumbled to the boy still trudging ahead of her. "I don't need to shoot anyone right?" Callie looked up and saw Miles come to a stop and lift a single brow at her before letting his arm arc out around him.

"Depends on how you feel 'bout this," Miles said again letting his arm wave around him.

It took one single second longer than it really should have for Callie to realize exactly what was wrong with the current scenery. One second to feel her blood boil in just that right way to send her eye brows up on her forehead and her body spinning in a strange little circle in the empty plot of grass.

The empty plot of grass upon which her tent, the tent she fuckin' _shared_ with Daryl, had sat.

"When the fuck-? How the-" Callie shifted around and stared almost incredulously at Miles who grimaced a bit as he chucked his head to the side in a motion to get her to follow him. "Fuckin' redneck ninja bastard. How did I not see him doing this?"

"You've been a bit busy," Miles muttered as he walked. Callie followed close on his heels and watched him lift a hand to the top of the RV. She shifted her eyes to see little Gracie settled up by Dale who waved down at her and pointed his arm off towards the low rolling fields out beyond them. She followed his pointing hand and spotted what looked like specs moving about in the distance.

"You've gotta be kiddin' me," Callie said squinting as she detoured with Miles now in tow.

They walked at a brisk pace at first, but by the time they got close enough to make out Daryl's shape working to set up his new little camp and Ben's little form laying down near to a small fire their steps had slowed. Miles gave a single nod when Callie looked back over her shoulder and he hung back a bit letting her advance on.

Whether Daryl noticed her presence as she rounded the remnants of the brick chimney that he'd settled some of his gear by or not, she didn't know. Didn't really fucking care at that moment. Her eyes were on the little boy laying in a fetal position with what looked like a denim jacket tossed over top of his form. His eyes were closed but as soon as Callie walked a few steps towards him his eyes popped open and he stared at her.

Callie stopped close to the fire and let her eyes roam the small area, hitting off Merle's bike not far off near a few trees. How the hell did she not hear him driving that fucking thing off? Shaking her head at herself and again rubbing at her temple she let her eyes roam to where Daryl was actively avoiding her presence by busying himself with his crossbow. A small smile titled her lips and she sighed as she crossed her arms over her chest, ignoring the sound of Ben shifting to sit up in his spot.

"I always thought it was Merle," Callie said quietly, her words working as well as she knew they would in getting Daryl's attention on her. The feel of the heat behind his stare as she shifted her eyes away from him and over the little camp area he'd set up was almost too intense for her to handle. But she'd been dealing with the man long enough to know how to do it. Shifting her eyes back to him and smiling a bit more at his utterly confused and angered expression she waved a hand out at his camp. "At the Quarry. I always figured it was Merle that set you all up so far away from the rest." She shook her head as he averted his gaze back to the apparently interesting task of putting his bolts into his bow. "But it was you the whole time. Keepin' your distance from everyone. Keepin' your peace of mind. Keepin' Merle away from the rest. All you," she finished and Daryl glared up at her then huffed out a snarling response that she didn't catch and didn't care to have him repeat.

Silence filled the little camp area and again Callie let her eyes roam around her. Her eyes landed on the tent, the small two-person sleeper that he'd had up at the Quarry rather than the one they'd shared. She felt her chest constrict just a bit and unconsciously her hand lifted to cover the hard thudding of her heart.

"Goin' huntin'," Daryl said causing her eyes to shift back to him. He was staring at her, his crossbow held loosely in his hand as his eyes held her in place. She stared at him for a moment before blinking back her confusion. He shifted his eyes away at that point and she continued to watch him ready his gear, his eyes shifting over to Ben briefly. "Takin' Ben with me. Boy needs to get away for a bit. Left Gracie with Dale," Daryl stopped talking then his eyes lifting to her as he stood up. "Miles told me 'bout Gracie seein' Sophia in the barn," Daryl said quietly holding her gaze.

Callie didn't say anything in return; she just let his eyes speak the volumes of the statement that his mouth and mind apparently couldn't work through. She gave a single nod to him and he returned it with a jerky bob of his head his left hand lifting so that he could chew at the cuticle of his thumb nail.

"Are those mine?" Callie asked finally, her hand lifting to indicate the bags settled in the odd space between Merle's bike and the tent. Daryl grunted and worked his way over towards them shifting his crossbow onto his shoulder as he walked.

"Wasn't sure," he began then stopped and bit at the inside of his cheek as his eyes shifted from the smaller tent to the bags then to her. "Way I figure it we're gonna be packin' up and hittin' the road again sooner rather than later. Didn't figure needin' to stay so settled-in," he shrugged under her gaze and shifted towards his bike where he grabbed his quiver hanging from the handle bars. "Your tent's all packed up and back on top of the Hummer ready to go whenever we are." Daryl shifted his eyes to her quickly and looked away as he settled his quiver into place. "Figure you can put what you want back in Hummer and keep what you think you may need…" he let the statement hang, not telling her to put her things into the smaller tent and not telling her to put them somewhere else.

Callie stared at him as he stalked around his new little set up, her eyes boring holes into him in a way that she knew he had to feel as he hunched his shoulders and walked past her towards the still sitting Ben. She continued to follow his movements as he practically dragged Ben up to his feet and then shifted the boy towards the wooded area.

"Don't be gone too long," Callie said to Daryl's back causing him to turn to her. He shifted a slightly confused and obviously still upset gaze towards her. She could see exactly what he was doing even if he couldn't and it irked her a bit that he was even attempting it. Maybe Carol was right. Maybe letting him stew in his turmoil wasn't the right way to handle it. But she'd be damned if she was going to force him out of his comfort zone by making him talk about his fuckin' feelings.

It was Daryl fuckin' Dixon after all.

"Ain't plannin' on it," Daryl said quietly in return before he shifted his eyes down to Ben and put a hand to the kid's shoulder. "Ain't got to worry, I got back up this time." Daryl patted Ben's shoulder and the boy looked up at him in a bit of awe a small smile cracking his face as he shifted.

"I'm not worried," Callie said turning from the both of them and walking off a few steps. "I've got enough shit to occupy my time right now, Dixon." She took in a breath and let it out slow through her nose before adding. "Danny's still gone."

"Callie," Daryl's voice called out and she stopped, half-turning to face him. He was staring hard at her now and she remained in her spot half-turned to him watching emotions fly over his face before he schooled it. "Don't do nothin' stupid."

"Take your own advice, Dixon." Callie said back and gave him a slight nod when he glared at her. Daryl snarled and pulled Ben off with him and Callie turned back to where Miles was still standing by the tree where she'd left him.

Callie could feel Daryl's eyes on her back as she walked away, and she steeled her spine against every instinct she had to turn back to him. She passed by Miles, who pushed himself off of the tree he'd been resting against and followed silently. When Miles caught up and was in step with her she shifted a look to him and caught him frowning.

"That went well," Miles said earning a scathing look from Callie beside him.

"Don't start," Callie muttered as she continued on. After a few more steps she stopped and turned back to see Daryl and Ben gone and let out a sigh, causing Miles to stop as well. Raking her fingers through her hair she shook her head and shifted her eyes to Miles. "Despite his real reasons for doin' all this," Callie started as she waved a hand out at Daryl's new little camp. "He's got a point. We don't know how long we're going to be here."

"You think they're gonna kick us off? I mean, Rick's really pushin'-"

"Yeah, he's pushin' and Hershel don't strike me as the man to give into bein' pushed at." Callie said shifting her eyes back to Miles. Miles raised his brows and she nodded. "I don't want to be caught with our pants down. And," Callie said as she started to walk again. "I don't want Daryl to think he's gettin' away clean."

"Oh, this outta be good," Miles muttered and she shot him a glare before continuing on towards their camp.

"Head back," Callie said pointing towards the RV and glancing at Miles. "Break down the tent and get the gear stowed in the Hummer as best you can. Put the rest in the RV for now. Then pull the fuckin' Hummer up to Casa de Dixon and set up the back for Ben and Gracie to sleep."

"You want me to sleep in there with them?" Miles asked and Callie shifted her eyes to him. He stared at her and waited for an answer to what she was shocked to discover was an honest to God inquiry on his part. He wasn't being sarcastic, or whiny, or childish just asking if that's what she wanted of him.

"I'd appreciate it if you did," Callie said quietly and he nodded.

"What 'bout Danny? Where's he gonna sleep?" Miles asked as he watched Callie veer off towards the house. She shifted around and raised a brow at Miles.

"After the shit he's pullin' today," Callie seethed before waving her hand in an arc out in front of her. "He can sleep in the fuckin' barn." Callie shook her head and Miles chuckled under his breath as he worked his way towards the RV. "If Dale asks what you're doin' tell him I'll fill him in when I'm done."

"Where you goin'?" Miles yelled after her.

"To check on Beth," Callie said waving her hand over her head as she walked.

Miles watched her go, his eyes settled on the hard line of her shoulders as she steeled herself for whatever was gonna hit her when she entered the house. He shifted his eyes back over to the barely visible broken down brick chimney that blocked most of Daryl's new little camp area from view. Letting out a long sigh he shook his head and worked his way over towards the tent he'd shared with Danny and Ben for a few nights.

"Everything okay?" Dale asked from atop the RV. Miles shifted his eyes up to the man and shook his head wearily.

"I think it's safe to say nothing is gonna be okay ever again, Dale." Miles muttered before ducking into his tent and leaving Dale to stare at the space he'd occupied.

_And now I cling to what I knew,_

_I saw exactly what was true, _

_But oh no more, that's why I hold _

_That's why I hold with all I have, that's why I hold_

_And I will die alone and be left there_

_Well, I guess I'll just go home, oh God knows where,_

_Because death is just so full and mine so small_

_Well, I'm scared of what's behind and what's before_

_And there will come a time, you'll see, with no more tears_

_And love will not break your heart but dismiss your fears_

_Get over your hill and see what you find there_

_With grace in your heart and flowers in your hair_

_~After The Storm/ Mumford & Sons_

_AN: THERE IS FORESHADOWING AFOOT. I don't wanna give things away….but there is definite foreshadowing. So if you picked up on it….good for you. If you didn't…don't worry you'll get it when we get there. _

_I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter… there was a lot of strange moments. Danny talkin' to a dead Walker on the road. Carol havin' Ed flashbacks…and Daryl and Callie acting so detatched… We're heading down a dark road here people. Dark road. _

_So… Hershel and Danny are on a road trip into town, with Glenn and Rick on their heels. Daryl's doin' his best to put a logical spin on his pulling-away and Callie's at her wits end with just about everthing… should be a fun ride to the end. Huh?_

_For those of you who may not know I've been running into a bit of time-block…not writer's block-because believe me I have this all plotted out and WANT to get it done- but time-block. I recently found out that I've got me another bun in the oven… and running around after my 15 mo old dealing with nausea and all that fun…well…let's just say finding the time to write has been difficult. I have a nice vacation coming up in Feb which I plan to do lots of writing on. So hopefully you'll be getting inundated by my updates once again. _

_Much love _

_See ya next chapter _


	47. Vignette - Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_I know y'all hate these things…but seriously this can't be counted as a chapter… it's just a vignette. With a wee bit of plot movement at the end. _

_As always read, review and most of all enjoy!_

_~michelle_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**Vignette: Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound**

Danny's eyes shifted up and down the street twice before shifting to watch Hershel slowly push open the door to the bar. Hatland's he'd called it in that firm, quiet tone that Danny had gotten rather used to in the week or so that they'd been at the Greene farm. But as Danny followed close on the heels of the older man as he sifted through the dust and clutter that had been left behind in the desolate landscape of what had probably once been a wonderful saloon, he couldn't help but notice the weight that seemed to have hunched Hershel's usually strong and prideful shoulders.

Lifting his arm to catch the door before it slammed into him, Danny tilted his head to the side and smirked at Hershel's back as he slowly headed towards the end of the bar across from them. Letting out a small sigh and wiping the back of his free hand over his mouth Danny shifted inside, one last look behind him to make sure nothing was following before closing the door.

Danny's eyes roamed the area and he really couldn't help but smirk as he pushed off of the door he'd just closed and moved in on where Hershel was now standing near the bar at the far end.

"Stop me if you've heard this one," Danny started as he limped forward, his eyes roaming cautiously around even as a smirk played on his lips. "Two alcoholics walk into a bar at the end of the world…"

Hershel shifted his eyes over his shoulder to Danny and then rolled them away leaving Danny to chuckle a bit too loudly in the empty bar room. "C'mon," Danny said still chuckling and raising his hands to the air as Hershel continued to ignore him. Running his hand through his hair Danny continued to chuckle as he nodded and finally settled at the end of the bar. "Right…anyway. I know y'all live like it's fuckin' Mayberry 'round here and keep shit unlocked, but that just ain't really as safe as all that anymore. You checked this place out before?"

"No, but I know it has what I'm lookin' for," Hershel said as he shifted behind the bar grabbing a dusty bottle and a few glasses. Hershel sat back down at the bar as if he were a normal patron and began to open the bottle. Danny's lips firmed and his jaw clenched as he watched Hershel work the top off the bottle. Hershel spared a look up at Danny, the bottle held up ready to pour. "Were you lookin' for something else here?"

"Just a stickler for the rules," Danny said idly as he stepped back and gave the main room a once over. Hershel continued to watch him, not yet pouring the liquid into the glasses settled on the dirty bar before him. "Rule number three, always have a secondary method of egress." Danny smiled when Hershel lifted a questioning brow. "Glenn. Smart motherfucker that kid," Danny continued lifting a finger as Hershel shifted his eyes away.

"Boy's got eyes for my daughter," Hershel muttered towards his still empty glass as his hand played with the bottle next to it.

"Boy's got more than eyes for your girl, Hershel," Danny said chucklin' when the older man glared at him. "C'mon now," Danny said lifting a palm up to the air. "You didn't come here for no sugar-coated version of the truth. If that's what you wanted we coulda stayed back at the farm." Hershel continued to glare at him and Danny just shook his head. "I'm gonna check the back," Danny said sliding towards the door that lead to what he figured was the back store room. He felt Hershel's gaze on him but ignored the feel of the older man's eyes.

Or at least tried too. It wasn't until his hand landed on the doorknob that he closed his eyes and sighed.

"S'too much to hope that you're armed, huh?" Danny muttered as he half-turned back to Hershel. The old man raised a bushy fuckin' brow and set the bottle back to the bar placing his palms flat to the dirty surface. The look on his face had Danny stifling a chuckle as he was reminded of that chidin' fuckin' look his own father would send him when he'd mouthed off. Danny shook his head and turned around slipping his gun out of its place at the small of his back. "Here," Danny said handing out the gun to the still annoyed man at the bar.

Hershel glared at the gun in Danny's hand and after another beat of silence turned away and picked up his bottle of whiskey. Sighing and shaking his head Danny slammed the gun down on the bar beside Hershel's glass, holding his hand on top as Hershel's gaze swept over it again.

"I'm not expectin' you to play hero, Hershel," Danny muttered causing the man's gaze to slip to him. "But if you hear me fuckin' screamin' I'm not expectin' you to just lie down and let it come. You ain't that kinda man."

Danny let his hand fall back to his side and then limped his way back over towards the door to the back room. It wasn't until he turned the knob that he heard the low hoarse whisper of Hershel's voice reach his ears.

"You have no idea the type of man I am," Hershel said and when Danny turned back to look at him the old man was staring down at the liquid he'd just poured into his cup.

Danny gazed at the man at the bar for a brief second before letting his eyes drop back to his hand on the knob.

"Gonna be an interestin' fuckin' night," Danny muttered to himself as he turned the knob. His hand shifted to where he'd settled his knife at his hip and he slipped it out as the door opened.

Clenching his hand tight around the handle of his knife, he took in a deep breath and shifted his bad left leg forward a bit to take a tentative step into the lowly lit back room of the bar. The remaining sun outside cast low yellowed hues over the room, and had shadows jumpin' and playin' with his mind's eye as he walked further in.

It wasn't as if he hadn't cleared a place before; workin' through half-rotted Walkers as if it was nothin' at all. But it'd just been a while since he'd had to. And he hadn't ever done it alone before.

No, he'd always had Callie at his back before.

Always. Since this shit-storm started in that rundown fuckin' sheriff's station in Georgetown. She'd been there, at his back. Danny grimaced at the thought of what she was probably thinkin' 'bout his little decision to 'take a walk'. His eyes slipped back towards the bar room where Hershel was poised over a glass of whiskey, no doubt pourin' out one for Danny by now. Somethin' happened at that man's home. Somethin' horrible enough to knock that proud man off of the wagon.

Somethin' Danny hadn't been there to help stop. Been there to see. Been there to help with.

Danny cleared his throat and cracked his neck before plunging forward a bit more towards the now visible back door. Focusing his attention on his task instead of the shit spiralin' around in his head, he felt the gears click back into place. Shakin' his head he tightened his grip on his knife and snarled at his ass when he winced as he slipped further forward. The stitches in his side were pullin' like mad at this point, and his leg…well, fuck, he didn't even wanna think about his fuckin' leg.

Snarlin' a bit more he rounded a shelving unit and immediately stopped. His eyes flared wide as his nostrils picked up the faint familiar smell. Honestly, he felt like one of them undead fuckers the way he was able to smell it out; but the scent of death and decay was just so out of place in the musty back room of the bar that it couldn't not stand-out. Pivoting on his right foot and keeping his bad left leg slightly out in front of him so he could push off of his right without fallin' on his ass, he shifted just enough to catch sight of the lumberin' bastard makin' it's way towards him. With his hand twitching on his knife he bent his right leg, waiting for the right moment to push off. He knew with the way his body was actin' he was only gonna have one good shot at takin' the fucker out, and he wasn't gonna waste it.

The used-to-be-man made another lunging step towards him, its one remaining arm swingin' up and then fallin' lifelessly back to its body before repeatin' the motion. Danny grimaced as the growlin' thing got close enough for him to see that its remaining arm was held on by nothing more than sinew and a bit of muscle that apparently wasn't enough to keep it workin' properly.

"A'right, lefty," Danny muttered as he shifted his shoulders and bounced a bit on his right foot, gettin' ready to strike. "Now you don't gotta go home, but you sure as fuck can't stay here."

* * *

Danny trudged back into the main bar room and slammed the door to the back room shut behind him. Settlin' his back against the door he lifted the back of his now gore covered right hand to wipe over his brow, but at seein' the sight of all that sickenin' shit he thought better of it and just let his hand drop to his side. His eyes lifted then to see Hershel, settled snug as a fuckin' bug, up on that barstool same as he had been when Danny 'went to check the back'.

"Find what you were lookin' for?" Hershel asked shifting his eyes over to where Danny was still resting. Danny lifted an annoyed brow at the older man before sheathing his knife and lifting a chidin' finger to the older man. Hershel shook his head and looked back to his drink as Danny slowly limped his way to the other side of the bar.

Leaning heavily on his forearms and slumping over to stare down at his gun still resting where he'd left it on the bar Danny sighed. His eyes moved to his gore covered hands and he stared at them as he listened to Hershel swirl the liquid in his glass. Danny tried very hard to continue starin' at his hands, lookin' at that wreck of an appendage covered in disgustin' he didn't even know what. Tried very hard not to look at the glass slowly shifting between Hershel's fingers, or the one settled on the bar waiting for him only a fraction of an inch from his fingertips.

"It's so easy for you now isn't it?" Hershel's hoarse voice echoed out into Danny's ears and had his eyes lifting from his fingertips to the old man staring at his half empty glass. Hershel continued to stare at his glass as Danny stared at him. Hershel started to lift his glass to his lips before stopping and clarifying. "Killin' them? It's so easy for you."

"No," Danny said quietly, watching as Hershel stopped, the glass held just out of reach of his lips and stared at Danny. "It's never easy, Hershel. It's just necessary."

A beat of silence flowed between them and Hershel continued to hold Danny's eyes in an almost uncomfortable stare. Finally Hershel's jaw tightened and his eyes moved back to his glass a second he spoke again.

"Your man Shane opened my barn," Hershel said slowly movin' his glass closer to his lips. "He opened it, and your group took out the people inside. They did it _easily_, and they did it without remorse. Killed my friends and neighbors, my wife, and my son, without a thought or a hesitation," Hershel snarled at his glass before shifting his eyes to Danny and then back to his glass quickly. "Because it was deemed necessary."

"Jesus, Hershel, I'm-"

"You're girl," Hershel continued his eyes shifting from his glass back to Danny and holdin' once again. "The one you've all been searchin' for. She was inside. Jimmy put her there, or so he told me before I left." Hershel stopped and Danny lifted his left hand up to cup it over his suddenly dry mouth as he leaned heavily on his elbow. "Rick ended her existence in this world and sent her to the next. Her mother wailin' on the ground at his back," Hershel finished, again sighting his cup and finally draining it of its contents.

Danny's eyes closed and his fingers opened to allow his now wide open mouth to suck in a painful breath of air. His chest constricted as he breathed out and then in again, and he clamped his mouth shut in an effort to dull the throb of his broken and rapidly beatin' heart.

Sophia. Poor baby-girl Sophia.

And Carol.

God, Carol. Danny's hand worked back and forth over his mouth and he felt the tears wellin' slowly behind his closed lids. He opened his eyes wide and then blinked a few times to stop the rush of those tears from fallin'. Stopped them cold, and let his gaze slide over to that fuckin' glass only an inch away from his gore-covered right hand that had flattened out on the dirty bar.

"So Danny, would you like to tell me more about this new necessity in our lives?" Hershel asked in that calm gritty tone of his as Danny continued to stare at the full glass before him. Heavy silence settled around them broken again by the older man's crisp tones. "Drink up, Danny," the older man continued and Danny's eyes lifted to watch the man pour himself another glass. "Because while this may not be necessary, it is definitely easy. And I think we both deserve a bit of that."

"How long, son?" Hershel's throaty voice reached out moments later, soundin' much like Dale's had in those woods. Far away almost too distant to reach him.

Danny blinked his eyes, only now realizing that he'd been starin' at that fuckin' glass of whiskey since Hershel had told him to drink up. He blinked a few more times, shifting his eyes away from the amber liquid and his hands that had flattened on either side of the small glass, and over to Hershel. Again the old man was staring at his half full glass, watching the liquid swirl on the inside as he held it up to his red-rimmed eyes. Shifting his eyes around the room Danny wondered just how long they'd been sitting there. How long he'd been starin' at that glass just waitin' to take a drink.

Hershel's eyes shifted to Danny and Danny shook his head to clear it, the expression on his face obviously tellin' the older man that he didn't have a damn clue what he was askin'.

"How long have you been sober?" Hershel said more plainly, his bushy brow lifting. Danny shoulders slumped and he leaned heavily on his forearms again, his eyes shifting back to that glass up on the bar.

"Three months," Danny said quietly as his forefinger reached out to poke at the glass before him. "One hundred-twenty-two days. Or two-thousand-nine-hundred-twenty-eight hours. One-hundred-seventy-five-thousand, six-hundred-eighty minutes," Danny finished shifting a bit of a smirk up to the man now staring at him. "If ya want the smartass answer."

"With you," Hershel said setting his glass half-full glass down on the bar. "I expect nothin' less."

"Funny motherfucker," Danny muttered pointing a finger at Hershel as he smiled and returned his gaze back to his glass. "Callie got me sober." Danny said as he continued to poke at his glass causing the contents to spill out around the edges and coat his index finger. He swallowed hard at the feel of the liquid on his skin and shook his head a bit. "To this day I find it just all-shades of funny that it took a fuckin' bartender to get me sober." Danny's eyes lifted to see Hershel raising a questioning brow. "You didn't know she was a bartender?"

"She didn't strike me the type," Hershel said quietly nodding his head. "I quite honestly figured her to be in law enforcement, or something along those lines. The way she is with Rick, I thought maybe a partner of his or friend from then."

"Nope," Danny said, makin' the 'p' pop. "That'd be Shane." Danny said glowering at his glass again. "But I get what you're sayin'. She ain't just a bartender though. I was at her house back when this first started, saw all these books. She's got trainin' in somethin', but she never talks about it. I know she went to college…" Danny let the thought trail off and shrugged. "Shit don't matter anymore though, does it? The lives we had before, they're nothin'," Danny said pokin' at his glass again. "All that matters is the life we have now in this god-forsaken world of the dead."

Silence settled around the two men again as they both stared at their glasses on the bar. It was Danny who broke his stare-down with his glass and shifted his attention to the man across the bar from him.

"How 'bout you?" Danny asked raising an expectant brow when Hershel lifted tired eyes to him. "How long?"

"Twenty-three years," Hershel said quietly his eyes shifting back to his glass. "I'll refrain from the smartass answer," Hershel finished and Danny scoffed out a laugh as he shook his head. "I quit the day Maggie was born." Danny settled himself onto his right elbow and propped his head up with his hand as the fingers of his left hand continued to poke at his full glass. "Annette was my second wife," Hershel's voice echoed out around them and Danny kept his eyes to his glass as the man spoke. "Sara, Maggie's mother, died in childbirth. Maggie wasn't doin' well and I was," Hershel cleared his throat. "I was distraught. Lost. Worried that I-" he firmed his lips and Danny's eyes shifted away from his glass over to the man pouring out his life on the bar. "I thought I was going to lose them both. I made a promise to that day never to drink again as long as the lord let my baby live. And he did," Hershel said noddin' at his half-empty glass.

Another hard beat of silence broken by Hershel clearing his tear clogged throat and shakin' away whatever demon was stalkin' his mind.

"Your wife," Hershel continued lifting a questioning brow to Danny.

"Leslie," Danny said clearing his own throat when his voice cracked on her name. An instant image of her popped into his mind. Not the image he wanted, but the only image he could ever seem to recall anymore. Her undead eyes staring at him, mouth snappin' and growlin' as he placed the barrel of his gun to her head.

"You had to-"

"I didn't have to," Danny said quietly holdin' Hershel's gaze and firming his lips for a moment. "I needed to." Hershel's brow furrowed and Danny shifted his eyes away and over to his glass. "I couldn't leave the woman I loved to suffer a life like that. She deserved to be put to rest," Danny shifted his eyes back to Hershel who was still starin' at him.

"And I chose to let the woman I love linger and decay in a barn," Hershel said snarlin' at himself and his words as he shook his head and drained his glass.

"The things we do for the ones we love," Danny said quietly causin' Hershel's eyes to snap up to him.

Danny looked away then and stared at his glass. Part of him was wondering why he couldn't just do it. His fingers were touchin' the fuckin' glass. All he needed to do was wrap them around it and lift. It wasn't that fuckin' heavy. Hell, if he had enough energy to take out a Walker he could lift a fuckin' glass to his lips. He wanted to do it. Shit, he was fuckin' salivating just thinkin' about it.

Easy bit of salvation layin' just at the tips of his fingers. Easy bit of reprieve from the horrors and nightmares that plagued him and dogged his every step.

Easy. Just so fuckin' easy.

And while that little part of him was ponderin' why he couldn't lift that glass, another part was wonderin' why he stopped at all. Why he'd let Callie sober him up. Why he took it so damned seriously when he did. Fuck, he'd never taken a damn thing in his life seriously before. So why then? Why this?

"Jake," Danny said, and he realized it must have been out loud when Hershel's eyes shifted over to him. Danny ignored the older man's stare and shifted out of his slumped pose, his hands both flat on the bar with that little glass full of beautiful amber liquid settled between them. "You know why I'm not out there lookin' for him?" Danny's eyes shifted to Hershel for a moment before shifting back to his glass. "I was thinkin' about it that whole time I was walkin' today. Why I haven't left an' gone after him."

Danny shifted his weight painfully between his feet, dancing in his own agitation.

"You know, in the beginnin' it was me and Callie on the road to find our family," Danny said noddin' his head idly at his own words as he stared at his glass. "That was it. Goal one, find our family. She got me sober because she knew I needed to be. Because she couldn't trust me to have her back if I had somethin' on mine, so she said. But really I think she saw that I needed to be to survive in general. It was me and her, and then," Danny's eyes closed for a minute and he sighed. "Then we made a mistake. A mistake I can't ever forget. We let someone in and let our guard down," Danny shook his head a bit wildly. "Shoulda learned our lesson then, but we found Miles and Callie just couldn't leave a kid out there alone to fend for himself. No matter what I said. Then it was Ben and Gracie," Danny nodded a bit slower and pointed a finger. "It was all Callie really, pickin' up strays. After Ben and Gracie and the shit we went through to rescue them, I realized what was really goin' on."

"Danny-"

"She ain't really _lookin'_ for Bobby," Danny said quietly his eyes roaming the bar and then shifting to Hershel's strained face. "She is, but she ain't, ya know? She's afraid of findin' him. Afraid to have to tell him-"

"About his family," Hershel finished quietly and Danny grimaced.

"That was out of her control," Danny said shakin' his head. "God, if you coulda seen her." Danny felt the tear rollin' down his cheek and cracked his neck before blinking the rest into oblivion. "Wasn't till after all that shit that went down at the Quarry and the CDC that I realized she wasn't really in all of this to find her brother. If she did, she'd happily deal with things. But all she was interested in was her self-imposed penance as Dale put it so eloquently one night. And we weren't workin' together," Danny said indicating himself with a wave of his hand. "I was part of it, her fuckin' penance. Her gettin' me sober, helpin' me to get to Atlanta to find my family. Keepin' me sane and laughin' when all I really wanted to do was fall apart. Fall back into the man I was."

"She's a good woman," Hershel said quietly and Danny scoffed out a laugh.

"She's a fuckin' idiot," Danny said still chuckling as he wiped his fingers in the liquid he'd spilled out on the bar. "Look at me. Look at where I am." He shook his head at himself and waved his hand around the room. "Callie hasn't been lookin' for Bobby because she knows he can take care of himself, and knows that Miles, Ben and Gracie depend on her. Knows I depend on her. She hasn't looked because she's been carryin' me and them kids. Feelin' like a failure when she loses one of us." Danny shook his head a bit and glared at his hands as they flattened on the bar. "I haven't been lookin' for Jake because I'm weak. I am," he said shakin' his head and growlin' at himself. "I'm a weak son of a bitch. I'm not strong enough to be able to survive havin' to put a bullet in him too." Danny's jaw clenched and he shook his head at the glass. "I'm stuck here, livin' the horror of it with Jenna, and watchin' Carol have to go through it with Sophia," Danny's hand lifted to rub at the bristling hair under his bottom lip. "I'm seein' Carl shot and layin' next to death in that bed, and all I can think 'bout is my boy. Out there somewhere without me and his momma. All I can think about is the two girls we just lost and the one boy we almost did. Thinkin' how we as a group of strong survival-minded adults could let something like that happen to our children. I'm stuck thinkin' 'bout what state I'm really gonna find my boy in, if I do find him. Thinkin' 'bout the how only image I can ever muster of my beautiful wife is how she looked before I put a bullet in her. Thinkin' how I can't handle havin' that be the only memory I'll have left of Jake someday."

Hershel's eyes drifted away from Danny at that point and Danny let out a ragged breath. His fingers continued to move over his stubble-covered chin.

"I changed who I was to find him," Danny said quietly, a sick sort of calm flowin' over him as he stared at that glass. "I did what I'd always deemed impossible. Changed. Became a better fuckin' man," Danny snarled at himself as his eyes shifted over the bar. "I almost killed a man," he continued, feelin' the moment that Hershel's stare landed on his face. "I had a gun to his head and I was gonna pull the trigger. There wasn't an ounce of remorse in me, not a moment of fear, or any feelin's that it was wrong. Just the belief that it had to be done. That I needed to do it, and if he woudla made one more move I would have. No remorse. I'd a killed him and you'd still have your wife, and we'd all still be livin' the dream of Sophia bein' alive and safe out there somewhere."

Hershel was staring at his hands now, both gripping his still half-full glass.

"I changed the man I was to find my son," Danny said to himself as his hand once again rubbed at his bottom lip. "But what have I become? What has this world really made me? A better fuckin' man…"

"_Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him,"_ Hershel's low gravely voice echoed out and Danny continued to stare at the glass before him listening to the eerie sound of the older man reciting scripture to him. The man sitting there staring into his own half-full glass of temptation as he spoke in a voice full of distain at himself. Danny's tongue darted out just a bit and he tasted the bare hint of whiskey that had been deposited by his slightly stained fingers. He tasted it.

He tasted it and he snarled at it.

"Fuck!" Danny grabbed the glass on the bar before him and threw it across the room.

The glass full of liquid shattered somewhere on the floor just as the door opened revealing the silhouette of two men.

"Jesus!" Glenn's voice rang out and Danny laughed like an idiot as he raked his hand through his hair. Rick was stepping gingerly over the broken glass followed by a tentative lookin' Glenn. Danny's chest constricted painfully at the sight of the two men, and the absence of the one woman he really needed. The one woman who he knew would understand where his head was. The one woman he'd left behind as he tried to walk road alone.

"Danny?" Rick's voice called out, his eyes squinting through the low remaining light that was filtering in through the dirty windows at the front of the bar.

"Rick," Danny said back raising a hand and waving them towards the bar. "Mind the spill there, G-man," Danny said as he watched Glenn stare at the broken glass at his feet before shifting his eyes back up to Danny. "You boys are just in time. Pull up a stool," he waved again and flattened his hands on the bar. He watched Rick and Glenn approach slowly, the two men coming to a stop and shifting their eyes between Danny and Hershel. Hershel's eyes remained on his glass as Rick stared down at him, while Glenn stared openly at the smilin' Danny. Slowly Rick's squinted and obviously confused gaze shifted up to Danny. Danny swallowed and smiled as he spread his palms flat on the bar before him. "What's your poison?"

_I've got a good woman at home, who thinks I do no wrong_

_But sometimes Lord she just ain't always around_

_And you know that's when I fall, I can't help myself at all_

_And I get whiskey bent and hell bound_

_~Whiskey Bent and Hell Bound / Hank Williams Jr._

_AN: Hmm… what to say. What to say. Just a tid-bit of Danny and Hershel here… and the plot moved nicely forward with the arrival of Rick and Glenn. Danny kinda hit the wall of crazy here…and I know it was disjointed and odd, but really that's kind of where I'd expect his head to be. And I know Hershel didn't do much talkin' but I just don't see him as being all that talkative about things that had just happened. _

_Note: Hershel quoted James 1:12 to Danny… a nice little snippet that I thought fit well with where those two were in their heads. _

_I've got TONS of reviews and PM's to respond to and I'm gonna try and get to that today. Baby-girl's got walking pneumonia so we're dealin' with that… and nausea and….oh the joy of life. _

_We'll be back at the farm in the next segment… and if all goes well jumping back to the bar for a bit as well. _

_Hope you enjoyed this little snippet and didn't think it too odd and out of place. _

_Much love!_

_See ya next chapter. _


	48. For What It's Worth

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_Here we go… moving on and ever forward. I had these HIGH HOPES of having this done by the time Season 3 started back up. Then I laughed at myself so hard it hurt. __ Hope y'all are ready for the rest of our little ride here! _

_As always read, review and most of all enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing, except Callie and the crew of misfits (Danny, Miles, Jenna, Mike, Nina, Ben and Gracie). _

**For What It's Worth**

Daryl stopped in his tracks at the sight of the Hummer parked up next to that broke down chimney. He stopped dead and stared while Ben just sauntered into their new little camp area and over to where Miles was workin' to unload what was inside the hulking vehicle. Miles spared a smilin' glance down at Ben who smiled back and grabbed up a small duffle bag that rattled like crazy as he hefted it over his small shoulder.

Daryl's eyes narrowed and his brow twitched just a bit as he watched Ben glance back at him and then plop down on the ground where he'd been curled up before they left to go hunting. The boy opened his pack and pulled out a few cans and Daryl felt his head shakin' in confusion.

Anger clawed its way through the haze of Daryl's confusion and settled firmly back onto the lanky form of the boy workin' what looked to be a bundled up tent out of the back of the large vehicle. A large fuckin' tent. A large fuckin' tent that Daryl had put into the back of that vehicle not long ago. Daryl felt himself growlin' as his feet ate up the distance between them, and felt his anger growin' as the boy didn't even bother to spare him a glance.

Miles was heftin' the large tent out of the back of the Hummer, and Daryl snarled at him as he let his eyes roam around at the fuckin' mess of shit littering the ground near the back end of the vehicle.

"The fuck you doin'?" Daryl snarled, finally causing Miles to shift his attention away from the back of car and over to him.

"What's it look like?" Miles said archin' a petulant brow at Daryl as he slid the tent out the rest of the way.

"Looks like you're eager to get your ass beat, s'what it looks like," Daryl said raising a brow as Miles chuckled and shook his head. "The fuck is all this shit?" Daryl waved his arm around at the mess on the ground and sniffed back his annoyance at the boy now just staring at him.

"It's our supplies," Miles said slowly as if Daryl really didn't know what the fuck the kid was unloadin' Miles smirked as Daryl snarled at his sarcastic remark and chuckled before shrugging and turnin' back to what he was doin'. "I'm settin' up the Hummer for me, Ben, and Gracie to sleep in since you seemed to have forgotten 'bout 'em in your move. I can't do that with all this shit in there, so…" Miles let the statement hang there and looked away as Daryl continued to just stare at the boy in confusion.

"Callie tell you to do this?" Daryl asked quietly as he watched Miles shift the last bag inside onto the ground. Daryl's eyes shifted to where Ben was sitting on the ground workin' to string together cans, obviously pretendin' not to be listenin' but failin' miserably when his little eyes darted away at the sight of Daryl lookin' at him.

"Yep," Miles said simply, letting the last bag fall to the ground with a hard thud. Daryl shifted his eyes away from Ben and back to the kid now settling his ass along the open tailgate of the Hummer. Scoffing and shakin' his head Daryl turned away from the kid, only to be stopped by his voice ringing out. "She agreed with you," Miles said simply and Daryl glared back at him watching the smile slowly edge it's way onto the kid's face. Miles let out a scoffing laugh of his own and shook his head. "Said you had a fuckin' _point_ about not knowin' how long we would be here and figured this was the best way to ensure all of our shit was packed and ready. Or did you forget that you'd need to store the rest of your shit in the Hummer?" Miles continued and Daryl growled low in his throat and turned away, listening in growin' agitation as Miles footsteps followed behind him. "So seriously man, you wanna explain what the fuck you're doin' here?"

Miles spat the question out in an angry rush and stopped dead in his tracks as Daryl spun around to glare full force at the boy. Miles sniffed and visibly bristled just a bit, as if he expected Daryl to slug him. And fuck if the kid wasn't right, he was 'bout two seconds away from lettin' his fist just fly but the look in the kid's eye as he stared Daryl down had him swallowing that urge. Swallowin' it hard and clenchin' his fist tight as he just turned away.

"She's never gonna ask," Miles said quietly as Daryl turned his back again. This time Daryl just stopped, his eyes landing upon the three bags, her bags, settled just outside the tent. Daryl's lips firmed and his jaw clenched as he listened to Miles shift from foot to foot and Ben clinkin' those fuckin' cans of his. "She won't. Ain't her way. She's not gonna chase you, she's not gonna drag you kickin' and screamin' into somethin' she thinks you don't want." Miles' voice spat out those last words and Daryl shifted his eyes over his shoulder to see the boy shakin' his head at him. "Why the fuck would you let her think that, man. It's obviously not true-"

"Listen, kid," Daryl said, his voice growlin' just a bit as he worked to control his temper. He was angry but not really at the kid. Fuck, he didn't know what he was angry about. The sound of the cans Ben was playin' with stopped for a moment, and Daryl shook his head as he sighed. "It's just," Daryl stopped and clenched his jaw a bit as he shook his head again. "It's just 'bout time me an' her stopped actin' like we lived in some romance novel and re-entered the real fuckin' world. How it is now. We're gonna be on the road again soon. Now's as good a time as any to put an end to all that bullshit."

"Oh there's bullshit 'round for sure, but that's all comin' from you," Miles scoffed out as he lifted both arms to the air. "What the fuck man? You seriously think Callie considers this some kind of fuckin' romance novel? Losin' Jenna. Sophia," Miles' shook his head as Daryl finally turned to face him, anger rushin' up anew in his blood as Miles took a step closer. "She's blamin' herself for both of those girls, just like Rick. Just like you. And while she's busy tryin' to help Carol cope with it, tryin' to help Gracie who's been fuckin' traumatized _again_, and Ben," Miles waved his hand to where the little boy was now just starin' at them with the string of cans abandoned in his lap and Daryl let his eyes linger on the little boy for a moment. "Dealin' with Danny bein' fuckin' AWOL and everything else and you decide to just move your ass out of her life. Actin' like it ain't nothin', actin' like you don't care 'bout her-"

"'Course I fuckin' care 'bout her! She knows I fuckin' care!" Daryl spat at Miles his own arms swinging out between them in frustration. "I did this for-. I fucked up, I accused her-" Daryl snarled and looked away his nose twitching at the frayin' of his nerves and that telltale sensation of water wellin' behind his fuckin' eyes. "I fucked up. I figured movin' away givin' her space was the right thing after what I said to her before. Ain't like I was tellin' her to leave me alone, I kept her fuckin' bags here. I figured I'd let her make the fuckin' choice." Daryl turned and glared over his shoulder at Miles who was still shakin' his head at him. "Her fuckin' choice, and she sent you to set up a sleepin' arrangement for Ben and Gracie instead of comin' her-damn-self to do it." Daryl said noddin' his head towards the tent layin' on the ground. "Her fuckin' choice. What the fuck was I supposed to do?"

"What were you supposed to do?" Miles muttered almost incredulously as Daryl half-turned towards him. "You serious?" Miles asked lifting a confused brow. "You're askin' me?" Miles asked and Daryl just continued to stare at him half-snarlin' because yes, yes he was fuckin' askin' the boy what he was supposed to have done. "Fuck, you want to know what you should have done? Fine," Miles spat as he stormed past Daryl and over to where Callie's bags were settled. He picked up one bag in one hand and the other two in his other and glared at Daryl. Lifting the one bag up he shook it a bit. "This is her go-bag, this stays in the Hummer just in case we gotta pick up and move quick." He shook it again and shook his head as he moved towards the front of the tent. "These two go in here," Miles threw Callie's bag inside the tent and then stalked his way towards the Hummer, his shoulder again brushin' into Daryl's as he moved.

Miles tossed the go-bag onto the little pile of other bags near the vehicle's rear wheel and then turned to flash an angered look back at Daryl. There was a single beat of silence before Miles dragged in a sigh and blinked away what Daryl was shocked to see were tears.

"That's what you fuckin' shoulda done. You don't give her the choice, man, not if you want her," Miles said simply. "She's not here now because she's busy checkin' on Carol and Beth, busy keepin' an eye on Shane while Rick's gone, and worryin' 'bout Danny. Her mind is bein' pulled in a million different directions right now. And I know Sophia's hittin' you hard," Miles said quietly his head shifting off to the side as Daryl's gaze averted to the ground. "Man you're not alone there. Callie and I were out there, too. We believed-" Miles caught Daryl's eye and let out a ragged sigh.

A beat of silence settled between them as Miles averted his gaze and stared down at his shoes. His eyes were roaming the grass and dirt at his feet as he worked to apparently settle his nerves and collect his thoughts. Daryl remained silent, watching the boy who had apparently grown into a man in the span of a few days. His lips twitched as he watched Miles' shoulders lift and fall three times and he snarled when the boy looked back up at him with a look that Daryl pegged immediately.

Disappointment.

Fuckin' great. Like he needed to know that he'd disappointed another person who depended on him.

"I'm not gonna say you movin' your shit away from the rest of the group is a bad move," Miles said quietly. "Fuck, I don't really wanna be anywhere near to there when the bomb that is Shane really does go off. So yeah," Miles nodded and placed his hands on his hips. "I get that. Group's gone mad. But leavin' her like that. Takin' your shit and makin' her think-" Miles' mouth hitched to the side and he slipped his gaze over to Ben settled on the ground now blatantly starin' at them. "We're a package deal, man. You want her gone then we all go too. You get me?"

Daryl didn't respond just let his gaze settle hard on the boy givin' him advice a few feet away. There was something strange about it. Havin' Miles be the one to talk to him about this shit. Miles who only a few days ago was on the edge of his own fear. An edge that Daryl had been the one to pull the kid back from and offer his assistance in the only way he knew how. Daryl continued to lock his gaze with that boy-become-man and suddenly felt a bit of shame.

"She loves you," Miles said simply and Daryl's eyes slipped off to the side. Away from that boy and his truth tellin'. "Don't push her away, man." Miles shifted his weight from foot to foot waitin'. Waitin' for Daryl to say something. Waitin' in vain. After a few seconds Miles let out a disgruntled, fuckin' disappoined, sigh and turned away. "I'm gonna go check on Gracie, see if Danny's sauntered his gimp ass back yet. I'll be back to finish this up later."

Miles shifted his eyes to Ben who gave a small nod and smile in return. With a waving hand of dismissal over his head Miles started off towards the farm. Daryl turned away in a huff of childish proportions and began slammin' shit around. The string of squirrels that he and Ben had managed to kill on their little mind-clearin' hunt earlier was tossed angrily to the ground while Daryl rummaged mindlessly in a pile of shit near the tent. The slight clinking of cans had his hands stopping, but he kept his eyes to the ground.

"He's right," Ben's little voice echoed out. A voice that hadn't said a damn thing to him since Sophia's funeral. Not one single word had been spoken while they'd been out in the woods. Not one word. Daryl had been worried a bit, that maybe the boy was gonna be dealin' with things the way his sister had. Shutting off the world. Just shuttin' down and waitin' for the smoke to clear and the dust to settle. He'd been worried, but in a strange sort of way he'd welcomed the kid's silence. Because he didn't know what to tell him. Didn't have a damn clue where to start to try and help the kid get over what had gone down on the farm. Daryl's eyes tipped over his shoulder to where Ben was still settled on the ground, his little blue eyes borin' a hole into the back of Daryl's head. "You know he is. I can see it. So why are you bein' so weird 'bout it?"

Daryl's lips twitched to the side again as he shifted his eyes back to the pile of shit he was goin' through. He snarled at his hands and then growled his response to the ground.

"Liked it better when you was playin' fuckin' mute," Daryl muttered, sneerin' at the words as they left his mouth. "So shut it."

A beat of silence, silence so heavy that Daryl would have thought there was a man at his back glarin' at him instead of a little boy, hung to the air. The sound of cans clinking around and the shuffling sound of Ben gettin' to his feet had Daryl's sharply narrowed eyes shifting back over his shoulder. Ben stood there just lookin' back at Daryl, not glarin' like Daryl had imagined him to be. Just starin' at him as if he were tryin' to read a book with a plot that was well over his head.

"Gonna go check on Gracie," Ben said finally his little nose twitchin' to the side as he sniffed back whatever was ticklin' it. Ben blinked a few times and then sneered at the ground at his feet and Daryl watched the boy's head shake from side to side in a familiar clearin' motion. "Gonna help Miles and Callie and leave you to-" Ben's eyes lifted, a strange look of confusion crossing his face as he struggled to find the word he was lookin' for.

Eventually he gave up and left the statement to hang in the air like a thick smog around Daryl's head. Daryl stayed crouched, his eyes watching Ben over his shoulder as he stalked off back towards camp. The slightly darkening sky had Daryl's mouth twitchin' and his hands clenchin' as he fought the urge to stand up and walk with the boy. Fought the urge to make sure he got back safe and sound to the rest of the group. Fought it hard and swallowed it down as the boy's figure disappeared from his view.

* * *

Callie raked her hands over her face and up into her hair, letting her eyes close as she took in a much needed deep breath. Her feet trudged over the dirt and grass leading away from the house and towards the RV in the distance. The sigh that left her at the sight of the darkness that had grown along the horizon as she sat with Maggie and Patricia at Beth's bedside echoed out in the seemingly empty world around her.

"Everything alright?" Dale's voice broke into Callie's thoughts and had her eyes opening wide. Shifting her eyes around her she realized that at some point her feet had led her to her destination outside the RV. Shifting her eyes to the side where Dale was settled upon a lawn chair near the back of the vehicle she wondered how long she'd been standing there just breathing.

"Well, Dale," Callie said letting her hands fall from where they'd tangled in her hair. "If your definition of 'alright' is 'shitty as hell' then yes, everything is 'alright'." Dale chuckled and lifted a hand in a sort of mock surrender motion and Callie shifted on her feet a bit.

"Fair enough," Dale said as Callie made her way towards him. Shifting on his seat he settled his hands to his knees and gave her a small smile. Callie's eyes shifted to the top of the RV where she could see a dark silhouette. Her eyes must have shown confusion when she looked back o Dale, because his smile returned as he answered her unasked question. "Miles," Dale said quietly his eyes shifting up to the figure settled there with the rifle. "Gracie and Ben are up there with him."

Callie raised a brow at that, her eyes shifting back to where Daryl's new little campsite sat. She couldn't see it from this distance, but her eyes picked up a dark mass in the distance that she knew must have been the Hummer. She bit at the inside of her cheek as she stared out into that darkness. The knowledge that Ben was no longer at Daryl's side for some reason settled wrong along her already frayed nerves.

Settled hard, and uneasy, because since the attack at the Quarry and the fucked up mess that was the CDC there had never been a time when Daryl had pushed off the presence of those kids. Never.

Shaking her head Callie gave up trying to read more into it. Daryl needed his space now, just as much as anyone else. She blinked away the slight pounding behind her eyes and that almost unrelenting force of nature that had her wanting to go and check on the fuckin' redneck bastard and shifted her eyes back to Dale and the other problem clawing at her.

"Too much to hope that Danny's ass is up there too, huh?" Callie muttered as she scratched at the back of her neck. Dale's smile shifted into a grimace and she echoed his sentiment by lifting a hand in a shrugging motion. "Yeah, fucking wishful thinkin'," Callie said letting her hand fall to rest on the gun in settled in the holster around her hips.

Silence slipped between them and Callie let her eyes wander the camp area, listening as Dale shifted and got to his feet. Her eyes slid back to him as he approached her with that fatherly look of concern and she felt the need to turn away. Because she knew what was coming and her eyes shifted back off into the distance to that fucking little campground.

Fuckin' redneck bastard.

"Is everything alright with Daryl?" Dale asked quietly, his eyes shifting up to the top of the RV and then back to her. She lifted a brow at him for his use of the word 'alright' again, and he let out a disgruntled sigh at her. Dale's shoulders slumped slightly before his eyes shifted back up to Miles and then down to her. "Miles packed up your stuff and moved it. Said you'd explain that to me later but you don't need to. I understand that much," Dale said with a small smile that she returned as well as she could. "What I don't understand is why he moved out there in the first place? Now is not the time to be pulling away. Do you really think it's such a good idea to _let_ him distance himself?"

"Did you really think letting Danny take himself a walk was a good idea?" Callie asked in return. She instantly felt bad about the flippant remark when she saw Dale's lips firm and his jaw clench slightly. Sighing Callie lifted her hand in apology and then let it fall as Dale waved her off. "I'm sorry, Dale. I just-" she stopped and shook her head as her eyes roamed the area. "I don't know what's a good idea anymore. I don't know what to do for him. He's hurting and he needs time to process and I understand that. But I just hate that his method of processing is to push everyone who cares about him as far away as possible. I want to go out there and hold him and tell him things will be okay, then I just want to shake the bastard for like an hour, but I feel that may be counterproductive," Callie said mimicking the motion by holding her hands out and shaking them which had Dale chuckling a bit.

"Maybe a bit," Dale said quietly and she smiled at him.

"So, like I told Carol," Callie said watching as Dale's eyes slid out to where Daryl's little camp lay. "Give him a bit of space for now. Tonight, let him grieve in his own way. We have enough people to worry about without sending that man packing any further away than he already is. Then I'll shake the fuck outta him tomorrow if he's still actin' like an idiot."

Dale sighed but nodded his acknowledgement of her words as he ran a hand over his balding head. They stood in silence for a few moments more before Dale began to speak softly about his conversations with T-Dog and the growing unease that both men were feeling with the tension that had developed between Shane and Rick. Callie nodded her head but remained silent her eyes shying away as the older man despairingly looked for her to ease his mind on that matter. She firmed her lips and looked away and he sighed again.

He spoke then of his conversation with Carol, which had been more an instance of him speaking and her quietly listening. Callie's eyes shifted to the RV, the bare hint of a light in the back bedroom window telling her that Carol was still in that room. Sitting in the destruction she'd caused earlier and staring at a floor littered with glass and dead promises of hope.

Callie's eyes shifted away from the RV at that point over towards the small row of parked cars near to the roadway into the farm. Dale's voice continued to drone in her ears as he spoke of his worry for Danny and his guilt at that situation. She was half-listening to him and half-watching the distinct thin form pacing near the parked cars. Dale sighed again at her side and Callie lifted a comforting hand to his shoulder causing him to

"Don't blame yourself, Dale. That's not gonna help anything," Callie said squeezing his shoulder lightly and shifting her eyes between him and the cars. Dale read her actions well enough and looked over to the figure pacing the ground in the darkened hues of early evening. His worried frown met hers and she smiled at him squeezing his shoulder again and then letting her hand fall.

Dale nodded a bit and she felt him watching her as she slowly made her way towards the figure in the distance. Callie's eyes shifted around the area, peeking over her shoulder once to where Miles, Ben and Gracie were settled atop the RV before bouncing back to the figure. Slipping her hands into her back pockets Callie settled at the front of the car closest to the road and watched.

Lori continued to pace along the roadway, her eyes shifting down towards where Rick and Glenn had disappeared hours ago. Lori's hands moved from their defiant and angered position at her hips to cross over her chest in a protective place over her chest. Callie watched for a few silent seconds before clearing her throat and startling the woman from her staring match with the quickly darkening road.

"Oh," Lori spun on her heel at the sound of Callie's small cough. Callie couldn't help but smile as Lori's startled expression gave way to a slightly annoyed grimace, and she shifted her hands out of her pockets to hold them out before her in a motion begging forgiveness.

Callie held Lori's gaze for a moment, watching as the woman's mouth twitched out of annoyance and back into worry. Then, an instant before Lori turned back towards the road, she saw a look that was all too familiar and it had Callie's head shaking in slight disapproval.

"They've been gone too long," Lori said quietly to the growing dark around them. Callie's eyes slipped away from Lori and down the road, her mouth twitching slightly in her own growing unease at the truth of Lori's statement. Callie found her head nodding idly and realized only a moment too late that Lori had turned to watch her doing it.

"You can't put a label of 'too long' on anything anymore," Callie said defiantly as Lori raised a disbelieving brow. Callie let out a low sigh, realizing that the words sounded hollow even to her.

"You're thinking it too," Lori said quietly, a huff of annoyance slipping out of her lips as she turned away again. "Don't even pretend you're not."

"Alright," Callie said after a moment, the easy admission obviously shocking Lori and causing her to turn back towards where Callie was perched near the car. "You're right. It's been too long for my comfort. But—" Callie said shifting so that her backside was settled along the front bumper of the car behind her. "I'm not the one out here contemplating going out after them. Strangely enough."

"I'm not—" Lori began but Callie shook her head and raised a hand stopping her mid-denial.

"You're still grippin' the keys there, Lori," Callie's said shifting one finger out to point at the silver ring glinting in the low remaining light around them. Lori's eyes slipped to her hands still shoved under her arms in that self-preserving stance. Callie watched Lori tuck her hands further out of sight as she turned away and chuckled just a bit at the woman's childish actions.

Silence slipped between them. Lori continuing to watch the road as if any minute the car full of men would just appear out of the growing dark and put all her fears to rest. While Callie watched Lori, as if the woman would suddenly just vanish into the dark on some crazed rescue mission for the husband she'd already lost once before and feared losing again.

A small smile tilted Callie's lips as she suddenly realized exactly what Daryl must feel like every time she went off on her own little missions, most times leaving him to worry after her.

"I asked Daryl to go," Lori said quietly, the woman's sudden mention of his name startling Callie from her thoughts and thrusting her back onto that roadway in the growing dark. Callie's eyes narrowed at Lori's thin shoulders, watching as the woman bristled as if annoyed or angered and Callie couldn't help the swell of answering annoyance that grew in her.

"Why?" Callie snapped as she pushed off of the car she'd been leaning on and advanced on Lori's slowly turning form. Lori's wide, slightly confused eyes watched Callie approach and Callie shook her head. "Why would you even think of asking him?"

"He's-" Lori stopped and turned to face Callie completely, her eyes widened briefly as she apparently rethought her initial response. Callie's jaw tightened as she stared at Lori's face, trying to decipher what that initial response may have been. "He and Rick are friends…kind of," Lori sighed at her own lie and raked a hand through her hair. "I'm not fool enough to think that me going out half-cocked after them is a good idea, Callie. I'm not you."

"Gee thanks," Callie muttered, her anger slipping just a bit at Lori's slight smile. Shaking her head Callie raked her own hand through her hair and scratched the back of her neck, waiting for Lori to continue. Her mind still working to try and figure out why Lori would have asked Daryl to go out after Rick.

Yes, Daryl had begrudgingly grown to respect Rick, and vice versa. And obviously there was some growing…_something_ between the two men. Callie wouldn't stretch the truth enough to say that 'something' was friendship. Respect. Yes. Friendship? Really only time and the slight wavering of Daryl fuckin' Dixon's aversion to anything resembling a relationship with someone would tell.

And Lori knew damn well the truth of that. So why-

Callie's eyes narrowed just a bit as Lori's hands snaked back up and her arms wrapped protectively over midsection. Small hairs on the back of her neck started to stand on end causing Callie to stand at attention and search around them. Search for the physical manifestation of that reasoning behind Lori's request of Daryl.

"What did he say?" Callie said idly as she let her eyes slip over her shoulder towards the campsite. Where was he? Callie turned back around to see Lori staring at her in confusion. "Daryl," Callie clarified raising an expectant brow as Lori blinked her slow understanding. "What did he say when you asked?"

"It was his usual colorful turn of phrase; something about my bitch goin' window-shopping," Lori began in an almost annoyed tone. Callie tried to snuff her chuckle and had to bring her hand up to cover her mouth when Lori turned and pinned her with a glare. Callie waved a hand and then shrugged at the other woman's annoyance. "He also put me in place after I said something…that in hindsight I realize was very stupid." Lori continued and Callie lifted an expectant brow. "I don't really want to repeat it, Callie. I'm a bit ashamed I said it in the first place. Especially to him. Now."

"Did you really expect something else from him?" Callie asked quietly and Lori stared hard at her. "Really Lori," Callie continued in a more firm tone. "The man's grieving," Callie said, her annoyance flaring back to life at Lori's continued look of fucking confusion. "Why the hell is it so hard for everyone to believe that he's hurting? After everything he's been through," Callie shook her head and waved her hand around. "You're being obtuse and fuckin' selfish to think that he would just drop his own grief aside to go off lookin' for Rick. Honestly Lori, what the hell were you thinkin' even approaching him with that?" Lori's jaw clenched tight at the question and Callie pushed forward a bit noticing the strange gleam in Lori's eyes. Noticing the cowed expression along with something else. Something that startled Callie and had her voice dropping from angered to searching and had her wanting to reach out and comfort the woman even as she reprimanded her. Callie pressed on with her questioning in a firm tone meant to keep the other woman calm and comfortable in the face of things. "Lori, if you were lookin' for Rick's friend to go off and bring him back, why the fuck would you go to Daryl? Why would you go to Daryl, Lori, when his best friend is here?"

Lori didn't answer the very straightforward question that Callie posed. Not in words at least. She answered in the firming of her lips, small tick of her jaw, and the tightening of her arms over her body. Arms that were cradling over her abdomen tightly, protectively. Lori's eyes were glistening with unshed tears, and her thin frame was wracking with a chill of fear.

Looking into Lori's eyes Callie knew exactly why the woman would have gone to Daryl instead of Shane to bring Rick back. Knew without a shadow of a doubt why. She hadn't gone to Daryl with the request because she thought so greatly of his skill in this new world. She hadn't gone to him because she believed that he wasn't mourning the loss of Sophia; no she knew that Daryl was mourning just as much as anyone else as evidenced by her shame now. She hadn't gone to him because of this imaginary friendship between Daryl and Rick, a friendship that was in its infancy if in existence at all.

She went to Daryl because she thought of him as her only viable option. She went to Daryl because she knew she couldn't go to Shane, Rick's true friend.

Because Lori wasn't sure that Shane would actually bring Rick back alive.

It was startling to know that Lori, of all people -Lori who knew Rick and Shane better than anyone else in this little camp- was worried about such a thing. That she believed, the same as Callie, that Shane was a danger not to the group but to Rick. Callie swallowed and stepped forward putting a hand to Lori's arm squeezing once before letting her hand slide down and snatch the keys from Lori's cold fingers.

Lori's look of alarm didn't fade as Callie clenched the keys tight and turned from her. Callie felt Lori's gaze and heard her quick steps towards her, which caused Callie to turn and face her with a stiff smile.

"If we're goin' we aren't going without a gear; weapons and a med kit," Callie said smiling wider as Lori's steps faltered. Callie shifted her head and gave a nod up to where her kids were settled atop the RV. "And we're not goin' without tellin' someone. I'm not fool enough to think this is a 'good' idea, Lori," Callie said echoing the other woman's words with a sarcastic tilt to her lips. "I might go off half-cocked, but the half I got workin' works _real_ fuckin' good. I'll be back in a few," Callie said half-turning from the woman still staring at her in what she could only describe as awe. "And then you and I can have a nice long chat while we go fuckin' find your husband. A long chat that's gonna have you answering that question I just asked."

* * *

The silence of the small little campsite Daryl had created was almost deafening. The darkness around them that seemed to have invaded quicker than any night before it was thick with tension as he stared hard at Carol not three feet from him. She was starin' at him; awe, anger and something else dancing across her delicate features in the bare light provided by the small fire Miles had built.

Daryl continued to stare at Carol, her shinin' blue eyes flickerin' in the orange glow at her side as her thin lips firmed into a straight line. His eyes remained locked on Carol but he felt the stare of not only her, but Miles off to the side settled in near the Hummer with Gracie, and Ben in his spot on the ground across the fire from them. He felt all of those stares and wanted nothing more than to turn tail and run. To duck his head and slip himself into the safety of his tent away from their judgin' and their fuckin' fear.

Fear.

That was the something else edgin' its way along Carol's delicate features. Fear of him. Fear that he was actually going to do what she had just told him to fuckin' do.

_Go ahead. _

Who the fuck did she think she was? _Go ahead_. Where the fuck did she get off sayin' that to him? _Go_ _ahead_. What the fuck was wrong with her? Daryl's mouth twitched with the snarl that was growin' along with the taste of his own bile at the back of his throat. His mouth stretched with the pull of that snarl and he felt the growl of anger ripping free between his tightly clenched teeth.

"Daryl wouldn't never hit you, Carol?" Ben's slightly confused voice broke through the haze of Daryl confusion and anger and had his eyes shifting just slightly over to where the boy sat. His big fuckin' blue eyes were starin' up at Carol over the small dancing flame. Wide unblinkin' eyes that were lookin' at that woman exactly as Daryl figured he woulda been too if he hadn't been just so damned angry with her. Wide eyes that shifted over to him and startled him with the conviction and assurance that backed the words he'd just spoken.

Eyes that pierced deep down into Daryl's heart and shattered another layer deep beneath his surface. Eyes that begged him to confirm his suspicion. Begged him to tell the frightened woman that he would never hurt her that way.

Eyes that Daryl watched widen with self-doubt. Eyes that finally caused that bile to slide just a bit further up in his throat so that Daryl had to swallow down the acrid taste before it could escape any further.

Eyes that didn't really want the truth, but began to see it anyway. Began to see that Daryl probably wouldn't ever hit Carol, not really.

But that he wanted to.

"Carol why don't you head on back to the house," Miles' voice echoed out over the campsite; echoed as if a long way away. Daryl blinked away from Ben's confused and slightly saddened eyes and looked to where Carol still stood starin' at him. "Carol?" Miles' voice again and the sound of the boy getting to his feet from the ground where he'd been sitting just fuckin' shufflin' his deck of cards.

Daryl held Carol's gaze a moment longer, watchin' as that glimmer of tears grew and grew on the surface. Eventually it would be too much to contain, and the tears she was desperate to hold back would fall in rapid succession down her pale cheeks. Daryl could see it happening in his mind's eye and he snarled and looked away before the vision became a reality.

"Get the fuck outta here, crazy bitch," Daryl seethed as he turned his back on Carol and her shimmering blue eyes.

He kept his back to the woman, listening as Miles no doubt made his way towards the apparently frozen woman. He listened to Miles again call her name and felt the moment that her eyes finally left his back. Felt it and turned to see her snatchin' her arm away from Miles in an almost childish manner as she began to walk back towards the farm and the RV in the distance. Her eyes shifted over her shoulder once more and Daryl instantly looked away, not willing to get caught up in another starin' match that he was fuckin' destined to lose.

Daryl's eyes darted around his little campsite, shiftin' over the ruin of brick and mortar that helped to block the little fire from view. Over the tent he'd set up for himself—and Callie. Over the dark shape of Merle's bike and the string that ran across the two trees and held the carcasses of the few squirrels that he and Ben had been able to bag earlier that day. Over the form of Ben still starin' at him in silence, the fuckin' cans that he'd been stringin' slowly together forgotten in his lap. Over to where Carol had stood and Miles now lingered, the kid's body turned so that he could half-watch the woman retreat back to the farmhouse and half-watch Daryl. Over to the Hummer and its pile of shit settled neatly at the rear wheel, organized and ready to be put back at a moment's notice. Over to where Gracie was huddled, her knees raised and hiding the majority of her face, leaving only her eyes free and clear to stare back at him in that same startling fear-widened state as her brother's.

Silence settled heavy around them all, the slight cracklin' of the fire the only real sound that Daryl could make out anymore. His mind danced around in circles, rethinkin' the conversation that had quickly escalated into an argument and then into him just lashin' out. Circled around and around each and every word he'd said, along with every soft sigh and quiet word she'd shot back at him. Circled around her concern that tore at him and made him sick.

Crazy bitch.

What the hell was she concerned about him for? She was the one who'd lost everything. Her husband. Now her daughter. She was the one who was alone. Daryl wasn't alone. He had these kids, had Callie. Daryl's eyes shifted around him again, glancing over the forms of the kids that Miles was slowly working to their feet. Miles was holdin' little Gracie's hand now, walkin' the girl over towards where Ben still sat stunned and silent and fuckin' starin'.

He had the kids. Kids who were lookin' at him as if they didn't even know him. And maybe they didn't. Not really. Fuck, maybe Daryl didn't even know himself.

Daryl scoffed out a disgruntled sigh and let his glare shift back over the darkness towards the farmhouse.

He had Callie.

That scoffin' sound in the back of his throat became a growling rumble and he felt his lips twitch slightly. Woman hadn't been back since this mornin', hours upon hours of nothin' from her. Yeah, he'd had Callie. But he'd let her go on believin' he didn't want her. Let her go on thinkin' it instead of pullin' her back to him and now-

Daryl shook his head as his mind went back to Carol. Crazy bitch. What the fuck was she concerned about him for? He had himself. That's all he'd ever needed before. That's all he fuckin' needed now.

"C'mon Ben," Miles' low voice echoed out again and Daryl snapped away from his starin' at the low fire to watch the kid reach down a hand to the little boy. Ben stared up at Miles, his eyes just as wide as they had been before, and remained seated. Miles waved his hand around in an agitated motion right in front of the boy's face and huffed an annoyed sigh at him. "I said c'mon," Miles muttered a bit angrily at the boy and finally just reached down and snagged his shirt pulling Ben up to his feet.

Gracie gripped Miles' hand tighter and half-hid behind the teenager as she watched Daryl shift angrily. His feet were movin', shiftin' his weight back and forth in the dirt watchin' them like a caged tiger would watch its prey just out of reach on the other side of the bars.

Ben was shakin' his head slowly, his eyes dartin' between Miles and Daryl. His little mouth opened and shut a few times and Miles continued to shake his head, apparently workin' to put a quick end to the boy's protestations.

"But Callie said-"

Daryl's eyes widened just a bit at the sound of the woman's name on the boy's lips. The boy had been relatively quiet since the horror at the barn earlier, but had began to speak up again after spending a bit of time at the RV on watch with Miles. But not once had Callie's name slipped past the boy's lips in all that time.

And now, the way he was sayin' it-

"I know," Miles said quietly his eyes flickin' back to Daryl briefly before he lowered his head closer to the boy. "We'll come back. We'll go get some dinner and come back after Daryl's had himself a bit of time to cool off."

"But Callie—"

Daryl snarled at the boy's words, realizin' now what the fuck was goin' on. That woman had fuckin' sicked her kids on him again. Told them to keep eyes on him, like he was the child in need of protection from the terror that plagued this world.

Daryl snarled again and this time he didn't contain his anger, didn't slow the boil of his blood.

"Get the fuck outta here!" Daryl growled, his mouth twitching in distaste as he watched poor itty-bitty Gracie duck further behind Miles in an effort to put more space between them. Ben turned sharply towards him, his eyes wide again with that same bit of confusion. Daryl stared hard back at him and waved his hand in an angry arc out before him causin' Ben to flinch away slightly. "Ya heard me. Get the fuck outta here boy. Don't need your ass here playin' fuckin' momma hen to me. I'm a grown ass man." Daryl snarled at Ben's wide unblinkin' eyes and turned to where Miles was staring disapprovingly at him. "Get them the fuck away from me."

Miles stared hard at Daryl, his lips firmed tight and head shakin' just slightly. A momentary sense of guilt and anguish settled over Daryl's shoulders at the way he was actin'. He knew he was actin' exactly like the child he insisted he wasn't, but fuck if he could stop it. He wasn't equipped for all this shit. He wasn't. He shoulda known better than to try. Daryl's mouth twitched under Miles' scrutiny and he turned his head away from the three of them.

"Get the fuck outta here," Daryl muttered in a calmer tone, his voice hoarse from all the yellin' he'd been doin'. Hoarse from all the emotion he was desperately holdin' in check until they'd finally left him in peace.

"Yeah, sure," Miles muttered back, and Daryl turned to see the teenager let out a lengthy sigh as he settled a heavy hand onto Ben's slumped shoulders. Daryl held Ben's lingering gaze for a few seconds longer, watchin' as the boy reluctantly fell into step at Miles' side. "C'mon. We'll go back to the house, get some food and wait for Callie to get back."

An icy chill slithered up Daryl's spine at Miles' words and he found himself turning fully towards the departing kids. He watched Miles for a moment, the boy's eyes shifting over his shoulder apparently feelin' Daryl's confused glare.

"The fuck you mean 'get back'?" Daryl growled over the distance between them, his feet planting roughly into the soft dirt below. He locked his knees in preparation for the kid's explanation. Locked his knees so that they wouldn't buckle when he heard what he knew was comin'.

"She went out after Rick, Glenn, Hershel and hopefully fuckin' Danny," Miles said in nonchalant tone. As if the words weren't a fuckin' shock. As if everything was fine and fuckin' dandy. Daryl's jaw locked up tight and his hands clenched at his sides.

"When?" Daryl ground out the single word through those tightly clenched teeth, feelin' the bone grind together and again tastin' that acrid bile risin' in the back of his throat. Miles stared at him, and Daryl growled advancin' a few steps before stoppin' and just starin' again. "When?"

"Hour or two," Miles said quietly his voice shifting into a bit of an angry growl itself. "She left right before we came over here."

"An' you just fuckin' let her go?"

"One I didn't _let_ her do nothin'," Miles ground out finally turning and facin' Daryl fully. "It's fuckin' Callie. Two, she wasn't gonna let Lori go on her own, which is exactly what she was gonna do after you apparently told her off." Daryl snarled at that remembering all too well how he'd exploded on the frail fuckin' woman who'd asked him to go after Rick himself. Daryl glowered at the ground then shifted his eyes up to Miles. "You know, maybe if you'da been finished havin' your fuckin' tantrum you'da been there to stop her ass."

Daryl glared at Miles as the boy huffed and shook his head. They stood that way for a few moments more, the cracklin' of that low dyin' fire snappin' at Daryl's ankles. Finally Miles shifted and put his hand back onto Ben's shoulders steerin' the little boy back towards the house in the distance. Daryl stared after them, watchin' their forms get eaten up by the darkness that had grown even more menacing in the past few minutes.

His eyes shifted over to where he knew the fuckin' RV was planted near that roadway out of the farm and he stared. He stared long and hard at the darkness and felt the wash of panic ride low in his stomach as his suddenly sweaty hands clenched tighter at his side. The chilled breeze of the fast approaching winter slipped over his bare arms and he felt the tingling sensation of goose-bumps form over his skin.

The knowledge that Callie was out there somewhere with only fuckin' Lori at her back in the face of whatever they encountered settled hard in his stomach. Again he fought the urge to vomit and continued to stare long and hard out towards that roadway.

_There's somethin' happenin' here_

_What it is ain't exactly clear_

_There's a man with a gun over there_

_Tellin' me, I got to beware_

_I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound?_

_Everybody look what's goin' down_

_There's battle lines bein' drawn_

_Nobody's right if everybody's wrong_

_Young people speakin' their minds_

_Getting' so much resistance from behind _

_~For What It's Worth/ Buffalo Springfield_

_AN: So I know this could probably best be described as filler...but we're moving along. We're going to be doing a bit of jumping around here just to warn you. Next chapter…which I've got about half of it done (YAY) is going to focus on Lori and Callie's little fuckin' Thelma and Louise act. And the chap after that will be devoted to the boys at the bar. So keep your eyes peeled. _

_I'm trying to keep myself in the groove, and I really wanted to have more finished after my vacation but..you get what you get. I hope you enjoyed this little chap. _

_AND AND AND….SUNDAY. SUNDAY. Oh my God. How excited are you? _

_A response to one of the guest reviews:_

_Dido: I am so glad you enjoyed the chapter. And yeah…Danny's kinda a complex sum'bitch—I'm really glad you liked his struggle with the Whiskey. I was really hoping that it would come across well. Hershel's ignorance may have stemmed from his indifference at the moment….Not sure but maybe I didn't write him as well as I should have. As for the biblical references; I'm sorry if they seem 'too much' I usually don't put such a thing into my writing…but the characters Danny and Hershel (who I've tried to maintain as really the only characters to quote scripture at this point) seemed to call for it. Background of Hershel and Danny and all put into accounts. But as to your question. No there will not be a large section of biblical musings as we go on. In fact, this section (Hershel's funny little nod to Revelations and the dead rising and all) should be the last. I say should be because I don't have everything written out…but I don't really see it fitting as well in these later chapters. Again, thank you so much for the comment and the love of my fic. Much love and happy reading!_

_I've got more PM's and Reviews to respond to…I'm so sorry I'm behind on this again. I'm workin' on it. I promise._

_Much love!_

_See ya next chapter!_


	49. Ten Cent Pistol

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_Before we start anything I want to say welcome to all of the new followers/favorites, and send a big shout out to all of you who leave me reviews. I feel horrid that I'm not really able to respond to them as much as I wish I could. Time…she's been slipping away from me and I'm finding myself working hard to finish the chapters. I want you to know that I love you all, and if I see a question in a review I seriously try to respond…and I promise to try and get better at ALL THE RESPONDING. Now…._

_Okay, ladies and gents. In case you hadn't noticed we're gonna be playing a bit of the jump around game for a bit. This chapter we're picking up with Lori and Callie on the road to find Rick, Glenn and Hershel, and hopefully find out a bit about Danny too. _

_As always, read, review and most of all enjoy our little exercise in girl-bonding. _

_~michelle_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing but Callie and her crew of misfits (Danny, Mike, Nina, Miles, Jenna, Ben and Gracie and the rest of the OC crew that has jumped out of this story of mine)_

**Ten Cent Pistol **

Callie held the small flashlight between her teeth and unfolded the roadmap that she'd found in the glove compartment. Patricia's neat and tidy sedan jostled a bit and Callie slipped her eyes over to where Lori had a white knuckle grip on the wheel. Callie slipped the flashlight from her mouth and pointed it at the map. She let her eyes shift from the map to Lori twice before smiling tightly at the woman driving.

"You sure you're okay to drive?" Callie asked for the third time since they'd hit the road nearly a half an hour ago. Lori slid an annoyed look over to her and Callie shrugged smiling wider than before lifting a hand. "Look I'm not the one who pulled over twice to puke," Callie said earning a scoffing angered sigh from her companion.

Lori's shoulders stiffened and she sat up a bit higher in her seat as if her defiant posture would make Callie's statements any less true. Callie shook her head. Lori's pregnancy was still, at least in Lori's mind, a secret. She only believed that Glenn, Dale, Danny and Rick knew about it, and Callie was not about to shatter the woman anymore by letting her think any differently. But she also wasn't about to let them crash because Lori wasn't in a condition to drive.

"I'm fine," Lori said stiffly her head shaking back and forth two times before she shifted her eyes over slightly to look at Callie. Callie raised a brow waiting for the woman to continue and Lori shifted her eyes back to the road before doing so. "It's just stress. I don't handle stress like this well."

"Okay," Callie said after a beat of silence, apparently surprising Lori by just swallowing her lies because the woman sharply turned disbelieving eyes back to her. Callie shrugged and lifted the small flashlight to the map spread out on her lap and half of the dash before her. Callie peeked up at up at Lori who was still staring at her, the car slowing almost to a stop. Callie smirked and pointed the butt end of the flashlight at the gawking woman. "Foot on the pedal and eyes on the road there, Lori. Unless you really do want me to take over."

Lori's mouth, which had slightly parted in shock, snapped closed and her eyes drifted back to the windshield. Callie chuckled a bit and in turn Lori jammed her foot a bit harder onto the gas pedal causing Callie to fling back slightly in her chair. Callie's eyes shifted to where the seat belt was hooked over Lori's body and she shook her head at the slight tilt to the other woman's lips.

"Cute," Callie muttered, once again popping the flashlight between her teeth so that she could reach up and pull her own seatbelt into place. The click of the belt latching had Lori shifting smiling eyes to her and Callie waving a stiff middle finger as she again removed the flashlight from her mouth.

Eying the roadmap, Callie traced out the route that they were travelling. Her eyes peeked up from the map to the darkened road ahead and she was stunned by how quickly full night had fallen upon them. Her eyes skipped to the odometer and she watched the small dial slowly rise from thirty to thirty-five and then forty. It was still going when she clicked off the flashlight and let it fall to her lap.

Forty-four.

"Slow down, Lori," Callie said shifting her eyes between the dark road before them and the intense woman behind the wheel.

"Good Lord, Callie I know how to drive," Lori snapped back peevishly, her foot pressing down on the accelerator again. Forty-eight. "Honest to God-"

"I'm not kidding, Lori. Slow the fuck down," Callie said in a firm tone that had Lori's eyes shifting to her. "It's dark as hell and the noise of the engine is enough to attract Walkers. Hit one when we're going this fast and it ain't gonna be pretty. So. Slow. Down."

Lori's foot depressed from the gas pedal and the car began to slow. Callie's gaze slipped back to the odometer and watched the dial dip back down into an acceptable range. Callie sat back in her seat and lifted her left hand to rub at the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes for a moment to the world around them and just allowing herself to be calmed by the gentle motion of the car moving down the street.

This road led directly into the main portion of town, and according to Maggie the bar her father frequented was along that drag. The desolate town was apparently lacking in any other vehicles, so it should be easy enough for them to spot the wagon Rick and Glenn took, or Hershel's missing sedan when they arrived. It wasn't a long trip, in fact, without the two rather lengthy vomit-stops they'd had to make Callie was sure they would have been making good time towards town.

Callie's eyes opened and she watched Lori's white knuckle grip adjust and readjust on the wheel. The other woman's eyes were no longer simply on the road before them, but darting around as if she expected Walkers to materialize out of thin air and slam into the car. Callie sighed and let her hand drop, suddenly feeling very bad for causing the obviously stressed woman more grief.

Not only was Lori worried about her husband. She was worried about herself. About the baby she carried. About the child she left alone back at the farm. She was worried enough that she'd been forced to stop and dry-heave for nearly ten minutes on two separate occasions not long after they'd started off. Her strength was something to be admired, but it was dwindling fast under the pressure of everything bearing down on her.

And Callie had only added more weight by insinuating they were in almost imminent danger.

Callie reached out a hand and settled it on Lori's shoulder. Lori jumped and the car swerved slightly before Lori was able to get it under control again. Shaking her head Callie muttered out an apology and Lori glared icily for a moment before shifting her eyes back to the dark road ahead of them.

"It's gonna be okay," Callie said quietly her hands working to refold the map. Lori shifted her eyes over briefly and looked at the map. A beat of silence slipped between them and then Lori was looking at the road again and Callie continued busying herself with folding the map.

"I'm sorry," Lori said quietly and Callie's eyes widened a bit as they shifted to the other woman. She raised a brow and Lori smiled tightly. "It's just everything is so-" Lori cut herself off and spared Callie a quick friendly smile. "I don't know what I'm doing out here. Going after Rick. This isn't me."

"No, it's me," Callie said smiling as Lori looked at her confusedly before glancing back at the road. "I was going to go out after Danny and Rick myself, you just kinda beat me to the punch." Callie shrugged when Lori stuttered out a bit of a laugh. "Honestly, we're going to be okay." Lori nodded solemnly, her eyes on the road and her hands clenched tight on the wheel. Callie finished folding the map and smoothed the paper over her thighs while watching the side of Lori's face. "Everything's goin' to be okay, Lori," Callie said in a firm even tone.

The words had Lori shifting her eyes over to Callie again and they stayed connected for a few seconds before Lori looked away. The stark fear written across Lori's eyes was startling and Callie wanted nothing more than to help the woman find the strength that she seemed to be losing more of day by day. The strength she'd had when Callie had first met her.

"How can you say that? How can you be so damned optimistic after-" Lori cut herself off, leaving the statement to hang heavy in the air around them. "How?"

"Because I'm a determined sum'bitch," Callie said with a smile as Lori shifted her eyes over to her again. "So's your son. And your husband," Callie said a Lori turned away. "So are you." Callie said in a matter-of-fact tone that had Lori once again glancing at her out of the corner of her eye. Lori's eyes shifted over Callie and then back to the road and Callie let out a chuckling sigh. "And don't pretend you don't know that about him. I haven't known Rick nearly as long as you and I can see the person he is clear as fuckin' day." Callie shifted a bit in her seat to face the woman driving a bit more and let out a sigh of frustration. "So how about you tell me what exactly has you doubting him?"

"I don't doubt Rick," Lori said back defensively her eyes snapping over to Callie briefly. Her dark eyes flashed between the road and Callie a couple times, her mouth opening and closing as if she wanted to voice more to what she said but couldn't seem to form the words.

"Something has you worried enough to run off 'half-cocked' after him, Lori," Callie said with a smile. "Something has you doing this," Callie's eyes narrowed just a bit and her mouth firmed as she lowered her voice just a bit. "Or maybe someone."

Lori's eyes shifted over to Callie again, fear and anger registering at the same time. Fear won out in the end, the tremble it caused coursing through her body and making her hands shake slightly as they clenched and unclenched on the wheel.

"I-" Lori began her eyes still glued to Callie's. "I don't know what you're talking about," Lori continued her foot reflexively pushing down on the pedal causing the car to drift faster along the road.

"I'm talking about Shane," Callie said quietly, her eyes shifting out the windshield briefly a Lori continued to anxiously clench her hands around the wheel. Lori's head was shaking and the car was speeding up a bit more causing Callie to worry. "Lori, calm down. Stop the car and we can talk."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Lori said again, her eyes shifting away from the windshield and over to Callie. She stared at Callie confusedly as the car continued to speed back into the forties, completely ignoring what Callie had said and lingering on the source of her current unease. "Why would I be afraid of Shane? He's a good man. He's Rick's best friend; his partner. Why-"

"Why isn't he the one you thought to ask to bring Rick back, then?" Callie said in return, willing to let Lori linger in her fear for a moment longer as long as the woman was going to finally fucking face the truth. "Why isn't he the one out here, Lori?"

"I –" Lori began again, the stuttering sound of her voice instantly making Callie feel bad for the way she was questioning her. "I don't-"

"Pull over, Lori," Callie said feeling the car still moving at too fast a rate, and seeing that Lori's attention was still focused more on her than the road. "Let's just stop and-" Callie's eyes flicked out the windshield out of habit and widened. "Jesus! Watch out!"

Lori's eyes shifted back to the windshield and both she and Callie stared at the form of the lone Walker they were careening towards. There was no way they would be able to slow down in enough time to avoid impact so both women braced for it. Eyes closing in automatic response to the impending crash. Lori's arms locked on the wheel as she pressed at the brake in a futile effort to stop them before they hit. The Walker had stopped in its mindless wandering across the road and was staring at their oncoming headlights.

The term 'deer in the headlights' echoed in the back of Callie's mind as the world around them began to slow. The beams of the headlights were reflecting in the dead white eyes of the man they were hurtling towards. The car was slowing, but not enough after Lori's speed-demon act. Lori woke from her frozen stupor a fraction of a second before Callie did. Her arms unlocked from their braced position and she began to turn the wheel. Callie reached across to help pull the wheel and turn them away.

But it was all useless effort.

They hit the Walker at nearly forty miles an hour. The body of the dead man crashed into the hood and then the windshield and they both screamed as the glass shattered but didn't fully break. The spider-web effect of the impact was as disorienting as the sensation of the car turning and spinning out of control beneath them. The back end was sliding forward now and they'd almost completed a complete 360 degree turn when the second impact happened.

This one came from below, the front passenger side tire caught onto something lying along the roadway. The impact caused a loud crack and reverberated through the sedan. Callie's right arm braced on the door and her left lifted from the wheel where she'd been helping Lori control the vehicle to brace on the ceiling. She felt the sickening motion of the car tipping to the right and her head turned towards the window in time to see the roadway crashing towards her.

Lori screamed and her hands braced on the ceiling and center console as the car tumbled off to the side. The car rolled onto its roof and Callie's eyes closed tight as her head bounced hard off of the ceiling, her left hand painfully stinging as her head crashed into it. They were still rolling, the driver's side hitting the ground now and Callie's head again impacted against the frame of the car.

They were sliding now, along the driver's side and the last thing Callie remembered through the pain of her throbbing head and the loud grinding sound of the car sparking and skidding along the asphalt was catching sight of the limp form of Lori as the darkness of the night around them invaded her mind and pulled her under its veil.

* * *

Something was trying to beat its way into Callie's head. Or maybe out of it. Whichever it was, and whatever it was, the thing was using her eyes as the port to freedom. Callie dragged in a painful gasp of air as she closed her eyes tighter trying to keep whatever was clawing at her eyes from succeedingin whatever the fuck its mission was. She only needed another moment and she'd be able to push the thing back and she'd feel comfortable enough with opening her eyes.

Sighing heavily Callie tried to twist away from the painful rope that seemed to be digging into her very sore right shoulder. As she shifted the rope tightened and she winced as it cut deeper into the already seemingly seared open skin at her neck and shoulder.

"What the fuck?" Callie muttered as she tried to roll her head around on her sore shoulders, hoping it would help the pain. It didn't. In fact, in only made it worse and she groaned in response to her body's protests. Callie's eyes tightened again, this time in a wince against the pain she was causing herself and she shook her head in an effort to clear the throb that had begun to grow behind her lids. She lifted her left foot and braced it against the closest thing pushing her body up a bit out of the odd slump and hold that the rope seemed to have on her. The pain was alleviated a bit, but not much. "The fuck?" Callie muttered again, working to lift her right hand to her sore head.

It was then that the feeling of gravity working in an odd way against the weight and angle of her body became truly noticeable. Then that her eyes flew open to take in the world around her. It was dark except for the small bit of light reflecting in through the strangely shattered glass hanging at an odd angle in front of her. Callie's brow narrowed in confusion, but as she stared at what she soon recognized as the front dash of the inside of Patricia's sedan things began falling back into place.

The Walker that they'd hit. The shattering, but not breaking, of the front windshield at the impact. The car spinning. The second impact that rocked them and flipped the car. Lori's limp-

Callie's eyes flew downwards and she spotted the unconscious woman in question. She was lying against the driver's side door, her thin framed body curled in on itself slightly, with her shoulders hunched awkwardly.

"Lori," Callie said in a raspy tired voice, her head pounding with just that single word. "Jesus," Callie seethed out through her teeth as she shimmied around in the restraint of the fucking seat belt around her. "Lori," Callie said more firmly, pushing away the dredges of that pounding and wiggling a bit more. She shifted her right arm, wincing at the harsh pain and flexed her fingers towards the seat belt release. "Lori," Callie said again as she worked to get the seat belt free. "Fuck." Callie said through her tightly clenched teeth as she yet again failed to get the belt free.

Callie's eyes drifted down to where Lori still lay motionless against the driver's side door, the seat belt loose around her thin frame but still clipped in place across her lap and shoulder. Callie winced as she tried one more time for her seatbelt to release and then gave up on a disgruntled sigh. Shifting painfully she began inching her right hand down her leg to where her knife was now housed in the sheath in her boot. Her finger scrabbled for the hilt, the searing pain of the seatbelt yet again digging into her sore, most likely welted, shoulder and collar bone.

The only real sound she could make out was her harsh breathing as it puffed out of her clenched teeth, but just as her fingers found purchase on her knife she picked up another sound. A sickening and frightening sound that instantly had her blood running cold and her eyes snapping down to where Lori still lay unconscious.

Fingers and what looked to be a mouth in the dim light of the headlights reflecting back in on them was pushing its way through the cracked spider web glass of the windshield. Clawing and ripping and pushing in right in front of Lori.

"Shit," Callie seethed her hand clawing more frantically to pull the knife from its sheath in her boot. "Lori!" Callie called as loudly as she could over the rush of blood in her head. "Fuck, Lori. This is no time for a nap. Open your eyes."

Callie finally pulled the knife free, a rush of triumphant glee going through her as shimmied around in her aloft position. The Walker was apparently too intent on its seemingly easy prey to notice her, and continued to claw and push its way through the windshield. Callie's eyes remained on Lori watching in a breathless moment of anticipation as the woman's body began to slowly stir. Lori stirred but didn't awaken, fingers convulsing just a bit on her stomach where her hand had landed.

Callie stuttered in a harsh breath her eyes skipping between the Walker forcing its way through the windshield and the woman who may or may not be dead on the seat below her. One more bounce between the two and Callie was moving, trying desperately to make as much noise as she could to drag the attention of the Walker away from the woman it was so intent upon eating.

"Hey fucker!" Callie called out, her voice a hoarse rasp as she twisted painfully in her seat. "C'mon you son of a bitch, fresh meat right here!" Callie shimmied a bit more, bracing her left foot against the center console as she worked herself into a better position. Her eyes shifted away from the slightly moving Lori and the Walker to the passenger door's window just above her right shoulder.

It was cracked from the impact of the first roll, a slight breeze filtering in from the outside washed over her and she sucked in that cold air. Ragged groans from below had her eyes widening and she reached painfully over with her left hand to grab the door handle. Callie pressed her shoulder hard into the door wincing and pushing to no avail. The fucking thing was jammed from the crash and there was no way she was going to get it open. Not in time to help Lori.

Without another thought Callie slammed her right elbow hard into the already cracked and broken glass of the window. The pain was intense but as her eyes skipped yet again down to where the Walker had broken almost an entire hand through the windshield she pressed on through it. Again her elbow slammed hard into the window, the tempered glass broke in that odd yet familiar way that had Callie slipping back to the last time she'd shimmied out of a broken car window.

A time that seemed so long ago now. A time before she'd made it to the Quarry and the rest of the crew. A time she'd put herself into true danger for the lives of two other people. People she didn't even know at the time, but now were all she lived for.

Ben and Gracie's faces flashed into Callie's brain as she pushed her arm through the glass of the window. Her eyes slipped down to Lori still slightly stirring against the door below her as that fucking Walker's hand pawed at the lapel of her jacket. Through the rush of adrenaline she felt the glass slice into her arm in multiple places, shredding through the sleeve of her lightweight hoodie and deep into the tissue of her arm.

Callie screamed through the pain, her eyes closing slightly as Carl's face, and Rick's face slipped into her mind's eye. She stared down at Lori for a single second, her right arm now torn and bleeding groping at the door outside her knife still held in place between her tightly clenched fingers. Her eyes slipped to Lori again and she growled low in her throat as she braced her left hand to the console.

"Swear to God," Callie muttered through her half-clenched teeth and past the sting of pain in her arm. "You better not be a fuckin' Walker, Lori. That'd be the last straw. Riskin' my ass for a fuckin' Walker."

With that Callie slipped her knife down and sliced through the two straps of the seat belt. Instantly she felt the impact of gravity taking its toll and if not for her arm and foot braced on that center console she would have been falling right down on Lori and that Walker pawing at her. As it was she had the upper hand and she pressed hard and propelled her right arm back out the window, using her clenched hand and already injured elbow to clear more of the glass out of her way as she pushed through the broken window.

The sounds of her escape caught the attention of the Walker and her last glimpse down at the pawing hand before she pushed herself out of the car was of it retreating slowly out the windshield. The cool evening air hit her hard and almost cooled the rushing heat of the adrenalin she'd built up. But as she shimmied up so that she was sitting on the passenger side door and stared down at that Walker that was now staring up at her like she was the last human treat on the planet that adrenalin built to a new fucking level.

"A'right, fucker," Callie said shifting her right leg out of the car and bracing her body as she stared down. Her left foot followed and she crouched as well as she could precariously over that broken window knife held in hand and ready. "Here I come." Callie said shaking her head at the idiocy of what she was actually about to do.

She was almost about to jump down, when Glenn's voice saying something about never leading with her feet echoed in the back of her head. She said a silent apology to the kid about breaking the rules, shifted quickly and jumped down feet first towards the slowly standing Walker below. Her ass slid over the hood of the car and her fingers streaking down the surface as she used it to guide her way down. Her right foot hit the Walker followed by the left and her eyes closed as the rest of her came crashing down on top of the fucker.

The next sensation Callie felt was her foot pressing through something and her ass connecting hard with the ground. She half rolled to the side, her body scrambling against the clawing of the still moving Walker below her. Her right foot was wedged into something and as she finally got herself into position to see what she grimaced and groaned right back at the fucker hissing at her from the ground. Her boot had worked its way right through the sternum of the bastard, and was wedged into the ribcage in an oddly macabre sort of way that almost had her gagging as she violently shook her foot to get it free. In a moment of sheer clarity, as the Walker's hands grabbed tight onto her right ankle and pulled its head towards her calf, she realized that she didn't have time to worry about where her fucking foot was.

Surging up from where she sat on the ground she swung her left leg over the Walker's body, her right foot pivoting inside the rotting chest cavity of the dead man below her. Her foot worked free, but she kept it where it was as her left knee came down hard on the pavement on the other side of the Walker. Her right foot pressed down where it sat in the body of the walker and she hefted her right hand high. With a heavy grunt of a fucking battle cry she plunged her knife down deep into the raised head of the Walker and twisted the blade. The Walker went limp below her, its hand still clamped around the leather of her boot over her right ankle.

Without thinking Callie let her ass fall down so that she was sitting on the dead Walker, her right hand still clenched tight around the knife in the fucker's head. She dragged in deep breath after deep breath and stared at the Walker for a good couple of seconds before reality crashed back down around her. In the next moment she was pulling her knife free and kicking her now gore covered right foot out of the chest cavity and at the ragged glass shredded jaw of the Walker.

"Motherfucker," Callie seethed as she kicked again the Walker. Its head was becoming less and less recognizable as she kicked and finally she succeeded in kicking hard enough to land her ass back on the pavement on the other side of the Walker. "Fucker," Callie breathed out as she wiped the back of her clean left hand over her suddenly dry mouth. She continued to stare at the Walker for a moment before a sound from inside the car caught her attention. "Lori!"

Callie scrambled onto her hands and knees, wincing past the pain of her jarred legs and ankles and the searing heat of the slices in her right elbow and arm. She crawled clumsily over the sprawled legs of the Walker and over to the small hole that the fucker had created in the windshield and stopped.

Lori's eyes were still closed but she was moving more, pulling slightly against the seatbelt still holding her in place against the back of the seat. A low moan left Lori's mouth and Callie let out a shuddering breath against her firmed lips.

"Lori," Callie ventured quietly into the abyss of the interior of Patricia's sedan. She waited and inched forward a bit more watching as Lori's head began to roll from side to side. "C'mon, Lori."

Thoughts of poor Sophia, her broken neck and lacerations, flooded Callie's mind. The realization that she might actually get proof that they were all infected right here and right now, had bile rising up in the back of her throat.

Slowly Lori's eyes began to blink open, and Callie held her breath waiting for the woman to come around. Lori's eyes opened wide the next second, her chest heaving as she sucked in a huge breath and Callie let out a sigh of relief as she watched the woman's dark eyes fretfully search around her. Callie fell back onto her ass again and let her head fall back slightly listening for a moment to Lori shift and at the sound of a painful wince Callie was back up on her knees.

"Oh my God," Lori's said in panicked tone as her eyes darted around her. Lori's hands frantically began working towards the seatbelt and Callie shifted a bit more towards the windshield.

"Lori," Callie said in a quiet and firm voice that she hoped would help to calm the woman down.

"Oh God, Callie," Lori said as her eyes snapped towards the windshield. "Oh God, are you—"

"I'm fine," Callie said lifting her right hand and grimacing at the pain the action caused. Lori's eyes flashed with worry and Callie gave her a small smile. "How badly are you hurt? Can you move? Do you have any pain anywhere-" Callie lifted a hand to try and still Callie's jerky frantic movements. "Stay calm and stay still, you could—"

"Get me out of here," Lori said in a rush cutting off Callie. "Get me the hell out of here."

"Okay. Okay, stay calm and stay still," Callie said shifting up a bit her eyes shifted around the interior watching as Lori continued to pull at the seatbelt holding her in place. "Here," Callie said using her left hand to reach her knife through the hole in the windshield. "Cut yourself out."

Lori reached forward, hesitating only a moment as her hands touched on the gore and blood covered hilt of the knife, and went to work cutting the belt over her body and then at her lap. Callie shifted her eyes up to the passenger side door that she'd escaped through and then to the woman still cutting herself out of the seatbelt with shaking hands. Shifting her eyes around her quickly to check the area she let out a sigh and wiped her blood soaked hand over her sweat covered brow. In the next moment she was unzipping her hoodie and wincing her way out of the thin material.

"Here," Callie said as she shifted towards the hole in the windshield again and caught Lori's shocked eyes. "Take it. Cover your head. I'm gonna kick out the windshield." Callie finished and held Lori's unblinking, confused stare. Sighing she shook the bloody material at the woman, letting out a sigh as Lori finally grabbed it and stretched it over her face and head. "Don't drop it until I say to," Callie said shifting a bit painfully to her feet.

Bracing herself against the roof Callie lifted her right boot and kicked hard at the hole the Walker had made in the windshield. Her heel connected soundly and she felt the impact reverberate through her already sore muscles. Wincing she kicked again and again sending glass shattering towards Lori inside. A few more kicks and the window was broken enough that Lori would be able to fit through.

Callie let her legs crumple under her and she sat gingerly upon the glass littered pavement. Breathing hard and blinking past the pain in her head Callie shifted towards the windshield again.

"Okay, Lori. Hand me the sweatshirt," Callie said almost breathlessly, reaching out with her right hand before retracting it in a pained motion. Shaking her head she reached out with her left hand and took the sweatshirt laying it over as much of the window pane as she could. "Okay, crawl out carefully. Keep your back down," Callie practically yelled as Lori began to slip forward. Lori's eyes snapped to her and Callie grimaced and shrugged. "From experience, just keep your back down, okay?" Callie said reaching a hand out to try and help Lori as she slowly worked forward.

Lori crawled slowly, wincing with the movements and Callie knew the moment the woman's hand pressed down hard on the glass littered ground. A whispered explicative followed by the shake of Lori's head almost had Callie laughing. Almost.

After a bit of slow crawling by Lori and help from Callie both women were settled on the ground breathing hard with their backs braced to the perpendicular hood of the sideways sitting car. Callie's head was back against the hood, her eyes shifting up and down the street keeping an eye out for any more unwanted visitors. Shifting her eyes beside her she saw Lori staring at the body of the Walker on the ground near the car. Callie watched Lori's chest rise and fall with each shuddering breath she took in, blood stained the left side of her face from a cut along her forehead and another along her cheekbone. Callie's eyes went to her right elbow, where she was now holding her hoodie to the bleeding appendage. Her eyes slipped back to Lori in time to catch the woman place a shaking hand over her abdomen and that movement had Callie shifting onto her knees in front of Lori.

"How's your head?" Callie asked quietly as she reached forward with her left hand, leaving her right arm tight to her body to help with the pain. Lori blinked in surprise and shifted her eyes away from the body to where Callie was kneeling before her. "Any pain in your neck?" Lori's head shook slowly as she stared at Callie. "Good. Any pain anywhere?" Again Lori's head shook and Callie nodded as her eyes flitted back to the inside of the car.

"Callie?" Lori said in a quiet tone dragging Callie's eyes back to her. Callie followed Lori's eye line to her arm and she shook her head and waved off the other woman's concern.

"It's fine. I cut it on the glass," Callie said shifting towards the windshield. "I'm gonna grab the bag and flashlights. Stay put," Callie said forcefully and then shifted in through the windshield and grabbed for the bag of supplies. After working her way back out Callie rummaged through the bag and pulled out the Fat Lady. She stared at the gun for a moment before checking to see it was loaded and shoving it at the now shifting Lori. "Here," Callie said getting to her feet and picking up her knife from where Lori had dropped it on the street.

"What are you doing?" Lori asked as she gingerly got to her feet. Callie spared her a quick look and then shifted her eyes back down the highway.

"I want to see what we hit," Callie said holding her knife tight and shifting towards the back of the car. She heard Lori shuffling behind her and turned raising a hand. "Stay here, keep your back to the car and your eyes open."

"I'm coming with you," Lori said forcefully and Callie spun on her shaking her head.

"No you're stayin' here, and you're resting," Callie said forcefully, lifting a chiding finger to cut off the woman's reply. "Don't. Just—" Callie sighed and shifted her knife into her left hand again holding her right tight to her body. "Lori, I know about the baby."

Callie's words had Lori's eyes going wide and she let out a sigh at the confusion and fear she saw on Lori's face. Callie gave Lori a reassuring smile and lifted a mollifying hand to her.

"Just stay put and rest," Callie said bending and grabbing the flashlight from her bag. She flicked it on and slid the light up the highway where she could just make out something in the road. Callie's eyes flicked back to Lori, who stood motionless staring at her and shook her head before starting off towards that something in the road.

Callie had made it about five feet from the car before she heard the shuffling of feet behind her. Turning she caught Lori's hard eyes watching as she slowly worked her way past the overturned trunk of the car. Just as Callie was about to admonish her Lori's eyes went wide.

"Watch out!" Lori yelled. The crazed look in Lori's eyes caused Callie to turn just in time to see the reaching arms of the Walker staggering towards her.

Callie staggered back, her heel catching on the pavement as the Walker continued towards her. She had the horrifying sensation of falling as the Walker's hands found purchase on her shoulders. Callie crashed into the pavement, her bloody and torn right elbow hitting hard into the ground and causing her to gasp painfully and lose the grip on the flashlight while her left hit hard and her knife flew from her grasp. The walker fell on top of her and Callie's hands were instantly up fending off the undead bastard as it lunged towards her.

"Oh God!" Callie yelled as she turned away from the putrid mouth coming towards her. Her head turned and she caught sight of Lori lifting the Fat Lady and pointing it towards them. "No! Don't shoot it!"

"You just gave me the gun," Lori yelled back as she worked to aim at the moving Walker currently on top of Calle.

"As a last resort!" Callie yelled back pushing with her injured arm and letting out an aggravated sigh. "We didn't really go over moving targets, and I'm not in the mood to get shot, Lori!" Callie heaved the Walker a bit and seethed through her teeth. "Smash it!"

"With what?" Lori said in an agitated yell as she continued to work to line up her shot.

"I don't know! Improvise!" Callie yelled back. She let her eyes slip to the other woman and watched her continue to line up a shot. "Lori, you fire that gun you're gonna call every walker nearby right to -" Callie stopped and let out a slightly stuttering shriek as the Walker pushed at her. She could feel her arms getting weaker, her right damn near ready to give out against the push of the thing on top of her.

Just as her arms were ready to give out the something smashed into the back of the Walker's head. The momentum of the hit sent the Walker careening towards her and Callie shifted her head quickly to the side to avoid its face falling on her. Its hands unfurled from her shirt and Callie used whatever strength she had left to push the dead weight of the thing all the way off of her, before just laying there and taking in ragged breath after ragged breath.

After a second she opened her eyes and looked up to find Lori staring down at the body of the Walker. Callie shifted up onto her left hand, her right arm throbbing in pain now from the impact with the ground and she scooted herself away from the body over towards Lori. Lori blinked a few times and then crouched down placing a shaking hand on Callie's shoulder as she helped her to move further away. Callie's eyes were stuck on the Walker and she couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of the flashlight sticking out of the back of the Walker's head, the beam still on with a smear of blood across the lens causing a fucked up Bat-Signal of sorts to be sent up into the night sky. Callie shifted her eyes up to where Lori half sat behind her and she chuckled. Lifting her right hand she patted Lori's arm and nodded.

"Nice," Callie said breathlessly her own eyes still on the Walker lying dead on the ground. "Thanks."

* * *

Not a word had been spoken between Lori and Callie since her muttered 'thanks'. Not a word as they both walked down to discover that the object that they'd hit on the road was in fact a body. A Walker's body just left lying on the road. Not a word when Lori wrapped up Callie's bleeding arm in her sweatshirt, leaving the shards of glass inside until they got to a safer and brighter place. Not a word as Callie checked over the gash in Lori's head and the bruises they both shared from the wreck itself. Not a word since Lori began walking down the highway, heading towards town and her errant husband instead of back towards the farm, leaving Callie to stare after her in a bit of awe.

They walked together in that strangely comfortable silence, eyes peeled to their surroundings and ready for the next eventual Walker that would stumble across them. Because it was only a matter of time with the way their luck had been going. Callie shifted her injured arm around wincing slightly as the pain inched its way up her arm and into her fingertips. She caught Lori's gaze slip to her briefly before her eyes were again on the road and Callie shifted the flashlight beam across their path.

Not a word had been spoke since they'd left behind Patricia's car so when Lori finally did speak, Callie was honestly shocked at the choice of words.

"Part of me hates you," Lori said quietly and Callie's brow twitched in a bit of shock mixed with amusement as she looked at the woman beside her. Lori's eyes shifted over to her briefly and then back to the road. Callie was a bit unsure how to respond so she merely shifted her eyes back to the road and then did a sweep behind them for good measure. "You walk through this world so unaffected by everything, and it's just-"

"I'm far from unaffected, Lori," Callie said calmly, keeping her eyes away from the scared woman beside her. "I just compartmentalize better than most."

"Whatever," Lori said shaking her head before glaring ahead of them. "I hate that you can do that. Hate it and admire it."

Another minute of silence flowed out and Callie figured that was going to be the end of the conversation between them. Yet again she was wrong.

"He told you," Lori said in a timid voice that had Callie shifting her eyes over to the other woman. Lori's hand was resting over her stomach and Callie's lips twitched into a small smirk. Lori's eyes met hers and she shook her head slightly before continuing. "Of course he did," Lori said with a continuing shake of her head. Lori's eyes shifted over Callie and held upon the holster sitting on her hips. Lori's flashlight shifted over and illuminated the small golden star of Rick's badge that Callie had pinned on at Gracie's request before leaving. She held the light on that badge for a good long moment as they walked and then finally shifted it off. "He trusts you," Lori said on a sigh of such internal paint that Callie actually felt it.

"He loves you," Callie said back immediately, her footsteps slowing to match Lori's. Lori's eyes shifted to Callie's and held for a moment before she looked away again. "He trusts you too."

"I'm not so sure anymore," Lori said quietly, the words echoing so loudly through the darkness around them that you would have thought the woman had shouted them. "You didn't see his face when -" Lori cut herself off and wiped angrily at a tear streaking down her cheek. Shaking her head she let the statement linger in the air. They continued walking and Callie found her eyes rooted to the woman beside her still warring with something. "Shane thinks I love him. Thinks I kept everything from Rick because-" she waved her hand around in a defeated motion.

"You do love him," Callie said cutting her off. Lori's steps halted and Callie did as well, her stare finding Lori's shocked eyes and holding. "You do. But you're not in love with him." Callie stepped just a bit closer to Lori and ducked her head slightly to catch Lori's wavering gaze. "Are you?"

"No," Lori said immediately, her head shaking wildly with the single word. Callie nodded and began walking again, leaving Lori to follow her this time.

"Shane's a good man," Callie said quietly and the scoffed a bit. "I know we don't get along. I know. But at some point in his lifetime I know that was true. I don't think you or Rick would have put up with him otherwise," Callie said shifting a bit of a smile at the still silent Lori. "How long?" Callie asked causing them to stop walking again as Lori looked up at her confusedly. "How long has he been showing an interest in you, Lori?"

A beat of heavy silence flowed between them as they stood on the road just staring at one another. Callie held Lori's gaze for as long as she could, willing the woman to realize that she wasn't as alone in the world as she felt. Lori let out a long sigh and shifted her free hand gingerly through her dark hair, her eyes shifted away and her head shook slightly before she spoke.

"It wasn't an interest," Lori said quietly and Callie shifted slightly on her feet. "It was innocent. Rick and I hadn't been-" Lori stopped herself and caught Callie's raised knowing brow. Lori nodded and gave a slightly aggravated huff. "You know," Lori said waving her hand a bit between them. "He talks to you, trusts you, I know you know." Callie nodded, keeping her mouth shut so as not to shut down whatever Lori was going to say. "Shane, was a flirt. Day I met him I knew that. He was always smiles and endearing words back then, that was just the way he was. To everyone," Lori said with a small smile at the small bit of a memory from her life from before. That smile faded quickly and she raked her fingers back through her hair. "It was flirting. That's all. It seemed like forever since Rick had flirted with me, so when Shane would do it, I-" Lori stopped and looked up at Callie with a look of guilt and anguish written along her features. "I wouldn't discourage it."

Callie nodded and Lori let out a rattling sigh, her eyes blinking wildly to hold in the tears that Callie could see shining even in the darkness around them.

"And then when everything happened," Lori continued, her eyes shifting down the road towards the town. "And I thought I'd lost Rick, I didn't know what to do. I was so lost, Callie. So alone, and I -" Lori shook her head and wiped angrily at the tears freely falling down her face. "It was a mistake. A mistake that everyone knows about. A mistake that everyone judges me for, and that I'll never be able to outrun."

Callie looked away then and after a second she began walking again, leaving a slightly dumbfounded Lori to shuffle after her in shock. Callie's eyes slipped over to Lori and she smiled before doing a sweep of the area with her flashlight.

"I remember that first someone new," Callie said with a smile and a bit of a chuckle. Lori stared hard at her and sniffed back her tears as Callie continued to smile at her. "C'mon now, I've been divorced almost as long as you and Rick have been married." Callie smiled wider as Lori's eyes widened a bit. Callie saw the moment that the story of her marriage and divorce registered in Lori's mind and watched as yet again Lori lifted her hand to her stomach. Callie smiled sadly and then shifted her eyes back to the road. "I'm not a hundred percent positive, but I'm pretty damn sure that I'd be safe in assuming that Rick was your one and only for a lot of things way back when." Callie's eyes remained on Lori's and she watched the woman dip her chin down just a bit in affirmation. "That first taste of someone new after so long with someone else can be intoxicating. It can blind you," Callie said quietly as she continued walking. "Make you think you've found something you were missing. But it's just different, not special not magical, just different from what you'd had for so long."

"You're talking rebound," Lori said incredulously. "You think Shane was a rebound?"

"I think Shane was a friend to you, and he kept you and your son alive and kept you safe. I think he offered a comfort when you needed it, and you took it." Callie said firmly as they yet again came to a stop. "Now here's what I know. I know you love your son and would do anything for him. I know you love your husband. I know you're a good woman, a strong woman, and a formidable bitch when you need to be. All mothers are." Callie said with a smile that Lori returned just a bit. "I know you feel guilty for something you had no clue would be as devastating as it apparently has been when you did it. I know you'll carry that guilt for the rest of your life." Callie stepped forward and put a hand to Lori's slim shoulder and squeezed it. "I know Rick loves you. And he will love and protect this baby until his dying day, because that is the man he is."

A beat of silence filtered along the road again and Callie watched as Lori worked to wipe away more tears that slipped past her best defenses. Callie squeezed Lori's shoulder lightly and then let her hand fall to hold on to her injured right elbow. Just as Callie turned to start off down the road again Lori spoke.

"Dale said that Shane killed Otis," Lori said quietly and Callie spun back to star at the other woman. Lori held Callie's gaze steadily and firmed her lips waiting for some kind of response.

"He knows that?" Callie asked lifting a brow and Lori shifted her eyes away and shook her head.

"He thinks it," Lori said in return again letting her fingers slide across her damp cheeks. Lori's arms crossed over her abdomen and she shook her head lightly. "I have a feeling you know the truth." Lori continued, her eyes boring holes into Callie as they stood on that road. Callie's jaw tightened just a bit but she remained stoic, not knowing what good would come from confirming the news. Lori's psyche was already on edge, one more push wouldn't be good for anyone. Lori sighed and looked away briefly. "You asked why I went to Daryl," Lori continued calmly and Callie perked a bit. "You wanted to know why I didn't go to Shane. Well, that's why," Lori raised a hand out before her as if offering the information for viewing and judgment. "I didn't go to him because Shane is in love with me. Because Shane is convinced that I love him, that our time together was more than just a rebound or just a product of the world ending. He's convinced that the baby I'm carrying is his. I didn't go to him-" Lori stopped and swallowed the rest of her statement.

"Because you didn't trust him to bring back the man you love alive," Callie supplied in a knowing tone that had Lori's eyes shining with new tears as she stared back at her.

"I didn't say that," Lori said quickly, her head shaking and her eyes wide. "I can't believe that of him, I can't. He risked his life to save me and Carl," Lori said in a wavering tone, her head still shaking back and forth. "What kind of person would it make me to think that of him; think that of someone I care about? To think that of someone that I've trusted for so long?"

Callie firmed her lips and stared back at Lori, watching as the woman tore herself up over everything she'd just said. While Lori may not have totally believed what Dale had apparently told her regarding Otis and Shane, some part of her did. A part of her saw the truth in it, because Lori knew Shane better than anyone. Just like Rick.

The only difference between the two of them now, was that Rick had already begun to realize that the Shane they'd known was letting this world seep into his soul.

The sound of a car coming down the road cut off whatever Lori was going to say and had them both turning to face the oncoming headlights. Callie placed herself slightly in front of Lori, her right hand resting on the butt of her gun in the holster at her hip. The car sped to a screeching halt not far from them, its momentum sending it slightly turned. Callie spared a quick look back and Lori, noticing that the slim woman had pulled the Fat Lady in preparation for whatever was coming.

Squinting in the beams of the headlights Callie watched the driver's door fly open and she let out a low sigh as her hand shifted off of her gun slightly. Slowly she reached out and put a hand atop Lori's shaking ones and lowered the Fat Lady's barrel to the ground.

"Jesus," Shane's angered and out of breath voice echoed around them and Callie's body slackened just a bit. "Are you a'right?" Shane asked as he approached them, his eyes locked on the still form of Lori slightly behind Callie.

Callie shifted slightly out of the way of the oncoming idiot. She narrowed her brow as he stalked up to her and she rolled her eyes when he glared at her as he pushed past. She shifted her eyes to Lori, noting that the woman still had a tight grip on her gun. Slowly she began to head back towards Lori, Callie's hand again settling on the butt of her gun.

"I saw the car and the Walkers," Shane said stopping near Lori, his hands reaching out as Lori turned away. Callie caught Lori's eyes as she started off down the road towards the town and followed slightly behind at her side. Shane was stalking up behind Lori, his hands still reaching out as he shifted his eyes quickly to Callie and then back to Lori. "Are you a'right?"

"Fine," Lori said back over her shoulder, pulling her arm free of Shane's hand as it finally found purchase on her arm.

"You're not fine, you're bleedin'," Shane said reaching out and this time succeeding in stopping the woman and turning her. His eyes took in the jagged cut across Lori's forehead and they slipped angrily over to Callie. "What the fuck were you thinkin'? Bringin' her out here like that? You coulda got her killed-"

"Stop it," Lori said forcefully as she pulled her arm out of Shane's grasp. The Fat Lady was held tight in Lori's right hand, while her left worked to push her hair out of her face as she glared at the man before her. "She didn't drag me out here, I dragged her. I wasn't about to sit around while Rick and Glenn were out there alone."

"I would have -"

"Helping Rick hasn't been one of your priorities lately, Shane." Lori said tartly and Shane flinched back from her. Lori's eyes shifted to Callie and then back to Shane, weariness was clear in her eyes but she was holding her ground against it. "So excuse me if I'm having trouble swallowin' that. I am not going back there without my husband."

"He's back," Shane said after a beat, the statement causing Lori's eyes to flash open wide, and Callie's to narrow. "They're back," Shane said shifting his eyes over to Callie and holding her gaze for a moment.

"Danny?" Callie asked quietly, her eyes still narrowed upon the face of the man. Shane's lips firmed tight for one second as he stared back at her, his tongue darting out to wet his upper lip. Callie could almost see the wheels turning in his head as he looked at her. As he worked through his answer. His eyes shifted to Lori who looked relieved but obviously still worried about her friend, and then quickly back to Callie. Slowly a smile that was more fake than any she'd seen in a long time began stretching over his lips.

"Yeah, Danny too," Shane said lifting a hand and then letting it fall to his side. Lori's quiet and breathy 'thank God' was drowned out by the blood rushing through Callie's head as she stared at Shane. He shook his head and chuckled lightly as he kept his eyes on Callie, gauging her response. Watching, reading her like she knew he could. "Limped his ass in not ten minutes after Rick and the rest came back. Useless trip here, girls. Makin' people worry for nothin'," Shane continued, his eyes shifting over to the visibly relaxing Lori staring at him. He reached out a hand to her and this time Lori didn't flinch away, instead she let him squeeze her arm gently and pull her just a bit towards his waiting car. "They're back and they're fine. Now let's get you back and looked at."

Lori's eyes shifted over to Callie, her feet halting Shane's pull of her towards the car. Lori was waiting for Callie to say something. Waiting for Callie to walk along with them. Callie's eyes flicked to the road and then back up to Shane who was waiting as well, his lips firmed tight.

She shifted her weight on her feet, and felt the dull throb of the wounds in her right arm pulsing anew. She knew her face held the hint of disgust at what she was about to do, but she swallowed it down as she looked over to Lori and smiled tightly.

It was really the look on Lori's face that made Callie's decision, the unsure but hopeful look. The look of a woman who wasn't ready to be out here. The fear of what their continued journey into town would mean for Carl, and for that unborn child she carried was clear on Lori's face.

It was clear and it was taking over Lori's mind and blinding her to the truth. The simple and very blatant truth of this situation.

Shane was lying.

There was no way that Rick would send Shane out after them. No way that Rick wouldn't have come himself to get his wayward wife and ensure her safety and that of his unborn child. No way in hell that Daryl would stand by and let Shane be the lone person to come out after them either, no matter what kind of strangeness had settled between them. Just no fucking way.

Rick, Glenn and Hershel weren't back at the farm. Danny hadn't hobbled his ass back. Everything the man had just spouted off was a fucking lie and the bastard knew Callie would be able to see that. But he also knew that Lori wouldn't, that the woman would continue to go on trusting him.

Callie's arm was throbbing and bleeding and she winced as she shifted slightly. Her eyes shifted to the cut on Lori's head and then down to where Lori's hand had once again found a resting place over her stomach. Thoughts of that unborn baby and the possible damage that the car crash had done flashed in Callie's mind. Followed quickly by thoughts of Carl waiting for his momma. Worrying about her.

Thoughts of Ben and Gracie and Daryl probably doing the same for her.

Callie's head began to nod and she slowly headed towards Lori who let out a relieved sigh. Callie slipped her arm through Lori's and broke Shane's hold on her arm as she guided her towards the car.

"Everyone's probably worried. We should get back," Callie said quietly her eyes slipping to Shane. Lori's head nodded numbly as she let Callie open the door and help her into the passenger seat. Callie's eyes shifted to Shane standing near the front end of the car, his eyes shifted from her bleeding arm to her face and then to Lori settled inside.

Callie closed the door and stared hard at Shane. They remained that way for only a second but it felt like it stretched to hours. Finally Shane gave her a single nod and let a small smirk slide onto his lips. He lifted a hand to point disinterestedly at her bleeding arm and his smile grew.

"Ain't a bite is it?" Shane asked with a bit of a sneering chuckle that had Callie scoffing and reaching for the back passenger door.

"Fuck you," Callie said just before opening the door.

Shane barked out a laugh and Callie rolled her eyes as he worked his way towards the driver's side door. Shane got in and slammed his door shut, leaving Callie to stare down the roadway towards the town. With a sigh she shifted her eyes inside the car and then ducked into the backseat, her hand reaching out to touch onto Lori's shoulder. Lori turned back to face her and Callie forced a smile onto her face before giving her another reassuring squeeze. Shifting just a bit Callie's gaze locked with Shane's in the rearview mirror and she sneered back at him.

"Let's go," Callie said firmly letting her hand fall back onto her lap, right next her gun settled snuggly in her holster. She felt the moment that Shane realized his own precarious position, and couldn't help but smirk at his glaring eyes in the rearview mirror. A moment later Shane shifted the car back into gear and turned them back towards the farm. As they rode Callie couldn't help but stare out the back window wondering if she'd made the right choice.

_There's nothing worse, in this world_

_Than payback from, a jealous girl_

_The laws of man, do not apply_

_When blood gets in, a woman's eye_

_Well, she hit them with her ten cent pistol_

_Because they ruined her name,_

_Well, she hit them with her ten cent pistol,_

_And they've never been the same_

_~Ten Cent Pistol / The Black Keys_

_AN: So there's a nice little chapter…I don't even know what to say here so I'm just gonna let it go as is. This was torture to write, probably because I was so disjointed in my process which doesn't make for a happy little writer me. But…IT'S DONE. _

_Next chap we'll be catching up with the boys at the bar, and then we'll be back at the farm. Moving along, people. Moving along. _

_Much Love_

_See ya next chapter!_


	50. The Regulator

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_Alright, so before we catch up with Callie and Lori getting back to the farm (and that inevitable confrontation between Callie and Daryl therein), I think it's best we see what those boys are up to at the bar. What do you think? I mean, I'm sure they wouldn't get into any trouble or nothin'….right? _

_As always, read, review and most of all…keep on enjoying. And more importantly, thank you so much for keeping on with me. Y'all have no idea what a good thing this entire venture into Fanfic and this fandom in general has been for me. I'm gonna write a fuckin' article on surefire ways to beat a bout of depression, peeps. G'bless. _

_Disclaimer: I own nothing except my dear OCs (every single one of them and the crazy shit they do) . _

**Regulator**

"What's your poison?"

As soon as the words left Danny's mouth he felt the acrid taste of his own ill-placed humor and tried to smile through it. Tried and failed, as Rick's harried gaze hit him full force. Danny's forced smile faded as Rick's head began to shake in disappointment.

"You think this funny? This a joke to you?" Rick's voice was scratchy and harsh and everything it should be for scoldin', and Danny's eyes slipped up to him briefly before settling on his hands again. Rick's head continued to shake, his one hand sliding up to rake through his grown-out hair while his eyes remained locked on the bottle settled on the bar between Hershel and Danny. "How many have you had?"

"Me?" Danny asked lifting his gaze to Rick's still agitated eyes. Danny's smile returned as he flicked his eyes over to where Glenn had come to a stop at the end of the bar nearest him. "Oh, my glass kinda slipped outta my fingers there before I had the chance to partake," Danny said waving a hand in the general direction of the door where he'd thrown his glass.

Rick's eyes remained locked on Danny's for a moment before he ducked his chin once in acceptance of the answer. The small sigh of relief that slipped out of Rick's lips before he pursed them and looked to Hershel sipping freely at his glass didn't escape Danny's notice. The feel of Glenn's hand settled upon his shoulder and clamping down tight had Danny's eyes leaving Rick as he repeated his question to the older man settled at the bar. Danny smiled at Glenn and Glenn squeezed his shoulder again before removing his hand and running his eyes down the length of Danny's arm.

"You okay?" Glenn asked starin' hard at Danny's gore covered arm and clothes. Danny let out a bit of a scoffing laugh and nodded, feelin' Rick's gaze slip back over to him.

"Oh yeah, dandy, G-man." Danny retorted putting his gore covered hand to the younger man's shoulder, and earning a groan of dismay from the kid. "You know, just followin' the rules is all. Got all mucked up when I cleared out the unwanted visitor in the backroom."

Both Glenn and Rick's eyes slipped towards the door that Danny had shifted his eyes towards and then back to the smiling Danny. Danny shrugged and slipped his eyes back to Rick staring hard at him with that weary and unhappy expression that seemed to have taken up permanent residence on the former lawman's face.

"So no Callie, huh?" Danny asked quietly to Glenn, who grimaced a bit and shifted his eyes quickly to Rick.

"She wanted to come-" Glenn began only to be cut off by the angered voice of Rick as he settled in close to the bar.

"She's worried sick about you," Rick practically growled as he leaned over the bar a bit. "Took everything to talk her into stayin' put while we came out here to get Hershel. Had we known you were here too-" Rick shook his head and shifted his eyes to Hershel and then back to Danny. "Now I'm just hopin' we can get back before she decides to do something stupid like go out lookin' for you."

Danny firmed his lips against the words Rick said and lowered his gaze to his hands on the bar, Glenn's hand settled again on his shoulder and gave a single reassuring squeeze. Danny smiled over at the younger kid and then shook his head. Rick's anger was well due. This entire trip into town, after what Hershel had explained had happened at the farm, was lookin' more and more childish and downright fuckin' stupid by the minute.

"Beth's collapsed," Rick said in a low tone, his head ducking down so that his face was closer to Hershel's. Danny's body went rigid and he stood straight up as he shifted his eyes from Rick's stoic face to Glenn's grimacing one. The younger man let his hand fall from Danny's shoulder and settled it back onto his rifle as Danny shifted a bit behind the bar counter to try and gauge the elder man's reaction. "She's in some kind of shock. I think you are too," Rick continued in that low calming tone of his.

"Patricia's there? Maggie's with her?" Hershel asked, his glassy eyes lifting for the first time away from his glass and to the man standing at his side. Rick stared at Hershel for a moment, as if he didn't quite understand what was being asked; or maybe why it was being asked. Finally Rick nodded and shifted his eyes to Danny for a brief second before leaning in again.

"She needs you," Rick said in a tone that was meant to be matter-of-fact, but came off angered.

"She needs her mother," Hershel returned in a low tone that had Rick steeling himself and Glenn backing up a step. Danny swallowed the lump in his throat as Hershel's eyes finally met Rick's. Swallowed it down hard and wished he hadn't tossed his fuckin' glass across the room so he woulda had something to chase it. "Or rather she needs to mourn her," Hershel amended coldly as he sipped at his glass. "Needs to mourn like she shoulda done weeks ago. I robbed her of that," Hershel continued in a matter of fact tone that sat ill in Danny stomach as Hershel's eyes finally slipped over the expanse of the bar to him. "I robbed her of that. Maggie too. Callie tried to—" Hershel stopped and shook his head and Danny's lips firmed tight against the pull of the older man's sadness. "She tried to tell me; shared with me the horror of what happened to her family; what you two did," Hershel's voice cracked and Danny's eyes closed.

Silence echoed around them as Rick and Glenn both stood confused by Hershel's words. Danny knew that everyone may have known now that Callie's niece and nephew hadn't made it, but they didn't know what had happened all those months ago. It wasn't something that was openly discussed. Ever. So to think Callie had shared it willingly-

"She shared that with me, knowing that more likely than not I would throw her from my land in return for her honesty." Hershel's face scrunched and his eyes left Danny's face and returned to his glass before he took another sip. "She shared that with me, offered that to me to try and make me see. And I chose to turn a blind eye to her."

"Hey," Danny said in a voice that cracked a bit at the end. Clearing his throat he caught Hershel's eyes and smiled widely before leaning down. "She's lived with me and the rest of that crew on your lawn long enough. Trust me, she's used to bein' surrounded by idiots. No harm, no foul there, Hershel."

The attempt at lightening the mood was ill-received, with a roll of the eye from Rick and a slap at the back of his head by Glenn. Danny chuckled them off and let his eyes slip back to Hershel as the older man returned to his staring match with his soon to be empty glass. Rick ducked his head down and attempted to talk sense into the older man and Danny simply rubbed at the back of his head and exchanged a glance with Glenn beside him. Danny's eyes slipped back to the bottle settled on the bar before them, his brain drowning out the sound of Rick's voice still pleading with the now silent Hershel and the rest of the world around him, his vision a mere pin prick of awareness on the liquid sloshing around and fillin' Hershel's again empty glass.

"Hey," Glenn's voice was low and barely registered, but the hand settled on his back shook him out of his stupor. Danny shifted a raised brow to the younger man next to him. "You okay? Really? You alright, man?"

"Yeah," Danny said absentmindedly as he shook his head. "Yeah," he repeated with more vigor and a fuckin' well practiced grin when he saw the worried look on his friend's face. "Just needed to clear my head a bit. Bad day, ya know?"

"Yeah," Glenn said scrubbing his hand at the back of his head and averting his eyes to where Hershel and Rick still sat in their now silent war. "Yeah," Glenn repeated, his breath leaving in a slow uneasy sigh. "Danny we found-"

"I know, Glenn." Danny said cutting off the younger man's sad admittance. Glenn's shocked eyes lifted from the bar surface to Danny, the question unasked on his lips. "Hershel told me what happened. Told me about-" Danny's eyes lifted over to where he could feel Rick's eyes now upon him. "Told me about Sophia." Danny held Rick's gaze for a heartfelt second before the former Sheriff's deputy turned away. Danny shook his head lightly and looked back to Glenn and gave another sad shake of his head. "How's Carol?"

"I don't know," Glenn said back, another low sigh leaving his mouth as his head shook. "She wouldn't talk to anyone. Didn't even come out when we buried her," Glenn's eyes shifted to where Hershel sat staring into his once again full glass, and then back to Danny. "I think she talked to Callie, which is one of the reasons Callie stayed behind I think. She wanted to come look for you but," Glenn grimaced a bit as he scrunched his brow at the slightly smiling Danny. "She knew where she was really needed."

"Always told me I'd be on my own," Danny muttered as he ran a hand through his hair and scratched at the back of his head. Glenn gave him a confused look and Danny waved him off not really wanting to get into the dynamic of his early relationship with Callie.

Their conversation died off and Danny realized that the bar had gone completely silent. Rick still stood beside the stoic Hershel who was apparently perfecting his ability to completely ignore everything and anything that tried to kill his fuckin' buzz. Danny wasn't sure how long the two men had been in that position, but when Rick's eyes lifted away from the elder man and over to Danny, he knew it'd gone well past Rick's point of acceptance.

Rick chucked his chin off towards the door and Danny stood up and slapped a hand to the still slightly confused Glenn standing beside him. Rick pushed off the bar and took a few steps towards the still shining sun filtering in through the dirty windows of the bar. Danny pushed at Glenn and followed slowly behind, his leg feelin' stiff as hell from standing as long as he had been. Wincing a bit he flexed his leg as much as he could as he walked. He felt the stare of both Rick and Glenn on him as he slipped into the small circle that they created behind Hershel and waved both of them off.

"I'm not gettin' anywhere with him," Rick said in that harsh angry tone that he'd walked in with. Rick's gaze slipped to Danny and Danny couldn't help but shrug. Which apparently wasn't the reaction that Rick was looking for because it caused him to shift up and get right into Danny's face. "This ain't some joke, Danny. Beth-" Rick stepped down as Danny lifted a hand in surrender and raked his hands through his hair.

"What have you two been doing here?" Glenn asked trying to calm the waters a bit and Danny speared him with a humored look. "I mean what have you been talkin' about? Like, do you know what-"

"There is no 'what's it gonna take', G-man," Danny said shifting his eyes from Glenn's exasperated expression to Rick's annoyed one. "Jesus, he just got slapped g'mornin' by this new fucked up world we live in. The man is broken, and beat down and he is tryin' real hard to process something that we've already worked out." Danny turned to Rick and put his face right in the other man's. "You gotta remember what that's like. Finally comin' to terms with what this all really is. He's doin' that now," Danny waved a hand out at Hershel's back and then looked back to Rick. "He's just wakin' up from a really nice dream, Rick. And he's wakin' up to this." Danny's hand waved to the room in general and Rick let out a long sigh as he began to pace a few steps away.

"So what do we do?" Glenn asked watching Rick pace and shifting his eyes to where Hershel still sat with his back to them. "Just let him go; wait for him to pass out?"

"I can wait with him," Danny said quietly, his hand lifting tiredly to his head so that he could again rake it through his disgusting hair. "We've got his car. I can bring him back when he's ready. Trust me, I'm better equipped to handle this-"

"Just go!" Hershel's strong voice, that booming Southern pride that had always filtered over every word echoing out around them and causing all three men to turn to him. "Just go."

"Oh are you rejoining the conversation now?" Danny said in a haughty tone as the older man pierced him with that fatherly annoyance that Danny loved so much.

"I'm not jokin' around with you, Danny." Hershel seethed out as he stood up and started towards them. "I'm not playin' some game. I'm a grown man-"

"A grown man who chose to play the silent-treatment game with the men who risked their lives out on the road to come find you," Danny shot back raising a brow at the man now glarin' daggers at him. "Don't pull that grown –ass man bullshit with me, Hershel. I had that glass in my hand same as you. And I think we both know that makes us anything but grown men. It makes us foolish children takin' the easy road instead of workin' our way down the harder one."

Hershel stared hard at Danny, the muscle of his jaw ticking with the emotions that the man was working so hard to keep in check. His eyes remained on Danny until Rick stepped up and settled a hand on Danny's shoulder. Danny spared Rick a glance before stepping aside so Rick could yet again try and talk sense into Hershel.

"I promised Maggie that I'd bring you home," Rick said getting Hershel's gaze off of Danny and back onto him. Hershel scoffed and waved Rick off and Rick continued to advance.

"Like you promised that girl's mother," Hershel spat back. The hit was quick and true to its mark as Rick's steps faltered just a bit.

"Low blow, Hershel," Danny growled out as he stepped forward and up to Rick's side. "Fuckin' low and you know it," Danny put a hand to Rick's back, a hand that was quickly brushed off by the former Sheriff's deputy. Hershel's gaze slipped between Rick and Danny, and Danny saw that Hershel regretted the words, and the wound that he'd so knowingly inflicted upon Rick.

"So what's your plan, here?" Rick's voice cracked slightly and he cleared his throat as he advanced on Hershel as the older man turned his back. "Finish that bottle? Drink yourself to death? Leave your girls alone-"

"Stop," Hershel boomed out again as he turned back to face Rick and the rest. "Just stop. Stop tellin' me how to care for my family; how to run my farm; how to deal with-" Hershel took a breath and looked to Danny before looking back to Rick. "Just stop. I can't-You destroyed it all do you understand that. You people are a plague!" Hershel's fisted hands lifted to the air as the tension in his body finally grew to be just too much.

"Hershel-" Danny called out his steps leading him forward even as the older man's hand lifted to wave him off. Hershel again turned his back and walked to the bar, his hands immediately grabbing his glass but not lifting it to his lips. Danny and Rick exchanged a look before following with Glenn slowly edging up behind them.

"I didn't want to believe you, Rick." Hershel's defeated voice echoed out and Danny found himself frowning as once again stepped behind the bar so that he could face the elder man. Rick settled in at Hershel's side and they sat and watched the man war with the liquid in his glass. "You told me these people were dead, not sick. You told me the day you arrived, and you told me after you and Callie took Jimmy to the church. You told me, and Callie told me, and I chose to ignore you both. I chose to do that." Hershel sucked in a breath and he looked up at Danny settled again in front of him.

"Hershel," Danny again tried to reach out to the elder man and again he was waved off.

"Just go," Hershel's defeated tone broke Danny's heart and he lowered his gaze to the bar surface between them.

"You know what? Fine," Rick's voice boomed out this time, and Hershel's eyes snapped to him. "I'm done. I'm done cleanin' up after you, and listenin' to you put the weight of this world on to me and my people. Yes, we opened your eyes to things. We did that, and if you think that's a bad thing, then so be it. I'm done tryin' to right a wrong I'm not even sure I've made." Rick shifted so that his face was closer to Hershel's. "Death has always been death. It will always be death. That will never change. Hope will always be there hiding in the darkness, and we may not be strong enough to keep it alive in us, but we are strong enough to keep the ones who _do_ have it alive. This world isn't about us anymore, about what we believe or don't believe, it's about them," Rick's arm waved out in a long arc towards the door. "Our people, back home. The people that _need_ us. You can choose to believe that or ignore that as you will. But I won't be held responsible for it anymore."

A long beat of silence echoed out around them, and Danny watched as Hershel and Rick stared hard at one another. There was so much being said in the look that filtered between the two men that Danny felt dizzy just trying to comprehend it all. Finally Hershel's head nodded, it was a slow single move of his head, but that gesture seemed to send a flow of much needed air back into the room. Danny heard Glenn let out a sigh of what he figured was relief and he couldn't help but chuckle lightly at the kid settled at the end of the bar near him. Danny's eyes met Hershel's as the elder man turned from Rick and they shared a small smile.

Danny's head nodded at Hershel as the older man turned over his glass and slammed it down on the bar. Hershel muttered what sounded like 'better men than I' before letting his eyes lift from his turned glass and slip from Danny to Rick. As Hershel stood Danny let out a sigh of relief, a breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding as Rick and Hershel continued their round and round argument over a subject that had no right or wrong answer. He let out that breath and followed it with another chuckle as he slipped his eyes to where Glenn was running a hand over his forehead, meeting the younger man's relieved gaze. He let it out and then felt it stop cold in the middle of his chest as the sound of the door creaking open snapped his head to the small sliver of light now filtering in.

Two figures stood blocking some of that sun. Two figures that weren't moaning or groaning, fuck they weren't even moving. They just stood there, stunned the same as the four men that they'd just walked in on. Danny leaned onto his hands on the bar, feeling the muscles in his arms coil and tense as he pressed against the uneasiness growing in the air around him.

"Son of a bitch," a gravely voice echoed out through the dead silence that had grown in the wake of that squeaking door. "They're alive."

* * *

"Sorry to burst your bubble there, pal, but Fort Benning's overrun by lame-brains," Dave's matter-of-fact tone had Danny's eyes lifting right from where they'd settled on Rick's and over to the newcomer settled at the table. Shifting on his feet just a bit behind the bar Danny furrowed his brow and caught Dave's eyes.

"Wait, what?" Glenn's voice had Danny and Dave's attention turning to him. "Fort Benning's gone?"

"Sorry, man," Dave said tiredly as his eyes roamed over to his rotund friend settled near Hershel at the bar.

"But-" Glenn's eyes shifted to Danny, his worry evident on his face and screaming out like a beacon to the right person.

"S'a'right," Danny muttered lifting a hand to Glenn's shoulder as he shifted his eyes back to the now slightly more interested Dave at the table. "You've actually been there?"

"Nah. Rumors of places being overrun work fine for me," Dave said with a smile as he shifted his eyes over Rick and Hershel and then back to the smiling Danny. "You know, ain't one to risk it. Man says the place is a no go, then I 'no go', you understand right?"

"Oh yeah," Danny said shifting up a bit and smiling widely as Rick looked back over his shoulder at him. "I get you, man. If it ain't a sure thing, it ain't worth the risk these days."

"Yeah," Dave said quietly as he shifted his eyes down to his now empty glass.

Rick's eyes shifted away from Danny and over to the smaller man who obviously seemed to be the designated talker of the two newcomers. Danny continued to smile at Dave as he watched the man's eyes shift to his rotund friend again before settling back on Rick. Oh yeah, this guy was the talker. He was the smooth one. The one who was good at getting you to let your guard down. Danny shifted down so that he was settled on his elbows on the bar and just watched Dave's eyes shift away from Rick and over to Glenn. Danny's smile widened as Dave began to nod just a bit and then looked down at his glass.

Oh yeah, he was the smooth one. The one who could see the easy mark. Danny saw that fuckin' plain as day. Because when it had just been him and Callie and the kids on the road, he'd played that part himself. While Callie had played Rick's role of quiet observance. Odd how these little things seemed to just replay over and over.

"So, Glenn," Dave's voice broke the uncomfortable silence and Danny had to hold back the bark of laughter he wanted to let fly. "Those your cars out front?"

"Yeah," Glenn said answering honestly, just like Dave knew he would. Dave's head nodded and Rick's eyes shifted back to where Danny was patting Glenn on the back.

"You all livin' in them?" Dave asked his eyes shifting away from Glenn, knowing that his continued questioning of the kid would be considered suspect. Dave's eyes shifted over Danny who grinned widely at him and then to Rick and Hershel. "I mean, we're livin' in ours and yours just seem so…clean. No supplies, no junk. No lame-brain gore on the grill."

"You car shoppin'?" Danny asked idly as he lifted a brow at Dave who faltered a moment before smirkin' back. Danny shrugged and shifted his eyes to where he could feel Tony's gaze on him. Smiling wider Danny put his eyes back to Dave and raised an open palm. "Just seem real interested in 'em, s'all."

"Just wondering where your supplies are there, Danny." Dave said in that disarming tone he had, the smile adding a bit of magic to the statement that Danny had to appreciate. Danny smiled back and nodded letting his hand fall back to the bar beside his gun that had yet to make it back to its resting place at the small of his back. The placement of Danny's hand didn't go unnoticed by Dave, or his fat fuckin' friend, and Danny smiled when both men shifted just a bit in place. "Just don't look like you all are livin' in them, so I was wondering where you was set up. See we've been on the road a long time, and wanted to know if this area was safe," Dave shifted his eyes to Rick and Hershel, and then back over to Glenn who looked fuckin' startled.

"It can be," Glenn said in response to the question he hadn't even really been asked and Danny shifted his eyes over to the younger man. Glenn looked at him with a confused look and then looked back to Dave. "I mean," Glenn shrugged and shifted on his feet a bit as Danny settled further onto his elbow, settling his chin in his hand and watching the stuttering Asian. This was a different world than the one in which Glenn had picked up strays and led them to safety at the Quarry, and as Glenn's eyes surveyed Danny, Rick and Hershel's faces, Danny watched that knowledge settle hard on Glenn. "Uh," Glenn started again, squaring his shoulders and looking Dave right in the eye. "It could be. Only had a handful of Walkers around here."

"Walkers?" Dave repeated and raised a brow, his eyes shifting to Tony who shifted on his ass a bit. "That what you call 'em?"

"Seemed the most PC outta our choices," Danny said with a smile as he shrugged at the smiling Dave.

"Wouldn't wanna offend the dead fucks," Tony muttered from his seat and Danny chuckled.

"Exactly, Tony." Danny said pointing a finger at his nose and tapping twice as the other man glared at him. "Why give 'em more reason to bite my ass, right?" Tony gave off a scoffing 'heh' sound before shifting his annoyed gaze back to the amused Dave. Danny smiled widely at the slightly annoyed glance that Rick shot him before both of them were turning back to the once again smooth talking Dave.

"So, seriously, you guys set up nearby?" Dave asked his eyes shifting away from Danny and this time over to Rick and Hershel. Now ready to work his magic on the stoic ones, the ones he knew he would have to win over if he was going to get any real info anymore. "That new development?"

"Trailer park or somethin'?" Tony's nasally voice boomed out and everyone shifted a bit to watch the big man strut his way in front of Hershel and Rick towards the juke box. His one hand still gripped the rifle he'd walked in with, and Danny shifted himself just a bit closer to where Glenn was settled as the big man walked. "A farm?"

The word echoed low in the head of everyone, and the sickening sound of Dave's low humming of Ol' MacDonald's Farm had Danny's mouth tilting a bit in a sneer. Rick's gaze shifted over his shoulder to where Danny stood and the silent acknowledgement of the danger was quick. These two men were obviously getting tired of the games. Danny shifted a bit more on his feet and elbowed at Glenn's outstretched arm, an action that again garnered a confused expression from the younger man.

"You on a farm?" Dave's voice echoed out, but Danny didn't spare him a second glance. His attention was instead held by the second man. The one blatantly toting his gun on his shoulder now. The one that he knew had less experience with it. The one he knew carried the larger gun simply because he thought himself a big enough man to wield it.

The man currently pissing on the floor.

The sound of Tony's piss hitting off the floor caught Rick's attention and again Rick's wary gaze met Danny's.

"You gotta be," Dave said sitting forward so that his hands clasped in that oh so non-threatening way between his knees. The same way that Rick's were settled as he sat straight across from him. "You got food? Water?"

"You got cooze ?" Tony's voice slithered out over the sound of his pissin' and this time Danny's sneer couldn't be held in. "Ain't had a piece of ass in weeks."

Thoughts worked their way into Danny's head at the sound of that word. Thoughts and memories that had the color red shading his vision. Swallowing hard he forced a large grin on to his face as Dave excused his 'city-boy' friend for his manners. Danny shifted on his feet and flattened his hands down on the bar in front of him, the sound of it echoing and gaining the attention of each man. Chuckling Danny lifted his gaze to where Tony was glaring at him over his large shoulder.

"You know I knew a guy 'fore all this named Big Frankie that got himself into a lot of trouble talkin' like that 'bout some ladies down in Shreveport," Danny said smiling widely at Tony who continued his never-ending piss on the floor. "Ended up shanked and then some in lock-up 'fore we could get his ass out."

"You got a point?" Tony shot out, the angered tone obviously worrying his companion as Dave began to raise his hands and try and diffuse the situation before it got out of hand.

"Just makin' small talk, Tony." Danny said still smiling and shifting his gaze to Dave before shifting it back. "You ever been called Big Tony? You know what? Fuck it. I think I'm gonna call you Big Tony. You think that'd be okay?"

"Look fucker-"

"Danny," Rick's voice, hoarse and grave as ever exploded through the room and Danny raised his hands in surrender and watched Tony glare at him as Dave waved him down as well. Danny once again settled his hands on the bar and smiled widely as Dave gave him an assessing look before shifting his attention again and continuing on in his calm voice as if nothing had happened.

"Now, Glenn, about this farm-"

"We're done talkin'," Rick said firmly cutting off whatever Dave was about to ask. "We're done," Rick repeated with a calm air of finality as Dave's mouth opened to protest. Dave's eyes ricocheted away from the wide-eyed Glenn and back to Rick. Raising a palm he worked to maintain his reasoning air, but his desperation was giving way to his true colors. Colors he had to know that Rick could see plain as day.

"Now come on, Rick." Dave started slowly. "We all gotta be realistic 'bout this. We got men back at camp who ain't takin' to this new way of livin' as well as all that."

"Glowin' endorsement," Danny muttered, earning a scathing glance from Dave before the man continued on.

"Nowadays it's about us versus them. This don't seem like a bad idea to me; us joinin' up with you. We'd add to your numbers, pull our weight, pool our resources," Dave's voice was still calm, his hand held out palm up in a very placating and calm manner. He wasn't yelling and it struck Danny at that moment that the man may not have been a bad guy before all of this. He may just have been good at getting what he wanted, just like Danny had been. Good at playin' the room for all it was worth. But the edge to his eyes when they shifted over to his slightly shuffling buddy killed whatever 'good' Danny may have seen in those eyes. "Now let's be reasonable," Dave said lifting that open palm of his higher towards Rick and Hershel.

"I'm sorry it's not gonna happen," Rick said shaking his head, his mouth drawn tight into a frown at the fact that his words just didn't seem to be hitting home.

"We can't take anymore in," Hershel added, his calm voice echoing Rick's sentiment and adding a firm force of finality that seemed to be needed. Dave's head was shaking now, his eyes looking to his boots while Tony was shifting away from the wall and moving his weight from foot to foot.

"What about fuckin' Southern hospitality? How's 'bout that?" Tony sneered at the room at large.

"This is Southern hospitality, Hoss," Danny said leaning forward on his arms a bit and once again gaining the glare of the big man. "You really wanna see me _not_ bein' hospitable?"

"That's enough," Rick said shifting his eyes slightly over his shoulder to where Danny was settled. Danny shrugged and tilted his head back to where Dave and Tony were and Rick let out a small sigh. "Discussion's over."

"Look, I understand," Dave said shifting in his seat so that his legs crossed one another. The pose was quite frankly the most non-threatening he could achieve, but the man didn't seem to realize that his body language just didn't matter anymore. Rick's head tilted to the side and his brow lifted as if he felt Danny's stare on the back of his head. "We've got people we're lookin' out for too. People who depend on us. I understand-"

"We don't know anything about you," Rick said calmly, his hands still resting idly on his thighs as he stared at the man desperate to prove himself anything but the threat he actually was.

"You're right," Dave said catching Rick's eyes and holding them. "You don't know anything about us. You don't know what we've had to go through; things we've had to do." Dave's eyes shifted to where Rick's boots rested on the floorboards and Danny sneered at the man. The thinly veiled threat of those words echoing low in the back of his mind. "Things I'm sure you've had to do yourselves. Ain't no one's hands clean in this world, Rick. So what do you say we take a nice friendly hayride-"

"That's not gonna happen," Rick said cutting off the rest of Dave's words with a shake of his head. Rick's hands lifted, palms up a small shrug of his shoulders and that tiny little frown of mock sorrow aimed right at the man still staring at him.

"This is bullshit!" Tony's voice boomed out and he began to move towards Dave.

"Calm down," Rick's voice echoed over it, his annoyance at the situation finally getting the better of him.

At that point Dave got to his feet, as Tony began to rail his anger at Rick who also pushed to his feet. Danny shifted slightly again, his elbow smacking into the still stoic form of Glenn at the end of the bar. Glenn gave him a look as his hand shifted to down to where he'd settled his rifle along the floor and Danny shook his head slightly, putting a calming hand to the kid's shoulder. Tony's anger boiled over, his rifle still hung over one fat shoulder as he threatened to shoot them all and take their farm. Danny tasted the bile in the back of his throat as his fingers slipped over the butt of his gun on the bar, and he felt Glenn's eyes bouncing around between each man in the room.

"Relax!" Dave called out, his hand flying out to hold off the advancing form of Tony. "Relax," he repeated, his voice calm again and that fuckin' little smile of his back in place. Tony stepped back and Rick stood his ground between the two newcomers, watching with distain as Dave lifted a friendly hand to his shoulder and patted it twice. "Nobody's shootin' anybody. Right, Rick?" Dave patted again shifted just a bit to head towards the other side of the bar. His eyes met Danny's briefly before he bounded over and settled there.

The distinct sound of Tony's big fuckin' hands landing on the rifle slung around his back had Rick's attention shifting just a bit. Danny rubbed his fingers slightly along his sweaty palm before fully encircling the butt of his gun. He kept it on the bar, hidden as well as it could be behind the small lip of the bar and let his peripheral pick up the movements of all three men. Dave lifted his gun from behind his back and settled it on the bar, his hand lifting away and his eyes shifting to Danny. That damn smile of his was back and a small nod of Dave's head had Danny nodding back. Danny lifted his hand from his gun and raised to the air where he wiggled his fingers at the smooth-talkin' son of a bitch smilin' at him.

"There we go. Just friends having a drink," Dave said shifting his eyes away at the same time as Rick shifted his slightly towards Danny. The exchange was small, but the message was clear and Danny's fingertips landed back on the bar near his gun and began to tap out a slow irritating rhythm. Tony's eyes shifted to Danny and Danny smiled at him, as Rick moved his eyes back to Dave now clapping and rubbing his hands as he chuckled. "Now where's the good stuff," Dave's voice continued and as he ducked behind the bar, Rick's hand slapped to the gun sitting in his holster.

Danny continued to drum his fingers along the bar, feeling Glenn's agitated movements and wishing he could reach out a hand to the kid's shoulder. But he couldn't. Tony's eyes were glued to Danny's fingers, the sneer lifting his sweat-slicked upper lip as Danny drummed and drummed, his fat hand slightly shifting to the gun settled at his back. Danny drummed and drummed, his eyes still on Dave as the man lifted his bottle to the sky and uncorked it. He drummed and drummed his fingers right beside his gun and ignored the stare of Tony, ignored it with every fiber of his being. Rick kept his eyes on Dave and his hand on his gun, his feet shifted just right so that he could pivot just at the right moment.

"You gotta understand," Dave said as he poured himself a glass and looked up at the stoic fuckin' disinterested Rick. "We can't stay out there. You know what it's like. We can't stay out there."

"Yeah, I do," Rick said calmly his head giving a single nod. "But the farm is too crowded as is. I'm sorry. You'll just have to keep lookin'."

"Keep lookin'?" Dave asked with a raise of his brows, his eyes shifting around along the bar in front of him before going back to Rick. Rick held his ground, his eyes locked upon Dave in a way that Danny had only seen them lock on a person once before. The image of Garrison's bloody body bounced into Danny's mind and had his fingers drumming a little harder upon the surface of the bar. "Keep lookin', he says. And just where do you expect us to do that?"

There was a single beat of silence that fell over the room as Rick stared at Dave and Dave stared back. An electric sort of chill filled the air, cracklin' along the edges of everyone's nerves as they all waited for the next move. It was Rick who shifted, his shoulders rollin' as he no doubt fought against that electric tingle that was running down his spine.

"I don't know," Rick's coarse voice slid out over them, low and commanding as he shrugged off Dave's questions. "I hear Nebraska's nice."

Dave's laughter was loud and strangely out of place in the space between Danny's ears. It droned through the buzzing in his head and echoed like the horn of an advancing army approaching in the distance. The bile rose higher in Danny's throat and the next second seemed to stretch out long and slow. Dave was chucklin' his amused voice sayin' something like 'this guy', and then he was moving.

Dave's hand hit his gun a second before Rick's was pulled, yet somehow Rick was able to fire first. Danny didn't see where the bullet had gone, merely saw Rick pivot in his spot, his body lowering just a bit as if to duck the shot from behind.

A shot that never got fired.

Danny's arm flew in front of Glenn pushing the kid out of the way and behind him. His gun was up and two shots were fired into Tony's chest before Rick even finished his turn. Danny stared down the smoking barrel of his gun at Tony's limp body and the trail of blood that led down the wall to it. Danny blinked back into awareness as Rick slowly moved towards Tony's body.

His words to Hershel from earlier echoed low in the back of his mind as he tightened his grip on his gun. _I almost killed a man_. Danny felt the bile rise again in the back of his throat and swallowed it, realizing now just how foolish he'd been acting since that run in with Shane hours and hours ago.

How foolish, and how forgetful.

It wasn't like Shane would have been the first man Danny had killed in this new world. Hell, he wouldn't even have been the second.

Danny pushed himself forward to meet up with Rick near Tony's fallen body. Together they stood and stared down at his lifeless form. Danny swallowed against the bile one last time and sneered at the taste it left in his mouth. A taste that Danny could see that Rick was just getting his first taste of.

Danny stared at the side of Rick's face, watching the muscle of his jaw tick along no doubt with each rapid beat of his heart. Danny's heart went out to him as he watched Rick's eyes blink into a stark new awareness. It was shocking to watch up close.

Shocking to watch a man wake up to this new world they lived in. But that's what was happening here. Just as it happened to Danny and Callie too early on, and Shane at that FEMA station. Rick was wakin' up.

His alarm was the resounding clamor of a bullet from a gun. The same sound that heralded Rick's fall into that coma all those months ago was now wakin' his ass up. Rick swallowed one last time before lifting his gun again. Danny's brow furrowed as Rick stared down at Tony's lifeless corpse.

The last shot was louder than the rest, echoing out as the bullet ripped through Tony's forehead and splattered his brain along the wooden wall that he slid down to his final resting place. What remained of his head layin' in the puddle of his own piss. Danny's brows furrowed deeper as Rick lowered his gun, but smoothed as he lifted his hand and rested it at Rick's tense shoulder.

"G'mornin, Rick," Danny muttered quietly to the man beside him.

Rick looked over sharply and held Danny's gaze with a look that Danny had no idea how to interpret. And just as he was about to ask, another new voice called out and had them looking away from each other and towards the door. A voice calling out from somewhere in the growing dark. A voice very distinctly calling for Dave and Tony.

* * *

"Your friends drew on us," Rick called out again his breathing becoming slightly erratic as he clenched and unclenched his hands along the butt of his gun. Danny exchanged a look with Hershel from his spot beside Glenn at the door and gave a single shake of his head back to the elder man's wide eyes. "They didn't give us a choice!"

"Rick," Hershel's calming voice whispered across them and Danny shifted his eyes to see Rick shaking his head, ignoring the elder man completely.

The sounds of the men's agitated voices outside, three from what they'd seen through the window before ducking down, stayed in place near the windows. Rick's words doing exactly what anyone with half a mind would have expected them to. Fueling a fucked up situation into overdrive.

"Rick," Hershel tried again but Rick still wasn't listening, his eyes were glued to the door's fogged glass window as he listened to the men outside. Danny growled low in his throat as the men outside began to talk about breaking the door down and he finally had enough.

Reaching out Danny roughly grabbed Glenn's shirt at the shoulder and pulled the kid away from the door, shovin' his own ass in his place with a wince and a sigh. Shovin' at the now completely confused and still fuckin' scared Glenn, Danny glared at Hershel.

"Three we've seen," Danny muttered as Hershel stared at him pushing at Glenn. "Three we know about. But don't be stupid there could be more. Rick's first plan is still our best shot. You and Glenn head towards the back, make for the cars. One if you can, don't bother with both unless you need to. We'll be right behind you."

"Danny-" Glenn started his voice a whisper of unease as he leaned forward and shook his head. Danny spared him a glance and put another firm hand to the kid's shoulder giving him a big grin.

"C'mon G-man," Danny said tilting his head to the side as Glenn just stared at him. "You an' me made it outta fuckin' Atlanta with a paintball gun and some bats. We got this." Danny shifted his eyes back to Rick who was still speakin' of the rhyme and reason of it all to the assholes outside, and then over to Hershel. "Go. We'll be right behind you."

Hershel nodded and began to creep forward as quickly as he could, while Glenn remained staring at Danny with wide unblinking eyes.

"Hey, Glenn," Danny said reaching forward and slapping the kid lightly on the cheek. "A little faith man. A little-"

The shots exploded through the glass of the front door and Danny ducked down, his hand pushing Glenn towards the back of the bar. Through tightly squinted eyes Danny watched as Hershel got up and ran as fast as he could, his head ducking as more shots rang out, while Glenn skittered low on the ground and hid behind the jukebox. Rick was up now, on his feet and returning fire back out the broken window.

"Motherfucker," Danny seethed as he pushed Glenn's rifle towards the kid. "This day. I swear to fuck this day…Shoulda had that fuckin' drink." Danny shook his head as he checked the chamber of his gun and then looked up to Rick.

Rick nodded and Danny pushed himself quickly to his feet to stand at the other side of the door mirroring Rick's pose. Danny shifted on his good leg and used the barrel of his gun to shift the curtain just a bit to look out. Just as the curtain moved the glass shattered as another barrage of bullets hailed through the window, shredding the lovely fuckin' plaid curtains. Danny shifted his eyes to Rick who then looked to Glenn and nodded towards the back door. Glenn rolled his head along his shoulders and gripped his rifle tight before taking off towards the back. Hershel spared them a single look before heading off after the kid leaving Danny and Rick at the door.

"They didn't give us a choice," Rick said quietly as he shook his head and dug into his shirt pocket for more bullets. His head continued to shake as he reloaded his Python and Danny leaned towards him just a bit.

"Hey," Danny seethed through clenched teeth catching the other man's attention. Rick's eyes were wide and glassy and he blinked twice as he slapped his chamber back into place. "Who are you tryin' to convince?" Danny muttered before shifting his eyes towards the back room. "Ain't no one out there listenin' to you, and ain't no one in here that doubts you. Get me?"

Rick stared at Danny for a moment, a few deep quiet breaths between them and finally a dip of acknowledgment of Rick's chin. Danny returned the nod and winced as he clenched and unclenched his hand on his gun. Looking down he saw the glistening blood along his knuckles and groaned and grimaced at the sight.

"You hit?" Rick whispered over, his chin nudging out towards Danny's hand as he flexed it. Danny shook his head and glared at the glass on the ground and the fucked up shredded curtains to his left.

"Nah, fuckin' glass. I'm fine," Danny said shaking out his hand and readjusting his grip on his gun. He caught Rick's glance and nodded. "Really. I'm -"

Shots from the back room had them both turning and yelling out for Glenn and Hershel. With little mind to the fuckers outside Danny and Rick both took off towards the backroom, listening as more shots rang out. Danny pushed past the pain of his fucked up leg and was only a few steps behind Rick when they burst into the backroom. The sight of Hershel at the backdoor, gun at the ready and staring out into the night damn near stopped Danny's heart. Exchanging a quick glance with Rick they pushed forward.

"What happened?" Rick asked breathlessly as they came up to Hershel. The distinct sounds of man in pain filtered in from the darkness outside and Danny shoved Rick aside to poke his head out.

"He fired," Hershel said quietly, his head moving and indicating the man writhing in pain in the grassy area outside. "Must of hit Glenn. He's behind that dumpster. Doesn't look to be movin'."

"Fuck," Danny growled out as he pushed further past Rick and threw himself out into the street. He waved off Rick's urgent call of his name and dashed as fast as his fucked up legs could take him down that alley to where he could see Glenn's unmoving sneakers poking out. "Swear to God, Glenn. You better not be dead."

Danny dove his body behind the dumpster and slammed his back up against the wall, the sounds of Rick's whispering urgent voice far away now as his own breaths echoed in his ears. His eyes shifted to the side and he let out a long relieved sigh as he came face to face with a very much alive Glenn still clinging to his rifle.

"You a'right?" Danny asked breathlessly his hand reaching out and pulling at Glenn. Glenn blinked twice and Danny pulled harder. "Are. You. Alright?" he repeated slower and shook the kid for good measure finally earning an almost eager nod of the kid's head. "Son of a bitch," Danny said settling his back against the wall for a second. The next second he was pushing up slightly and slapping wildly at Glenn's chest. "You don't fuckin' do that? Damn near gave me a heart attack. Jesus, Glenn."

"Stop it," Glenn muttered as Danny continued to slap at him.

After another few slaps for good measure Danny relented and slammed his back up against the wall again. Shaking his head at Glenn he poked his head around and looked down the alley to where Hershel and Rick were still posted at the door. He sent Rick a thumb up signal and then pointed his thumb towards where the cars were parked. Rick nodded back and posted himself at the door, and just as Danny was about to push out the sound of the wounded man's cries became horror-filled screams.

Walkers were descending upon him and Danny snarled at the sight of the poor son of a bitch about to become a buffet. Shaking his head he looked back to Rick and took a final breath before turning back to Glenn.

"A'right, c'mon, G-man, looks like it's you an' me again," Danny said slapping his hand to Glenn's chest and pushing into a painful crouch. He was about to move forward when he realized that Glenn hadn't moved from his position against the dumpster. "Glenn?"

"I froze," Glenn said quietly as he stared at his rifle. Danny's brow furrowed and Glenn's glassy eyes shifted to him. "I froze," Glenn repeated with such agonizing force that Danny felt it deep in his chest. Danny stared at Glenn for a moment and watched a myriad of emotions fly over the younger man's face. Everything that had gone down today at the farm, everything that had gone down here at this bar, and that was still going on around them. It was all there, right on his face. Danny took in a deep breath and reached a hand back to settle on Glenn's shoulder, squeezing tightly he nodded his head in understanding and firmed his lips before speaking his next words.

"Better here with us than with Maggie," Danny said in a tone that was all seriousness and worked well against the big-ass grin sliding into place on his face. "Am I right?"

"Fuck you," Glenn ground out as he slapped hard at Danny's hand and pushed away from the dumpster. Danny chuckled as Glenn continued to elbow slightly forward and rubbed at his hand as the kid fell into place in a crouch next to him. "You don't understand."

"Sure I do," Danny said sliding his eyes to his friend and smiling just a little as Glenn looked over to him. "I understand, Glenn. It's okay," Danny took a breath. "Let's just try not to let it happen again, okay?"

"You're an asshole," Glenn muttered with a bit of a smirk as Danny continued to smile.

"That's my boy," Danny said shifting and wincing as his left leg pulled strangely against the stance. Glenn gave him a worried look. Danny looked down the alley to Rick and Hershel and his eyes widened at the sight of the mass of Walkers that had accumulated at the body of the fallen man. "Go!" Danny practically screamed as he pushed Glenn forward and then sprang to his feet. "C'mon!" Danny yelled down to Rick and Hershel just as the first few Walkers began trudging towards where the two men were posted up. "Move it!"

Rick's eyes flashed down to where the Walkers were congregated and a second later he was pushing Hershel out the door and following behind the slower moving man. Rick fired two rounds behind him snapping down one with a head shot and the other with a shot to the chest. Danny growled and then took off after Glenn who was rounding the front of the building.

The sound of bullets being fired had Danny's legs pumping harder, the pain pushed far down into the recesses of his mind as he watched Glenn's figure duck out of sight and the spark of a bullet flyin' into the brick where the kid had just been. Danny slammed his back up to that same corner and then shifted to see out onto the street.

Glenn was ducked down between the cars, his rifle held tightly between his hands as he worked his way slowly towards the front of the car. Danny's eyes caught Glenn's and Glenn began shaking his head before pointing a finger towards the roof of the building. Danny shifted and snarled the sight of the man atop the building.

That was two of the fuckers accounted for; but were there more?

"What's up?" Rick's out breath question had Danny turning and pointing as both Hershel and Rick came to a stop at his back. Hershel was continuing to fire at the mass of Walkers trudging their way down the alley towards them and spared a single glance back to Rick and a shake of his head as the gun clicked empty. "We gotta move," Rick said shifting and firing a couple of shots down the alley at the Walkers. "I'll cover you. Go get to the car. Now!"

Danny nodded and grabbed for Hershel, dragging the elder man behind him. He stayed low and moved as quick as he could, keepin' his fuckin' eyes on the prize of the car not too far off. Bullets began to fly, and he felt the cut of the air over his head as they imbedded into the building behind him. Glenn shifted up and returned fire giving them just the time they needed to make it to the safety between the cars.

"Keys!" Danny yelled to Hershel as he pulled the man to the ground. Glenn ducked back down just as the sound of another car roared down the road. As Glenn moved to stand back up Danny pulled him down. "Stay!"

"Place is overrun! Jump!" A stranger's voice called out and Danny shifted slowly towards the front of the car to peek around. He watched the man atop the roof jump and heard the sound of his screams. Danny ducked back behind the car and grimaced at Glenn and Hershel.

"I don't think he made it," Danny said shrugging and then shifting to watch Rick's form bolt from the alley way. Rick raised his gun towards the truck of strangers, watching as another man jumped into the bed of the truck and began blindly firing back. Danny snatched the keys from Hershel's outstretched hand and replaced them with his gun before he pushed up towards the door. "Cover Rick!"

Both Glenn and Hershel stood up and began firing at the truck while Danny shoved himself into the car. Slamming the door shut Danny took a single moment to breathe in and grimace at the pain in his leg. Shoving the key in the ignition he pressed his other hand hard to his left knee and sucked in a breath as his eyes shot out to where Rick, Glenn and Hershel stood in the roadway. The truck had pulled off and Danny's brows furrowed as he watched the trio trot across the fuckin' street leaving him alone in the now running car.

"The fuck?" Danny muttered as he shifted to reach for the door release. The sudden impact of a Walker against the glass of the window had him shoving himself back against the seat, workin' real hard to keep his heart from beatin' out of his chest. "Son of a bitch," Danny seethed as the dead man pawed at his window and shoved its gnarled mouth up against the glass. Danny's eyes shifted to the three men now across the street and he shook his head. "Fuckers," Danny muttered as he slipped his knife from his sheath and snarled at the window.

Danny pressed the button to lower the window and just as the Walker lunged inside he drove his knife into the front of its skull twisting it. Danny pushed the car door open, using the door to dislodge the dead Walker from his knife and stood up on the car's frame so he could shout over the hood.

"You know, boys," Danny called out to the men crowded around the fence near the building across the street. Glenn turned to look at him and Danny waved his knife before plunging it again into the skull of a Walker comin' up on his rear. Removing his knife with a grown he glared at Glenn as he trotted towards the car. "I gotta tell ya, after the fuckin' day I've been havin' I'm not above leavin' your asses to walk home." Glenn was making his way towards him now at a brisk pace, and it took a second for Danny to register why the kid looked so fuckin' ridiculously lost. "Uh, G-man," Danny said pointing his bloodied knife over the roof of the car. "What the fuck are they doing?"

Glenn's eyes got real big at that question and his mouth opened wide as he prepared to answer. The only problem was, the kid apparently didn't know what that answer was going to be. So, Glenn merely shook his head and lifted both of his shoulders in what Danny could only describe as the shrug to fuckin' end all shrugs and then let his arms fall defeated at his side as he pulled open the back passenger door.

"Glenn?" Danny asked as he hopped down to the ground and opened the other back door to see the kid's face.

"He's hurt," Glenn said lifting his eyes up to Danny and once again shrugging in that defeated manner.

"Yeah," Danny said not letting Glenn's gaze go as the kid tried to duck away from him. Leaning into the back of the car he put his face right in Glenn's as the younger man made room for their fuckin' guest. "That was kind of the point of returnin' fire." Glenn rolled his eyes and Danny leaned further in. "Seriously. We care?"

"Rick does," Glenn said lifting his gaze from the floor boards. Danny's head snapped back and he looked to the heaven's above before shifting to see Rick and Hershel over Glenn's shoulder workin' to put the son of a bitch that not twenty seconds ago was tryin' to kill them, into the back of the car.

"Get in the car," Rick barked out as he and Hershel hefted the sobbing wounded bastard into the backseat.

Danny caught Rick's eyes for a second and held them before tossing his arms up and heading back to the driver's seat. Throwing himself inside Danny shook his head and slammed his door shut.

"For the record I think this is a bad fuckin' idea," Danny muttered as he put his hands to the wheel.

Rick left Glenn and Hershel to settle the man into the backseat, the sound of his pain-filled gasps of alarm and Hershel's soothing voice as he worked to put pressure on the wound on the guy's leg fell to the background as Danny watched Rick open the front passenger door. Rick threw himself inside and grimly nodded at Danny.

"Drive," Rick said firmly, his jaw set and eyes sliding forward.

"Right," Danny said slamming his foot onto the brake and then shifting his eyes to the rearview mirror.

Danny could just make out the top of Hershel's head as he bent in his seat at bitch to look at the leg of the man pressed up against the window behind him. The head of the man, obviously still in a great deal of pain was bent down so that all Danny could make out was the dark mop of dirty hair. He shifted his eyes in the mirror just a bit and picked up sight of Glenn against the other door behind Rick his hands pulling at his hair in frustration as he searched the dark around them. Danny let out a sigh and just as he was about to shift the car into gear, the man in the back's head lifted just a bit and he saw his face.

Danny's blood ran cold, his hands tightening on the wheel at an almost painful level, and his breath caught somewhere deep in the middle of his chest. With wide-eyes he stared as the man-no not man, the fuckin' kid- leaned his head back against the seat behind him and closed his eyes tight in pain as Hershel tightened a makeshift bandage around his leg.

Hershel was murmuring something but the fog that had entered into Danny's brain wasn't letting anything in. Rick's voice echoed low in the back of his head as he continued to stare at that fuckin' kid in the rearview mirror, and it wasn't until Rick's hand clamped down on his arm that he shifted his wide unblinking eyes to the man settled beside him.

"Blindfold him," Danny said immediately, killing whatever Rick was going to say and replacing his worried look with a confused one. Danny took in a deep breath and tightened his hands on the wheel as he stared long and hard at Rick beside him. "Blindfold him. He can't know where we're goin', Rick. He can't know."

Rick held Danny's gaze for another beat before nodding his head once. "Do it," Rick said shifting his eyes to Hershel and Glenn in the backseat. Danny shifted his eyes away from Rick at that point and stared at his white knuckles on the wheel before him. His breath was comin' in sharp gasps that he was workin' hard to control when Rick's hand again settled on his arm and squeezed. "You a'right to drive?"

"Yeah," Danny said in a breathless tone as he shook his head against the wave of dizziness threatening to toss him into oblivion. "Yeah."

Danny pressed his foot to the brake again and put his hand to the shifter, his eyes going to the rearview one last time watching as Hershel gently worked some ripped fabric around the kid's head. He swallowed hard, wishing now that he wouldn't have given Hershel his gun, so he could have shot that little bastard dead before Rick and Hershel even made it to the fuckin' car.

_You should have closed your windows _

_And got another dog_

_You should have chained up all the doors_

_And switched up all the locks_

_And how many times have I prayed _

_The angels would speed me away_

_Dream with the feathers of angels_

_Stuffed beneath your head_

_The regulator's swinging pendulum_

_Come with me and walk the longest mile_

_The Regulator/ Clutch_

_AN: okay, so…there's Randall. And boy, Danny sure seemed to have a strange reaction to him, hmmmm? Do y'all remember why that might be? If not you may wanna go back and read NM:Safe- Paradise…. Just sayin. _

_And so….Woooo movin' the hell along people. Movin' along. Next chapter we're gonna be back at the farm with Callie and Lori arriving to find Rick and the crew aren't back. It's gonna be a bit of a Callie-focus chapter…so prepare for that. And if you really wanna know, her and Daryl are gonna 'work some shit out'…spoiler alert. _

_Not much else to say here about this chapter. I hope y'all liked it. _

_Sidenote: This is probably one of the only chapters in which I have used the actual song from the episode as the chapter title. But it's fitting and awesome so. There you go. _

_Before I go, can we just talk about this whole Season 3 of The Walking Dead. MY GOD people. First off… that scene with Hershel and Merle discussing The Bible. Fuck me, dude. I LOVED THAT. And then there's the joy of Andrea finally 'getting in the know 'bout shit'…. And then seriously… the Tom Waits song at the end… LOVE THAT song…have it in my soundtrack listing on spotify ready to be used for this fic at some point. They be readin' my mind folks. Seriously. _

_I honestly think I'm having trouble finishing this Season because I'm working to outline Season 3 while I can…and I've got all the fuckin' FEELS. Like right now. I've got mad Little Ben seein' Merle again FEELS working through me. Oh man. But, this may make you feel better to know that I have most of next chapter already mapped out so it should be a bit sooner on the update time. YAY!_

_Oh and to my reviewer Quintett – I am so sorry I'm not updating as fast as I used to. I am workin' hard to get these things out and will venture to try and get them to you as quickly as I can….but life…she's a cruel bitch, and I can't promise a certain day. I hope you understand. Thank you so much for your review and happy reading!_

_Much Love!_


	51. At This Point In My Life

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_Welcome to all the new readers. My love to all of you who have put this on your Faves list and big ups to those of you who have chosen to leave me a review…or two as you got caught up on this…_

_Alright ladies and gents. Here we go a Callie (and Daryl) centric chapter…in which we hopefully get past this odd sort of space that has settled between our duo. You know, just in time for more shit to hit the fan….. Not much else to say here except on with the show!_

_As always, read, review and most of all enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing but my oddball OC's (the few the proud, the slightly insane) and all their little side-adventures. _

**At This Point In My Life**

Daryl growled as he kicked at the shit inside of his tent, his eyes roving over Callie's bags and makin' his lips lift in a fuckin' snarl. That woman. That fuckin' woman and her fuckin' need to save everyone. He didn't need this bullshit in his life. Didn't need to be constantly chasin' after someone that knew better. Didn't need to be wastin' his time, riskin' his life…

Daryl snarled and grabbed his quiver from the corner before duckin' back outside into the now full dark night. His eyes roamed over his little campsite. His fuckin' place away from all the bullshit, that had been invaded by a hulkin' orange beast of a car and littered with cans tied together by strings. Daryl's eyes locked on those stringed up cans and held, his mind instantly slipping back to the way Ben and Gracie had looked at him when he fuckin' drove them away. The way Miles had shook his fuckin' head, like he was the adult and Daryl the child needin' to be put in his place.

"Fuck," Daryl ground out between clenched teeth before snapping his attention back to where he'd set his crossbow against the remnants of the fireplace at the center of his camp. Their fuckin' camp. He shook his head and snatched up his crossbow, slinging it over his back and adjusting the strap.

"Daryl!" a voice, Miles' fuckin' voice called out from somewhere in the dark and Daryl's head snapped up to find him. The kid was runnin' full force towards him and Daryl rolled his eyes back to his quiver and left the kid to continue shoutin'.

Not fuckin' fifteen minutes ago that kid had up and dragged Ben and Gracie down to the house, givin' Daryl a bit of much needed breathin' room. Apparently fuckin' fifteen minutes was all the breathing room that Miles deemed necessary before he came rushin' back like the world was on fire. Daryl growled as he heard the kid call out his name again, the rushed crunching of the boy's footsteps faltering a bit as he finally crested the small hill and came to a stop near the back end of the Hummer. Daryl spared the kid a fleeting glance before adjusting his quiver into place and settling his fingers to the strap of his crossbow.

Fifteen fuckin' minutes.

"Hey," Miles said a bit out of breath as Daryl shifted a bit away from him and off towards his bike. "Daryl-" the kid paused again, and again Daryl spared him a glance watching as a strange sort of confusion settled on the kid's brow. "What are you doin'?"

"What the fuck does it look like I'm doin'?" Daryl snapped at him shifting an annoyed look over his shoulder before putting his hands to his handle bars. "I'm goin' after her."

"A'right," Miles said quickly and Daryl's eyes shifted to watch the kid nod a few times before he turned to open the back door of the Hummer. "Good. Let me grab my bat."

"The fuck-"

"I'm comin' with you," Miles said duckin' his head into the back of the Hummer and pullin' out his trusty bat. Daryl shifted away from the bike to stare confusedly at the obviously perturbed kid and shook his head. Miles lifted a brow and shook his head back with a shrug.

"Ain't you the one that let her ass go? What the fuck got your panties in such a twist now that you just _gotta_ come and bring her ass back?" Daryl asked eyein' the kid as he slammed the Hummer's door shut.

"Shane went after 'em," Miles said hurriedly, his arm arching back towards the house in the distance. Daryl's brow furrowed and he firmed his lips into a line as he watched Miles stalk towards him. "We got to the house and Carol, Andrea and Dale were on the porch. They said he left an hour ago," Miles shifted on his feet and lifted his bat to point it at Daryl's chest. "An hour, man. He went out there after them, and you and I both know that he's not one to stop an 'accident' from befallin' someone. Especially if he's not really on such great terms with that someone. I'm not going to let that happen again. You're not going without me."

Daryl stared at the kid for a minute, watching the emotions fly unfiltered over his face. Watching the slight twinge of fear dart past the anger and knowin' that if Miles weren't so wrapped up in tryin' to hide those feelings, he woulda seen that same expression on Daryl's face. Daryl sucked in a deep breath and let his chin fall to his chest in a sort of defeated acceptance.

"A'right," Miles said shifting on his feet to head towards Daryl. Miles dipped his hand into his pocket and caught Daryl's attention with the jangling set of keys he held up. "We should take the Hummer. More room."

Daryl nodded his head and spat off to the side as Miles worked his way around the back end towards the driver's side. Daryl's hand snapped out and caught the kid's arm pulling him back at the same time as he snatched the keys out of his hand.

"Hey," Miles said indignantly as Daryl shoved him away again.

"Shut up," Daryl snarled as he opened the driver's side door and tossed his gear into the back. He watched Miles glare at him for a moment and couldn't help but smirk at the kid. Daryl threw himself into the seat and slammed the door leaving the glaring boy outside. Starting the car and lowering the window Daryl raised a brow. "You gonna bitch and moan or you gonna get in?"

Miles shook his head and shuffled his way around the front of the vehicle. Daryl watched the kid shake his head as he passed by the beams of the headlights piercing the dark. Before Miles cleared the front bumper he stopped again and lifted wide eyes up to Daryl. He stood that way for a few seconds before his head turned towards the house in the distance.

"The fuck you doin'?" Daryl growled out the still open window, his body leaning out to look at the kid. Miles was still staring off towards the house, and Daryl let his gaze slip that way too. He picked up the sight of bright beams of light that had to be headlights illuminating the ground near the house. In the next second Miles was off and running back towards the house, his bat still held tightly in his hand as he ran full tilt. "Hey!" Daryl yelled after the kid, his eyes shifting to his crossbow quickly before he grabbed for it.

Daryl was out of the Hummer and following close behind Miles' fuckin' fast form, cutting through the grass full throttle toward that newly returned vehicle. It took them longer than either would have liked, and Daryl's steps slowed as he watched Miles stop and inspect the empty confines of the car. It was that same fuckin' green Tucson that Shane had commandeered as his own from the highway. Which had to mean that Shane was back.

Miles' eyes slipped to the door and the kid was off and running into the house again and Daryl was left to sigh and follow. He bounded up the stairs two at a time, his gaze shifting back to that fuckin' car and then around the empty campsite before he ducked into the welcoming glow of the farm house. Daryl's eyes skimmed over the front entry way and then shifted towards the family room at the sound of voices. His hand clamped into the strap of his crossbow across his shoulder and he ducked his head as he slipped through the doorway and into the room.

"What happened?" Miles was asking, his excited and agitated voice rising and almost cracking as he looked around the room, his bat still in a death grip at his side. Daryl's eyes slid around the room taking in the figure of Lori holding a cloth to her head, the red of her blood peeking through as she winced and looked over her shoulder to Miles. Shane's eyes were shifting between Lori, Miles and the newly arrived Daryl, but the bitch didn't say a damn word.

It was Dale that got to his feet and reached out a hand to calm the upset Miles. Dale that shifted his eyes to Daryl and inclined his head for Daryl to follow him.

"There was an accident," Dale said calmly as Daryl fell into step beside the older man as they walked down the familiar hall towards that back bedroom. Daryl's blood ran cold at the words, his eyes shifting back to where Lori was sitting holding her bleeding head. Dale's other hand lifted and settled firmly on Daryl's shoulder squeezing once briefly before falling back to the now shakin' Miles' other shoulder. "The car flipped and they ran into some Walkers. Callie's in with Patricia and Maggie, getting her arm looked at. She's fine," Dale added quickly as they came to a stop and Miles' harsh breathing became almost ragged with worry. "She's fine. Just banged up."

Miles lifted a both hands and raked them through his grown out mop of blonde hair and shook his head, his voice muttering something low to Dale. Something that Daryl couldn't catch. Something that Daryl didn't care to catch. His attention had shifted the instant they came to a stop. Shifted to the two itty-bitty figures settled on the floor outside of the door to that back bedroom. The same fuckin' bedroom that Jenna had laid dyin' in. That same one that he'd been holed up in while he recuperated.

Ben and Gracie were sitting on that floor, their little heads ducked down while they waited on word of the injured woman inside. Daryl felt his lips curling in distaste for again havin' to try and fuckin' soothe these kids, of havin' to try and do something he didn't ever have done for him. He stepped forward, his hand sweating on the strap of his crossbow as he fiddled with it and again, he stopped short.

Stopped short and sucked in a deep breath at the sight of Ben's shoes slipping slowly back and forth along the wooden floor. Slippin' side to side as his little blue eyes stared at the growing bit of red liquid he was spreading around. The small drips of blood that had fallen to the floor when Callie had walked through the hall, the small drips that Daryl was only now lookin' down and seeing that he too had tread through, were smears of horror that stopped his heart.

Just then the door to the room opened and a slightly pale and tired looking Maggie stepped out. Daryl's eyes caught hers and she quickly closed the door and shook her head while lifting a finger.

"No," Maggie said firmly, apparently reading the look on his face and the way his body had slipped unconsciously forward. She held tight to the bundle of cloth in her arms and shook her head again as she advanced. "No, Cletus. I mean it. Let Patricia finish and let her rest before y'all go in there." Her eyes slipped to Dale, not noticing that Daryl's had slid to the bundle of fabric in her arms.

The blood stained, fuckin' blood-soaked fabric in her arms.

"Patricia was wonderin' if you maybe had some fishin' line or something she could use to stitch her up with. We ran out," Maggie said to Dale her eyes shifting to where Daryl's fingers were inching towards the bundle in her arms. Maggie's jaw clenched and she watched Daryl's eyes slip away from her and towards the door. She lifted a hand to his arm, her fingers barely brushing off his skin but sending a jolt through him. "She's fine. Just got a few deep cuts. Ya can go in when Patricia finishes. I promise, she's fine."

"Why don't we go see what I have?" Dale said reaching out a hand to Maggie. Dale shifted his eyes between Daryl and Miles and nodded once Maggie joined up with him.

Daryl let out a low growl of frustration and began to pace the hallway, while Miles slipped down beside Ben and put a hand to the kid's head to still his foot from its slidin' in the blood on the floor. Daryl's hand lifted and raked through his hair as he stared at the kids on the floor and then glared at that fuckin' white-washed door.

"I hate this room," Miles muttered as he shifted his knees up and rested his arms along the tops of them. Daryl shifted his glare to the kid and nodded his gruff agreement before pacing a bit further down the hall so that he could slam his fist into the wall a few times.

* * *

Callie firmed her lips, breathed in deeply through her nose and concentrated hard on the spot on the wall to her left. The pinch of the needle piercing her already throbbing skin, the fiery friction of the thread sliding through her skin, the fucking sound of it echoed in her ears and she took in another deep rattling breath through her nose, blinking her eyes closed and willing the pounding in her head to subside just a bit.

She was about two seconds away from passing out. Or vomiting. Or vomiting and then passing out and possibly vomiting again. She wasn't quite sure which, but _was_ sure if she had to sit through much more of this they were going to find out.

"I'm sorry we don't have anything to dull it for you," Patricia's calm voice, dim in Callie's awareness, slipped out into the room and Callie winced as the needle yet again pierced her skin. "I'm almost done here," Patricia's voice again and Callie's eyes closed tight as another stitch was made. "You still with me Callie? Callie?"

"Callie?" Maggie's voice and a gentle hand on her shoulder had Callie's eyes opening and her head turning towards the young woman. "Here," Maggie held out a glass of water and Callie shook her head. "A'right, but it's right here if you change your mind." Maggie shifted so that she was settled on the bed next to Callie and put her fingers to the sore bruised flesh of Callie's right shoulder. "You both got a good bit of bruisin' from those belts."

"Better bruised than dead," Patricia's voice chimed in and Callie's wincing gaze slipped to her, catching the older woman's small smile before she tilted her face back to her task. "Few more," Patricia muttered, a small tisking noise filtering out before she made the next stitch.

"I'm gonna go see what we have in a way of painkillers," Maggie said getting to her feet again and working her way towards the door.

"I'm fine," Callie said her voice sounding a bit ragged and she cleared her throat as Maggie pierced her with an oddly amused look. "Save 'em."

Maggie opened her mouth to say something but apparently thought better of it as a small smile creased her firmed lips. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked down to her feet, kicking at a small bit of imaginary dirt. After a moment Maggie looked up and her lips were once again a firm line of well disguised fear.

"You didn't see 'em out there?" Maggie asked quietly as she shifted from foot to foot. "No sign of dad or-"

"Nothing," Callie said quietly her eyes locking with Maggie's and holding. "They can take care of themselves, Maggie." Callie shifted slightly and winced as Patricia pulled tight on a stitch and mumbled a 'sorry' before continuing. "Glenn's got rules. He's very strict about things. By now, they've found themselves a place to hold up for the night. They're not gonna risk bringing back a bunch of Walkers on their tail at night." Callie shifted again and watched Maggie's head tilt to the side before shaking slightly. "Don't worry. Beth okay?" Callie asked and Maggie grimaced but nodded her eyes flicking over her shoulder briefly. "Don't worry."

Maggie nodded a couple of times before finally letting her hands fall from their protective position over her chest. She turned and reached for the knob, and before exiting she turned and smiled at Callie who was busy again rubbing at the bridge of her nose.

"I'll go get those painkillers," Maggie said and then she lifted a hand to Callie's opened mouth, cutting off the refusal before Callie could even utter it. "We'll just see how much you don't need 'em when Patricia's done and the adrenaline's worn off."

Callie chuckled as Maggie opened the door and shook her head. The girl had a point she supposed. Callie's eyes shifted to the top of Patricia's bent head, the bare bulb of the night table's lamp flaring the pale gold of her hair to life in a way Callie had never seen the sun able to do. She stared at those strands of blonde and zoned back out as Patricia finished her work. It wasn't until Patricia sat up, breaking Callie's focus and giving her a small shake of her head that Callie worked back to reality.

And pain.

"Jesus," Callie seethed slipping her eyes to her arm and marveling at the different trails of stitched skin that puffed out all over her elbow and upper arm. "Fuck that's just-" Callie shook her head and felt the sting of tears in her eyes but blinked them away before shifting her eyes to Patricia. "Thank you."

"You're gonna have quite the collection," Patricia said quietly, her head nodding towards Callie's other shoulder where the scar from her run in with Whitmore lay hidden halfway by her t-shirt, and then down towards her healing left palm. Callie nodded and watched as Patricia stood up and began to collect her tools and the rest of the bloody towels.

"I'm sorry about your car," Callie said quietly watching the reserved woman wipe her hands over her thighs before grabbing everything into her arms.

"It was foolish of you to go," Patricia said calmly, the slightly chastising tone causing Callie to nod her head and sigh. "I know you know that. I know that's why you came back with him," Patricia continued and Callie snapped her eyes to the woman as she walked to the door. "Hershel may be a bull-headed man, but he's not a fool. He may feel like one at the moment," Patricia sighed and closed her eyes before continuing. "We all do. But I have faith that your boys will be able to bring him back. You shouldn't have gone out there at all let alone with a woman in Lori's condition."

Callie nodded and firmed her lips, knowing full well she deserved the condescending tone and the straightforwardness of this woman's words. Knowing and accepting the fact that she probably deserved worse than a tattered arm and a bruised shoulder for her idiocy.

"We're all glad that you're both alright," Patricia said quietly causing Callie to shift her eyes up again. "There's really nothing more to it. What's done is done. Tomorrow, we can worry about the other idiots who are still unaccounted for."

Callie chuckled and watched Patricia nod her head before exiting and leaving Callie to her thoughts. Her mind reeled in a million different directions, the pain of her wounds making it hard to focus on any one thing for very long. She thought about the drive back to the house with Shane, the deafening quiet of it that had exploded into anger as Lori discovered that Shane had lied out on the road. Callie had left them to their fight, not wanting to stick her nose any further into any of their issues, and practically collapsed onto the porch before a worried Dale and T-Dog ushered her inside.

Her mind then slipped to Ben and Gracie, both so wide-eyed and scared at the sight of her wounded. Again. Bleeding and barely on her feet. Again. Callie's eyes closed as she thought of how hollow her words to them must have sounded as she tried to soothe away their fears while Dale took them out of the room so she could be patched up.

The searing pain in her arm flared up as Callie unconsciously moved her right hand up to pinch at the bridge of her nose. She seethed out a breath through tightly clenched teeth, and almost missed the sound of the door opening.

"I think I might take you up on those painkillers, Mag-" Callie's breath caught in her chest as her eyes shifted and met the harsh and piercing gaze of Daryl. She felt her mouth hanging open and snapped it shut as he practically slammed the door shut behind him. Callie swallowed the lump that formed in her throat and just stared at Daryl as he glared at her. His chest was rising and falling rapidly, but she could still see it coming and going in burst of threes as he apparently tried to get a hold on himself.

She stared as his nostrils flared and his eyes narrowed, and bit her lip as his hands clenched and unclenched at his sides. His gaze didn't slip from her face, didn't move one tiny bit from hers and it was an uncomfortable silence that emanated from him. Sighing she shook her head and shifted to stand, her mouth opening to say something-anything-to try and kill the tension.

He moved before she could utter a word, his hands shooting out and grabbing roughly into her upper arms. His rough warm calloused hands clenching tight and causing a fresh wave of pain in her wounded right arm. She stifled the wince and continued to stare into his eyes as he pulled her towards him, his lips twisted in a snarl as he spat his words at her face.

"What the fuck were you thinkin'?" Daryl seethed through his clenched teeth, his hands tightening just a bit and pulling her even closer. His hot breath fanned off of her face, and the pain was too much to allow her to respond so she just stared mutely up at him. "What the fuck were you thinkin' you dumb bitch?"

Callie's eyes snapped open wide at the harsh words and horrid turn of his lips. He pulled her close again and then pushed her away before snapping a finger into her face. She flinched back, more out of proximity of his finger than fear, but he was too far gone in his anger to notice it.

"You coulda been killed," Daryl snarled at her, his finger pressing deep into her chest as he pushed her further away and she felt her brow furrow as he got his face right into hers. "You-" he shook his head and lifted his finger from her chest before glowering at the room at large. His eyes shifted back to her and he raised his hand again for emphasis. "I ain't got time to babysit your ass. You-" he took a breath and shook his head as if the words just weren't forming properly in his head and she stupidly stepped towards him.

"Daryl," Callie's voice must have sparked something, something that clicked everything he wanted to say right into place. His attention snapped to her again, and he growled before pulled himself away from her reaching hand.

"I ain't your bitch," Daryl seethed at her, his spittle flinging into her face. "I ain't no one's bitch."

"I never-"

"You fuckin' leave me with these brats," Daryl continued as if she hadn't spoken, his anger fueling his pacing. He moved away from her and tossed his arms around and Callie just stood there watching in silent awe. "You leave me with them. Leave me to take care of 'em, make sure they get through shit, when I ain't even got a handle on my own shit. You just-" he shook his head and turned his back, his shoulders lifting and falling rapidly with his breathing. "You expect me to be able to handle that shit. You just leave 'em there, like I'm gonna be able help 'em. I can't fuckin' help them. I can't fuckin' be no daddy to them. You can't just leave them with me and think that's okay. I ain't equipped for this shit and I ain't your bitch here to take care of your little problems for you."

Daryl turned back to face her, his hand arching out towards the door while his eyes pierced her down to her core. He sucked in breath after breath and his lips twitched with his still bubbling anger. Again, foolishly, Callie stepped forward and again the action sparked something in him. His hand slapped hers down, the hit reverberating through her body and into the wounds in her arm and she grabbed it and held it to her body as she stared at him.

"You're a fuckin' selfish bitch, ya know that?" Daryl seethed his finger again darting out and pointing at her. "Selfish to think this shit is okay, when you promised them kids…when you promised me…" Daryl sniffed hard and snarled at her and she clenched her jaw tight. "Nothin' but a selfish bitch."

Callie stared at Daryl as he yet again pierced her with that harsh angered gaze of his, and felt her chin trembling. Felt it and fucking hated the fact that she couldn't control it. She stared at him, watching his eyes dart away from her and to the door that had creaked open.

Maggie stood staring at them in shock, her mouth agape and her hands loosely holding the bandages that she needed to apply to Callie's arm and the promised painkillers. Daryl's jaw tightened as his eyes no doubt made contact with Maggie's and then his eyes were shifting back to Callie. She held his gaze as long as she could, before his eyes were roaming along her slightly shaking frame.

She wasn't proud of the fact that she was trembling, and she wasn't really up for putting up any kind of front to try and control it. After the wreck, the Walkers, the pain and whatever the fuck had just happened here, she just wasn't up for it.

Callie caught the look that crossed his face when his eyes finally landed on her ripped up right arm and she firmed her lips and steeled her body against the urge to reach out to him again. He snarled one last time and pushed his way past the still stoic Maggie and out into the hallway. After a minute of staring out into the hallway, Maggie shook her head and closed the door turning to Callie with a worried frown.

"Are you alright?" Maggie asked quietly, as she moved towards Callie. Callie slumped down onto the edge of the bed and let out a sigh before letting her head fall into her waiting hands. She dragged in three deep breaths and blinked back the wetness in her eyes before lifting them to Maggie and smiling as well as she could.

"I think I'll take those painkillers now, Maggie," Callie replied, waving out a hand blindly to the young woman still staring down at her.

* * *

Callie's eyes skipped around the dark field as she trudged towards the Hummer. She wet her lips as the cool air slapped at her face and shook her head against the voice in the back of her head telling her that this was a horrible and stupid idea. And whether or not that was true was really left to be seen.

All she knew was that she couldn't stay in that room anymore. That same fucking room that Jenna had been in. That same one that she and Daryl had shared when he was recuperating from his wounds. Callie's eyes shifted over her shoulder to the house behind her, and shook her head. This place had too many memories now. Too many bad memories, that were clouding any sense of relief and safety she may have started to develop.

And she knew she wasn't the only one in the group to feel that way. A slight tug on her hand had Callie's eyes shifting to the small form of Gracie walking along beside her and then over to Ben slightly ahead of them. It had been Ben that wanted to go back to the Hummer, and Gracie's nodding head and tear-stained cheeks had been the final push that Callie needed to head over.

Stupid move or not, the kid's needed whatever sense of security they could get. And for Ben and Gracie that security came in the form of the hulking orange Hummer off in the distance.

And it meant her.

And Daryl.

Callie let out a sigh and winced as she lifted her right hand to rake away the stray strands of her hair. She shook her head against the tear she felt slipping down her cheek and cursed the fucking cold air stinging her eyes and making her unable to actually stop it from falling. Her eyes locked onto the Hummer in the distance and the figure she could barely make out milling about near the rear. She was so entranced by that figure that she barely picked up the slight clearing of Ben's throat before he spoke.

"Are you mad at Daryl?" Ben asked quietly his little legs stopping his forward movement. His head was bowed, staring at his small feet as they kicked at the grass and his shoulders hunched as he kept his back to her.

Callie stopped and stared at the back of his bowed head, her attention shifting only a bit when she felt Gracie's hand tighten briefly in hers. She looked down into the eyes of the little girl who seemed to be asking the same question in her own quiet way. Callie's lips firmed again and she slipped her eyes back to the boy who was now peeking at her over his shoulder. One deep breath in and a tight smile on her lips and she shook her head, knowing that her voice wouldn't work the way she wanted it to.

Ben's head nodded slowly as he accepted her silent answer and Callie slipped a small smile down to Gracie at her side. Gracie returned her smile with a small one of her own and Callie tugged a little on the little girl's hand moving them along a bit to catch up to the still unmoving Ben. Just as Callie reached him Ben shifted on his feet and bowed his head a bit more.

"Good," Ben said more firmly and nodded down at the ground before starting off again. Callie's brow furrowed a bit at the boy and she couldn't help but smirk at his small form as he slowly worked his way across the lawn. She tugged playfully on Gracie again and kept up close to him, her smile fading as Ben's voice continued on. "He's right, ya know?" Ben said his voice still that firm unfamiliar tone that it had apparently become in the few weeks that had passed.

Again Callie stopped, and her head tilted to the side as she watched Ben stop and turn towards her. She stared at his face, the way his mouth had hitched up at one corner as his own insecurity in his words broke through over his face. Gracie's fingers began to play with the bandage around Callie's hand and Callie shook her head against the sensation, not letting it distract her from the boy staring at her with such a pleading look that it broke her heart.

"He is," Ben continued his words giving him a bit of strength and straightening his back and shoulders. Callie blinked at him, again choosing to keep her mouth shut. Knowing that anything she said wouldn't be enough to apologize to the world at large. "You hurt him, just like he hurt us when he got hurt, ya know? You hurt him and you hurt us," Ben's voice quavered a bit and again he let out a big shuddering breath as his face contorted in what Callie could only assume was anger. Anger at her, at the world, at himself for not being able to properly say what he wanted to. Or thinking he wasn't being clear, when in fact, she understood exactly what he was saying.

Again she felt the tears stinging her eyes and again she blinked them back and held the gaze of the boy before her. Ben took a few deep breaths and sniffled a bit before once again steeling his shoulders and lifting his chin.

"You can't do that stuff anymore," Ben said firmly his lips firming into a little line of ire. Callie stared at him and he nodded his head and pointed a finger at her, a move that reminded her so much of Daryl that she just couldn't help the small smile that tipped her lips. "You just-," Ben took a breath and nodded once more before continuing. "You just can't okay?"

"Okay," Callie said nodding her head in return, working hard to keep her lips firmed into a straight line as she watched Ben. The boy's head continued to nod, and she worried that it was going to nod right off his little body if it got anymore momentum.

"Good," Ben said succinctly and then turned and started off towards the Hummer again.

This time Callie couldn't help the chuckle that slipped through her lips as she watched Ben started walking. When his little head turned and he uttered a very familiar 'C'mon' at her the chuckle slipped into a full laugh. Shifting her eyes down to Gracie beside her she smiled widely at the girl and tugged her a bit.

"I think I've created a monster," Callie said to Gracie who in turn giggled a bit and pulled herself into Callie's legs as they walked. They were a few feet away from the Hummer when Ben stopped again, the figure that had been milling about now shifting itself onto the top of the hulking vehicle. Callie lifted a hand up to Miles as he waved at her and she stepped up to Ben with a worried frown, waiting for whatever it was he needed to say now.

"Hey Cal," Ben's voice was low and he was biting on his bottom lip when he peeked up at her. Callie felt Gracie's fingers slipping out of her hand and watched the little girl bound over towards the Hummer. Again Miles waved and Callie shifted her eyes away and towards the boy watching his little sister walk away. "Me and Gracie was talkin'," Ben said and then grimaced a bit before lookin' up and shrugging. "Kinda. We were- well," Ben sighed and let his shoulders sag apparently giving up on that train of thought and just going for it. "You know how you said you can't have kids?"

"Yeah," Callie said shifting and wincing slightly as she put her hands into her back pockets and rocked back on her heels a bit.

"Well, we were,…uh," Ben's mouth twitched to the side and he looked up at her as if he was in pain. Callie was too confused to really be able to help him with whatever he was trying to say and she felt a bit bad as she watched him kick dejectedly at the ground. Huffing out a final sigh he finally just spit it out. "You could be our mom. If you want," he added the last part in a rush his eyes wide as if he didn't want her to think he was asking her to do it.

Callie's heart thudded to a stop in her chest and her breath just instantly became a lump in her throat. She stared hard at Ben watching his eyes widen a bit more before he dropped his gaze to the ground and kicked at the grass.

"You know, I was just thinkin'," Ben mumbled at the ground and waved his little hand around. "You've been kinda takin' care of us, and," Ben took in a breath and Callie blinked a few times as she watched him. "You know I thought maybe you could kinda adopt us. And then if we slipped up and accidently called you mom or somethin'," Ben mumbled the rest into his chest and shrugged and Callie smiled just a bit. The memory of Patricia and Maggie tellin' her about Ben tryin' to push his way into the room cryin' that he had a right to see her 'cause that was his mom. Callie's eyes slipped up to Miles atop the Hummer, memories of him slipping and calling her mom at the Quarry filtering into her brain. "You know then people wouldn't look at us funny no more, cause it would kinda be true. But only if you promise to stop gettin' hurt, okay?"

"Ben," Callie said shifting her hands out of her back pockets and leaning forward so that her eyes were level with his. "I'd be honored to be your momma, buddy. And I promise I will try my damnedest to stay with you for as long as humanly possible and keep you and Gracie safe, and be the best adoptive momma that I can be. That's really the best I can do in the promise department, okay?"

"Okay," Ben said nodding his head and looking over to where Gracie was now sitting up on the roof of the Hummer with Miles. Callie nodded and stood up, her hand reaching out and hooking Ben into her as they walked on.

"I guess that's settled then," Callie said shifting her eyes up to Miles.

"Yeah," Ben said quietly, his eyes shifting towards Daryl's tent. Miles shifted slightly and shook his head when Callie gave a questioning look to him, answering the unasked question of if Daryl was back. Callie frowned and squeezed Ben's shoulders and he sighed again. "Hey Cal," Ben started as she opened the back door and reached up to grab Gracie from Miles.

"Yeah buddy," Callie answered as she settled Gracie upon the back seat and smiled at the girl.

"You think Daryl'd wanna be our 'dad'?" Ben asked surprising both Callie and Miles.

"I have no idea, buddy." Callie said shifting and letting the boy work his way into the back of the Hummer.

"I think it'd scare him shitless if I asked," Ben said as he climbed into the back of the Hummer. Miles barked out a loud laugh and promptly covered his mouth when Callie lifted an amused brow at him.

"I think you're right," Callie said looking back to the now grinning Ben. "You just make sure I'm around when you ask him, so I can see the look on his face, okay?" Ben grinned wider and nodded his head crawling into the Hummer next to the yawning Gracie.

Callie closed the door and let her fingers tap along the glass for a few seconds before shifting her eyes back up to Miles. Miles smiled down at her before letting out a long yawn which he tried desperately to stop from overtaking his whole face.

"I'm gonna get changed then I'll come out and sit with you," Callie said wincing slightly as she twisted her sore right shoulder.

"You don't have to," Miles said shifting and watching her head slowly towards the tent where her things were.

"I'm not gonna be able to sleep," Callie said returning his sad smile with one of her own. "I'll be out in a few." Miles nodded and adjusted the rifle on his back, before letting his fingers tap along his bat. Callie shifted away from the boy and let her eyes fall to the tent, a slow sigh escaped her lips and she rolled her eyes at herself before steeling her spine and continuing on.

* * *

Daryl sniffed in a sniffed in a wet breath and spat out to the side as he stared at the figure settled upon the top of the Hummer. Lanky ass Miles, lounging with one leg hanging off the side of the Hummer. Daryl lifted the back of his hand to mouth and wiped it along his lips, as his eyes stared at the Hummer and then shifted off towards the house in the distance.

Daryl's thumbnail caught in the stubble under his bottom lip and he scratched at his chin while he stared off at that distant house. Fuckin' house. Whole fuckin' place was startin' to grate on his last damn nerve. Snarlin' a bit at himself he scratched a bit harder at his chin and then slipped his eyes back to the Hummer, and Miles' swinging leg.

His mind slipped to something he'd overheard Miles say, somethin' about this place killin' them all. Shit didn't make sense at the time, but after tonight-after this whole fuckin' day, he could see where the kid was comin' from. Daryl shook his head violently at the thoughts that yet again worked to invade his brain and take over. Thoughts that he had worked real hard to push away as he stalked around the fields and the woods around the farm.

Thoughts about the woman he'd railed at and manhandled, the woman who for the first time since he'd known her just stood there and stared at him instead of fighting back. The woman he'd walked out on, walked away from and couldn't fathom how he was supposed to walk back to.

"Fuck," Daryl muttered at himself, his chin slipping down to his chest as he shook his head again. His eyes locked again on the form of Miles settled atop that fuckin' Hummer and he snarled as he stalked his way towards the kid.

Miles didn't move as Daryl approached, and Daryl smirked a bit as he watched Miles' foot swing idly along the air. Shifting his crossbow on his shoulder, Daryl slipped his hand forward and grabbed roughly onto the kid's ankle tugging it a bit.

"Jesus Christ, man!" Miles spat as he sat bolt upright on the roof of the car and glared down at Daryl, his bat lifted at the ready and pinned over his apparently rapidly beating heart. "The fuck?"

"Some fuckin' watchman you are," Daryl scoffed at the kid, his eyes shifting a bit to the darkened windows of the Hummer. He lifted his hand and cupped it along the glass, his eyes squinting against the dark and making out the shapes of Ben and Gracie's sleeping forms.

"I saw you comin'," Miles muttered letting out a sigh as he waved his hand over towards the field heading up from the stables that Daryl had just crossed. "Didn't think you were gonna fuckin' grab me. Jackass."

"Whatever," Daryl mumbled letting his eyes slip around the campsite and then back to the kid shifting around on the top of the vehicle. "What're you doin'?"

"Waitin' for my watch partner," Miles said shifting his eyes over towards the tent. Daryl followed his gaze and again lifted the back of his hand to his mouth wiping roughly at his lips before shifting his eyes back to the stoic face of Miles.

"Get the fuck off of there and go to sleep," Daryl grumbled as he turned towards the tent. Daryl listened to Miles slip off the Hummer and hit the ground and made it only one more step before the kid's voice had him stopping again.

"You're not plannin' on having a screamin' fit again are you? I mean, I should probably stay up and wait for the Walkers if that's the case," Miles said waving his bat around at the dark campsite and lifting a single brow. The words were meant to be joking, and sarcastic, but the harsh look on the kid's killed whatever lightness he'd intended.

"Ain't your fuckin' business what I'm plannin'," Daryl snarled back at the kid, his own voice losing some of its edge and just drifitn' off into the dark space between them.

"Callie's my business," Miles said simply, pointing his bat towards the tent and angling his chin down to his chest slightly.

"Go to bed," Daryl said quietly, his lips lifting in a slight snarl as Miles just continued to stare at him. After a second or two Miles let his bat drop back down to his side and he gave a single nod causin' Daryl to roll his eyes as he turned his back on the kid.

Daryl slowly worked his way towards the tent, his steps feelin' heavy and soundin' louder than he knew they were. He heard the door to the Hummer open and close and spared a quick look over his shoulder to make sure that the kid had in fact gone inside. Letting out a long sigh he raked his hand through his dirty fuckin' hair and put his finger tips to the open flap of the tent.

One last low breath and he pushed inside.

His eyes instantly landed on Callie's bare back, the dim light from the lantern near her feet reflecting up her body and casting shadows that danced in his vision. The strap of her worn black bra cut across her back, and made his eyes catch on the ragged scar he'd ran his fingers along days ago. That horrific lookin' wound that she'd said Danny'd had to stitch up. Which meant that it had to have happened in the few months since the world had gone to shit.

Daryl shifted just a bit, standing up straight and letting the tent flap fall closed behind him. Callie didn't turn, so he just watched as her hand lifted to her left shoulder, where he knew another scar marred her flesh. Deep and jagged and this time stitched up by him. She sighed a little and his brow furrowed as her hand dropped from that scar at her shoulder. She held that left palm out in front of her and he watched her head dip so that she could stare at the bandage that wrapped around her palm.

Daryl bit at the inside of his cheek in agitation as he let his gaze slip over to the bandage around her right arm. It covered from the middle of her upper arm to the middle of her forearm, and even though he couldn't see the horror of that ripped and torn flesh underneath he could see the marks of red that peeked through the bandage at all the right spots. His mind flashed to what he remembered it looked like, that brief sickening look he'd had at it before he stormed out of that room and left her to do whatever she was gonna do with what he'd laid at her feet.

He let his eyes roam over her back as she continued to stare at her palm, as if she were tryin' to imagine the scarred flesh beneath it. He felt sick to his stomach as he watched her shoulders rise and fall in shuddering breaths.

This fucked up new world had chewed this woman up and spit her out, again and again. And still she kept going. Still she kept tryin' to make it better for people and children that for all intents and purposes were complete strangers to her. Strangers that she accepted and treated like family even if they didn't treat her the same.

She kept on smilin', kept on goin', gatherin' the scars that the world around her dished out.

Daryl sniffed in a breath and blinked his eyes at the scars this woman carried, knowing full well that the ones she carried inside were worse. And no matter how much time passed, and how much the physical scars might fade, those ones in her mind would be there forever. He sniffed and shook his head and apparently the sound of his movements finally snapped Callie out of whatever trance she'd been in.

Callie turned just a bit, her slightly shocked gaze hitting his for only a second before she turned and snatched at the shirt she'd laid out on top of her bag. She winced as she swung the familiar blue workman's shirt around her body and let out a seething 'fuck' as she slipped her injured right arm through the long sleeve.

Callie blinked back the wetness in her eyes and shook her head at the dull pain in her arm as she worked to do up the buttons on her shirt. Good ol' Butch of Butch's Auto Body. She smiled just a bit at how strangely comforting this shirt was. It was inexplicable really. But for some reason she felt that this stranger's shirt was one of the only things that could hide all the horrors that she held inside and out. That by putting on the shirt, she could stop being Callie and just be 'Butch' instead.

Callie blinked hard and shook her head at herself. Fucking painkillers were doing a number on her. First she's all sentimental and crying over a few scars and bruises and now she's getting misty-eyed about a fuckin' dirty mechanics shirt. Shaking her head she clenched her hands into fists and gave up on buttoning the shirt after only four buttons.

Taking a deep breath she turned around and let her eyes fall on Daryl. He was still milling about near the opening to the tent, settling his crossbow to the ground and doing everything in his power to ignore her presence. She smirked at the stiff edge to his shoulders and back and let her eyes roam over his face as he continued to look at anything but her.

"You were right," Callie said quietly. She wasn't sure if it was her words, or the low defeated tone of her voice that had his eyes snapping up to her. The furrow of his brow and look in those deep piercing blue eyes of his had her thinking he didn't even know what made him look up. Callie took a breath and shifted her hands so that they settled upon the holster at her hips. "I was selfish to just leave you with them. I was selfish to assume," Callie took a breath and shook her head a bit, her eyes bouncing around the tent unable to hold his piercing uneasy gaze any longer. "I assumed you wanted the responsibility because you didn't shirk it. I -" she looked at him again and let out a small scoffing laugh at herself. "I forgot that you aren't the type of man to shirk something as important as the life of a child. And while you may not be equipped to deal with them all the time, you aren't gonna let harm befall them. I know that's the man you are, and I used that to my benefit. I'm sorry," Callie continued, her hand lifting to the air between them palm up in offering. She held his gaze as he stared at her in confusion, or anger, or fucking both. "I'm sorry, Daryl. And I promise it won't happen again."

Daryl stared at her for a few seconds not moving, not nodding, not even acknowledging that she'd really said anything. He stared at her for so long that she finally just couldn't take it anymore. Shifting around she picked up her bags, wincing slightly under the weight on her injured body and turned back towards the tent's entrance. He was still watching her, his hand shifting up so that he could nibble on the edge of his thumbnail. She nodded her head at him and fixed her eyes on the tent flap, her feet trudging forward and feeling like lead weights at the end of her legs.

Just as she made it to the flap Daryl's hand shot out, quick but not rough, well not as rough as it had been in the house. He grabbed a hold of her right arm first, and then rethought and let his hand slide down to her right hand. He did the same on her left side, reaching down, snatching her bags from her hands and flinging them back across the small tent.

Callie stood in shock, her mouth hanging open as she watched him glare at his feet. She furrowed her brow a second later, as he wiped the back of his hand across his mouth and peeked up at her and then back down to his feet. Her mouth closed the second his eyes lifted again and she held his gaze this time, not willing to let him look away.

"Ya a'right?" Daryl's mumbled words said behind the back of his hand were barely distinguishable and she just stared at him in response. He cleared his throat and shook his head before lifting his chin from his chest and taking in a restoring breath. His hand slipped out again, gentle and warm even through the fabric of good ol' Butch's shirt. His thumb shifted over the fabric, his eyes shifting over the bruise from the seat belt that she knew he could see the edges of on her clavicle and then down over her arm. "You're alright?"

The words were much clearer, and this time his eyes lifted and met hers, a stark sort of truth and power hidden in those blue depths that had Callie's mouth going dry. She nodded her head in response, but that didn't seem to satisfy him enough. Daryl continued to stare at her and she finally cleared her throat and plastered a smile across her lips. She shifted a bit, breaking Daryl's hold on her and ran her hands through her hair.

"Yeah," Callie said still smiling at him even though she knew he could see right through it. "Yeah, bit of a close call. I'm fine. Maggie gave me some pretty nice painkillers, so…"

Callie's voice trailed off as Daryl sighed and raked his own hand through his hair. His eyes shifted up to her, then down to the floor, then over to where her bags had landed. He shook his head again and firmed his lips against whatever was brewing inside of him and she just watched him. Watched and waited.

Not for an apology, she knew that wasn't what was comin'. Daryl Dixon didn't apologize. Especially when he knew he was right about something. Which he had been. Completely and totally right. Callie had deserved his ire, and his ranting and probably even some of the pain she'd been put through today and tonight. She deserved it for being so foolish.

No she wasn't waiting for an apology. She didn't know what she was waiting for really. But she knew she'd wait until the end of time for whatever it was that was going to come. One final sigh of frustration with himself he again pierced her with his steely gaze and shook his head.

"You gotta stop this shit," Daryl said gruffly, his jaw clenching tight after the words left his mouth. He shook his head again and she nodded a bit. "You just-" he lifted a hand and pointed a finger at her and she couldn't help but smile at his action, so similar to what Ben had just done only moments ago. "You just gotta stop."

"I know," Callie said quietly her head still nodding as Daryl continued to shake his head. He shuffled a bit past her and she turned to follow his slightly agitated movements with her eyes. "I actually just got that lecture from Ben," Callie continued as she watched Daryl bend down and pick up her bags. He moved them back to their place at the side of the tent and shifted to look at her with a raised brow. "Yeah. Trust me. I have been thoroughly put in my place by pretty much everyone at this point."

"Ain't really helped much before," Daryl said quietly as he got back to his feet. "I know you say you know, but I don't _believe_ you know. Not even a little bit."

"I can't tell you that I wasn't going to go after them, Daryl." Callie said in a slightly frustrated tone as she shifted on her feet and lifted her hands to the air. "It's not that I think I'm indestructible. It's not that I think I'm better equipped to handle things than Rick, or Glenn or even Hershel. It's just after everything," Callie sighed and raked her fingers through her hair. "And with Danny still being AWOL," her head shook and she sighed letting her hand fall to her side. "I can't tell you that I wasn't going to go out after them because I'm honestly not sure if I was going to or not. But I can tell you that I couldn't let Lori go. Honestly, Daryl, this wasn't some fuckin' Thelma and Louise routine. I couldn't let her go alone. I just couldn't-"

"You're too soft," Daryl said slipping towards her, the gruffness of his voice conflicting with the softness in his expression as he closed the distance between them. He stared at her and let his eyes roam over her face before continuing, a single finger lifting to touch her face, but then falling back to his side. His eyes followed and landed on the badge and compass hooked at her belt. "That's your problem. You're too soft. You let people in too deep. Care too much. Get it in you that it's okay to risk your life for someone else's no matter what. No matter who. You're too damn soft, woman."

A retort about pots and kettles slipped into Callie's mind but she bit it back and smirked a bit as he slipped his finger out and touched on the badge and then the compass.

"Guess so," Callie finally responded, and then cleared her throat of the emotion she felt welling in her chest.

"Guess we're both fuckin' stupid that way," Daryl mumbled and Callie's brows snapped together in amused confusion as he slipped his eyes up to her. His mouth hitched to one side and he bit at the inside of his cheek for a second before shrugging his shoulders slightly. "I was comin' for you." He smirked at himself in a sarcastic way and rolled his eyes letting his hand fly out towards the tent flap before continuing. "The second that brat spilled the beans 'bout you and Olive Oil runnin' off I was packin' up and headed out to god knows where to find ya." Daryl shook his head, as if he were disgusted in himself for the fact that he was so weak, and Callie couldn't help but reach out to him.

"Daryl-" Callie started, but stopped when his eyes snapped up to hers and held with such force that she actually stepped back.

"I'd follow you to the gates of Hell if it meant keepin' you safe," Daryl growled the words at her, the force of his voice reverberating in her chest and echoing in her ears. He clenched his jaw and dragged in a deep breath through his nose as he stared at her. Callie firmed her lips and hoped to God her voice didn't crack when she spoke. But it did

"I'd follow you straight through it," Callie replied again firming her lips as they began to tremble.

She didn't have long to worry about the tremble in her lips, because not a second after she'd finished speaking Daryl's hand had tangled into the hair at the back of her head and pulled her to him. His lips crashed into hers with such force that she actually winced, but if he noticed he didn't fucking care. His lips moved over hers and she matched his frantic movements kiss for kiss, suck for suck.

The air in the tent ignited and the heat that always burst between them escalated quickly into a force that nothing could contain. All of the shit they'd been through, the horror and space that they'd put between them for no damn reason exploded with that kiss and burst into million pieces inside each of their chests. Callie flowed with the passion, letting the pain killers dull the ache of her wounds and the Daryl's lips and hands to kill whatever was left. The next instant she let out a shocked gasp as Daryl's rough hands clasped onto her thighs and he propelled her upwards, wrapping her legs around his midsection and taking her weight as he no doubt felt her knees trembling with the passion riding high in her blood.

His mouth worked down her throat as she let her head fall back, her fingers tangling in his hair and holding his mouth to that ridiculously sensitive spot under her ear. Her chest was heaving as he stumbled backwards, his hard body pressing against her core as he half-set, half-threw her down upon the bedding. Her hands fell from his body as he fell on top of her the gasp of pain as her injured arm bounced on the hard ground causing Daryl to lift up and brace himself over her.

He was breathing hard, staring at her through hooded eyes as she furrowed her brow and pushed the pain down. Pushed it far, far away. His body was settled between her legs and the need for him was running rampant in her veins, causing her body to roll against him as he stared down at her in silent worry.

"You should be restin'," Daryl said between harsh breaths, his eyes roaming her face while he tried hard not to pay attention to the way her body was pressing into his.

"Shut up, Dixon." Callie said shifting up and tearing at his button up shirt. She pulled the buttons apart and pressed her lips to his chest, moving them across and down slightly as she raked her finger nails down his torso. She heard him growl, and felt it on her lips as it echoed in his chest. Her tongue flicked out as her hands continued down and pulled at the belt at his hips.

Daryl slid his head down and captured her lips then, and she moaned into his mouth as she felt his hands join hers. He helped her work his belt free and then moved his hands to his fly while she slipped her hands around his body and up his back. His kiss became frantic again, his teeth biting down into her bottom lip as she pressed her hips into him. Daryl's hands pushed at her shoulders and again she winced at the pressure as she fell onto her back, but this time Daryl just shook his head and put his hands to task at her shirt.

He popped the buttons easily and rolled his hips against her hand circled around his dick as he attached his lips to her collar bone. His hands spread her shirt wide and his lips began to trail slowly down her now writhing body, teeth catching slightly on her raised nipple through the threadbare fabric of her bra. Callie's head flew back, her neck arching back and eyes rolling closed as he worked his way down her body. A hot wet trail of kisses down her rib cage and abdomen, his tongue darting out for a second before his teeth again caught the sensitive skin of her belly button.

Daryl's hands were working the belt of her holster open slowly, and Callie's hands flew out of his pants to help. He caught her wrists and moved his body up, pressing his erection into her still jean clad lower body and pining her hands above her head. He glared at her for only a second before he was gone again, his mouth once again attacking the flesh hidden under her bra. His hands slid slowly, gently down her arms, cupping her breasts and pushing her bra up so that his lips could finally link themselves to her bare breasts.

She moaned, and he must have enjoyed it because the fucker was smirking against her breast as his hands continued to work at getting her pants undone. The holster came free, and Callie's hands slipped back under his shirt, scratching at his scarred back and back into his own loose pants pushing them further down his legs. He sucked hard at her nipple as she slipped her fingers around him again, his hands finally finding a bit of urgency as they tore at the button to her jeans.

The next second happened in flash of heated need, as Daryl snapped up from her hold and roughly yanked her pants down her legs. He pulled on them three times, snarling as her boots caught and then he pulled once more freeing one of her legs. Callie rocketed up at that point, her hands grabbing at the loosened shirt hanging around his body and pulling him roughly back to her. His hands pushed his pants down further, as Callie desperately shoved his shirt down his arms both of them desperate for each other.

Giving up on getting his pants off, and giving into the frenzied need of the moment Daryl thrashed his arms free of his shirt and smashed his lips into hers again pushing her back down to the ground. His hands moved up her legs hitching her right leg high and thrusting himself into her in one quick, delicious roll of his hips. Callie bit hard into his shoulder, her fingernails digging into the back of his head and neck and holding as his mouth slid down her neck and latched onto that space between her neck and shoulder.

With both of his warm calloused hands gripping her hips he slammed himself into her body, no longer caring about her injuries and giving into the need to be with her. To be a part of her. To be with her forever. Callie's head fell back as her fingers slid up into Daryl's hair, his head lifting and eyes catching hers for a brief second before his lips were on hers. He kissed her senseless while the world crashed down around them, his body losing control as her legs clamped down tight around him.

* * *

Callie ducked her head into the tent just in time to see sleepy shirtless Daryl rubbing at his eyes and then scratching at his head. The scratching continued down his neck and to his chest, his eyes slipped up as his hand was about to slid down and scratch under the cover of the sleeping bag and he snarled at the grin no doubt plastered on her face.

"Mornin' sleepy-head," Callie said shifting so that she was kneeling half-in and half-out of the tent. Daryl growled something at her and then shifted around searching for a shirt. His hands hit off of one and he spared it a quick glance before shrugging his broad shoulders into it. "Hey, this ain't some fuckin' swap-meet."

Daryl glared at her as he adjusted the collar of the blue workman's shirt, the label with Butch's name settling on his chest as he moved to start buttoning it up.

"S'fuckin' cold," Daryl grumbled as he ducked his head and checked to make sure he was matching up the buttons. "And you ripped my other shirt last night."

"Oh please," Callie waved a hand and smiled at him. "You complainin'?" She asked and Daryl speared her with a half-hearted glare. She chuckled as he settled his hands on his thighs and looked around him. His gaze slipped past her and he squinted at the sunlight.

"Time's it?"

"Too fuckin' early," Callie said trying and failing to blink away her yawn. Her hand lifted and she half-smiled as Daryl smirked at her.

"You been up long?" Daryl asked shifting the sleeping bag off and working his legs around, his hand adjusting his groin in his jeans before he shifted up onto his feet.

"Sleep's not really my thing anymore," Callie said shrugging and watching Daryl scratch at the back of his head as he surveyed the tent. He nodded idly and worked towards her swatting a bit to get her to move out of the way.

"Gotta piss," Daryl grumbled as he moved past her and she chuckled at him. He blinked in the low morning light and let his eyes roam around, catching instantly on Ben and Gracie settled by the small fire pit he'd made up. "Everythin' okay?"

"Yeah," Callie said watching him shift his shoulders in his new shirt, trying to find comfort in the foreign fabric. "I was gonna take Ben and Gracie for a little walk down to the stables, then visit the graves." Daryl's head nodded and his eyes went to the Hummer. "Miles' went down to RV to see what the plan was."

"Spoke to Dale last night," Daryl said letting his eyes roll back to Ben and Gracie. "Said Maggie was gonna take Shane, Andrea and T-Dog into town to see what was what." Daryl's eyes slipped over to her and she put her hands into her back pockets. "Figure that leaves you, me and Miles free to look for Danny's gimp ass."

"Sounds like a plan," Callie said in a smooth tone that was surprising to her considering how fast her heart was beating as Daryl's eyes locked on hers. "I'll meet you at the house then."

Daryl nodded and ducked his head, his eyes slipping down to his feet briefly before hitting hers again. He nodded one more time and then shifted away from her towards the woods. She watched him for a second before turning towards Ben and Gracie and waving the kids to follow her. Their walk was subdued, like the cool, wet morning had dampened more than the grass below their feet. The weight of the absence of not only Danny, but of Rick and the rest was on the shoulders of everyone, Ben and Gracie included. So much so that the kids didn't even enjoy the visit to the horses. Callie watched them almost robotically pet the horses and mill about and felt her heart aching with the need to go out and find out what was going on.

But she held herself in check and let the kids dictate the flow of the day. An act she hadn't done in a very long time. Not since they'd been in their relative cocoon of safety at the Quarry. They trudged away from the stables and headed towards the small patch of land that had so quickly become a makeshift cemetery. Callie's eyes lifted at the figure kneeling at a cross and she felt her lips tip up in a smile as she watched Ben and Gracie bound up to the figure.

"G'mornin, Carol," Ben said as he skipped past her towards Jenna's grave. Gracie moved along behind her brother her little eyes catching on Carol's as she sat on the ground between the two graves.

"Hello, Ben," Carol said smiling at the boy as he placed a small bunch of wild flowers at the base of Jenna's grave markers. Carol's eyes slipped to Gracie and she smiled as the little girl played with the frayed sleeves of her newly acquired sweatshirt. "Good mornin', Gracie." Gracie spared a small smile up to Carol and then shifted her eyes to the white cross that Carol was sitting in front of.

Callie stepped up and settled near the base of the tree beside the two small graves, her line of sight shifting to the two holes meant for Hershel's wife and son. Her left hand slipped over to slide idly over her injured right arm, and she let out a long sigh before shifting her gaze back to the kids and Carol.

"Hope it's a'right," Ben mumbled as he shifted over to where Carol was slowly getting to her feet. She spared him a glance as she wiped her hands along her thighs and looked honestly shocked by the sight of the small bundle of wildflowers that Ben was holding out. Ben shifted his eyes to Callie and then back to Carol before ducking his chin and looking to his feet. "We brought some for Sophia too."

"I don't mind at all," Carol said quietly, her eyes blinking rapidly at the wetness that had grown along her lashes. She spared a quick look up at Callie, and then quickly nodded and started back towards the house. Callie, Ben and Gracie all watched her quickly retreat along the grass back towards the RV in the distance.

"She mad?" Ben asked gruffly, his little brow drawn into a frown as he handed the flowers to Gracie. Gracie placed the flowers on the grave and smiled just a bit before tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear and looking up at Callie.

"She's sad," Callie said in response to Ben's confusion. Ben glanced up at her and then hitched his mouth to the side for a second while he processed. After a moment he nodded his head and looked back up at her and Callie reached out a hand for the both of them. "C'mon. Let's get to the house and see if we can figure out a plan for today."

"You goin' out again?" Ben asked as he fell into step beside Callie and Gracie and bounced along the grass a bit ahead of them.

"Yeah," Callie said nodding her head and watching Ben closely for a reaction. "If you don't want me to-"

"You're goin' with Daryl, and Miles?" Ben asked, not even looking back at her as he continued on. His feet deftly skipping around a large tree root as he hopped to the ground. His eyes skipped back to her and she nodded as squeezing Gracie's hand a bit when the girl swung their arms up a bit in the air. "Good."

Callie chuckled and rolled her eyes to Gracie beside her as Ben spotted Miles at the porch and took off towards him. "Yeah, definitely created a monster with that one, Gracie-girl." Callie said earning a little grin from the girl who continued to swing their hands up and down.

When they reached the porch Callie let Gracie's hand go and the girl bounded up the steps and settled on the porch swing next to T-Dog. The black man looked at the little girl with a smile and gave the swing a little push with his foot and smiling as the girl lifted her feet in the air as they began to move. T-Dog spared a smile and nod to Callie as she waved and then nudged his head towards the fields. She shifted and saw the dark shape of Daryl slowly making his way towards them. Settling herself next to the porch stairs she looked up at Lori at the railing.

"You feelin' okay today, Lori?" Callie asked quietly, her words apparently shocking the woman out of some stupor. Lori blinked and looked down at her and shook her head, her fingers slipped up to the laceration on her forehead and she grimaced.

"No," Lori said honestly as she lowered her hand and wrapped both of her arms across her abdomen. "No I'm not feelin' okay at all." Lori's eyes shifted to where Shane stood near his little green Tucson and watched Andrea nod at him as she loaded something into the trunk.

"We're gonna find 'em," Shane said as if feeling Lori's anger. His eyes shifted from Lori's shaking head to where Callie stood leaning against the stair rail. "Hell or high-water, we're gonna find 'em."

"Looks like we might not need to go anywhere," T-Dog's voice rang out from his spot on the porch and everyone followed his eye line.

The sight of the car working its way down the little dirt path towards the house had Callie shifting off of the porch and taking a few steps forward. Her gaze slipped to where Miles and Ben had met up with Daryl, the three of them still a good distance away but moving faster at the sight of the car. She spared a glance to Lori, reaching a hand to steady her as she bounded down the stairs towards the now parked car.

Rick got out of the passenger side and a physical sense of relief passed over the group as his eyes shifted around them. He spared a glance to Callie, his brow furrowing just a bit no doubt at the sight of the bruising on the side of her face. Lori slipped up to him, her hands running all over him and Callie shifted away and towards the driver's side door as Danny opened it up. Rick's mumbled question of 'what happened?' lost in the haze as Callie worked to process that Danny was okay too.

Danny's eyes bee-lined for her, wide and unblinking. He didn't even bother closing the door to the car, instead he reached out for her and pulled her closer to him and then away from the car.

"Where the fuck have you been?" Callie said through clenched teeth as she slapped at his tightly clamped hand on her arm. "Do you know what you put me through? Do you have any idea-" She cut herself off, realizing just how ridiculously hypocritical she was and then she dragged her free hand through her hair. "Danny-"

"Not now," Danny ground out, his hand still tightly clamped around her arm. He pulled her towards the house and then stopped, turning her so that her back was to the car. With both hands settled on her shoulders he stared at her and worked his lips trying to formulate words. "I have to talk to you. I have to tell you about-"

"Who's that?" T-Dog's voice broke into Callie's brain and had her turning.

She turned and no matter how hard Danny gripped her arm he couldn't stop her from moving. Her eyes landed on the form of the young kid that Hershel and Glenn were helping out of the back seat. His dirty black hair matted to his head, a makeshift blindfold over his eyes. He was wounded, obviously so by the way he was favoring his leg. Callie's brow furrowed as she stared at the young man, watching his head tilt this way and that at the sounds of all of their voices.

She barely heard Danny in the background calling her name, barely felt his hand working to pull her back to him and turn her away from the kid. Barely made out anything at all as her head filled with fuzz and her vision faded to a single pinprick of awareness. The sight of that kid's face-that kid's very familiar face- stopping her heart and her breath in one painful moment.

She felt her feet stagger just a bit, heard Danny's voice call out from somewhere far away, and then there was nothing but black as she let the wave of dizziness and nausea overtake her. Her now weightless body crashed to the ground and all she was left with was that kid's face and the horror his presence brought back from those deep recesses of her mind.

_At this point in my life_

_I've done so many things wrong I don't know if I can do right_

_If you put your trust in me I hope I won't let you down_

_If you give me a chance I'll try_

_You see it's been a hard road the road I'm traveling on_

_And if I take your hand I might lead you down the path to ruin_

_I've had a hard life I'm not just saying it so you'll understand_

_That right now, right now, I'm doing the best I can_

_At this point in my life_

_At this point in my life_

_Although I've mostly walked in the shadows_

_I'm still searching for the light_

_Won't you put your faith in me _

_We both know that's what matters_

_If you give me a chance I'll try_

_~At This Point In My Life/ Tracy Chapman_

_AN: Another sappy sort of song for a sappy sort of chapter, but when I heard it, and then read the lyrics I was all… YES THAT. There were FEELS here people. FEELS. I hope you enjoyed it and I hope you're as glad as I am that Callie and Daryl are working through the rough patch that they'd run into. So yeah, we're moving along, and I'm hoping to keep up the pace a bit with my writing here so HANG IN THERE._

_So I got asked a question in a PM that I figured might be on a lot of people's minds, and when I responded I was a bit wishy-washy because I wasn't too sure on the answer (Sorry Akamie). The question was whether or not I was going to be writing out the 8 month gap between Season 2 and Season 3… and the answer is Yes. (Sorta) it'll be snippets of time, not really a whole explanation of everything that happens, but a few very important scenes (I've got plans for early Woodbury, Michonne and crew, and the rest) so we'll see how that all shakes out._

_Feel free to pop me a question anytime in the PM. I try to respond as quickly as I can. I know I'm not doing all the review responses and I'm super sorry about that __ I suck so bad. G'bless your asses, every single one of you. _

_Much love! _


	52. One More Cup of Coffee

**New Meanings To Old Words: Love**

_Let's play the game of SENDING LOVE TO ALL OF YOU! We've hit a whopping +521k words (sorry 'bout that), 153 Favs, 247 Alerts, and 760reviews. G'damn people you seriously spoil me. I hope that I'm living up to everything that you've signed on for. And can't explain how much your support in this endeavor has really helped me to find myself again and really crawl out of a hole I wasn't sure I was going to get out of. G'bless you all. _

_Ok. Movin' on to the good bits…_

_This one's gonna be a bit… tough if you've got a soft stomach for violence against women. We're gonna get a few small but heinous flashbacks into Callie's world… not much, but be forewarned. Quick little formatting note for you: Italicized print is a flashback and for this chap only, song lyrics will be in bold italic._

_As always, read, review and most of all (try) to enjoy what I'm throwing out at ya. _

_Disclaimer: I own nothing but Callie and the misfits (all of 'em) and their odd little side adventures._

**One More Cup of Coffee**

_Callie's head exploded in pain and her body swung around with the momentum of the hit. Her bound hands hit the wall of the musty old shed and she spat blood off to the side as she closed her eyes tight against the dizzying pull of the sparkling white flecks that had erupted behind her eyelids. _

_She dragged in a few ragged deep breaths repeating three words in her head as she felt her knees shaking under her. _

_Don't pass out. Don't pass out._

_The pain from the first few hits was still so fresh that she'd hardly had time to actually process the new pain blooming across her cheek and pounding through her head. Her ribs were sore from the blows to her stomach, her arms no doubt bruised from the harsh grip they'd had on her, and her neck…her neck felt like it was on fire from where the bastard had held her. Forced her to watch as they tortured and raped Lisa and Allie, over and over. _

_Callie wasn't sure if the girl's were in fact sill screaming now, or if the sound of it was just burned forever into her memory. _

_The sound of the shed's door creaking shut and the low chuckle behind her had her pushing up off of the ground, where she'd apparently slid down to in her daze, and unsteadily up to her feet. _

_Don't pass out, Callie-girl. You pass out and you're dead. Three breaths and move._

_Callie pushed her hands along the splintering wood of the shed, and she pressed her face into it anchoring her to the wall as she worked fully to her feet. She listened to the scratching footsteps of the man as he slowly made his way towards her. No doubt taking his time because he figured she was done fighting. Thought she was ready to just give up. Her fingers curled under her as she moved up and she finally opened her eyes and glared at the bit of blood staining her knuckles. Her tongue darted out and she licked at her split and swollen upper lip, and snarled at the sickening feel of the blood running out of her nose. Her eyes darted to the side and she saw the small crack of low light between the two doors at the other end of the shed. _

_She took in a breath, knowing that if she timed it right she'd make it. She was fast when she needed to be. Faster than the overweight bastard slowly making his way towards her. The sound of his chuckling crawled over her skin again, as did the very distinct sound of his loose belt jingling as it bounced off of his thighs while he walked._

_Three quick breaths and she pushed off the wall, her eyes pinned to that slat of low moonlight that beckoned her to freedom. She took maybe three steps before she felt his hand again tangle into the back of her hair. Her breath left her and she was sure that she screamed as she felt the bastard tug her hard backwards. Again Callie dug in her heels and just let her weight go in an effort to throw him off, hoping his hold would break. _

_But it didn't, and she screamed again as she lifted her bound hands to try and claw at his already bloodied arm. He tugged and she gripped his arm in an effort to take the pressure off of her scalp, the sensation of her hair tearing away from the flesh there more disturbing than she'd imagined it could be. A second later her back was against his heaving front, his disgustingly hot breath fanning over her neck and cheek as he spoke. She glared at that slat of moonlight so close yet so far and listened to him laugh in her ear. _

"_C'mon now, honey," he said in a rushed voice mixed with laughter and fatigue. His arm propelled her forward and slammed her head again into the wall she'd just been leaning against. Again sparks flew behind her eyes and her hands slid down the wood until they came to rest under her cheek. _

_Don't pass out. She blinked trying to see anything but darkness. Don't pass out. _

_He was pressed against her again, his dick hard as it pressed into her backside, and his free hand snaking around her to grope at her breasts before again reaching up to her chin. He angled her head sharply back, his mouth a whisper away from the side of hers. _

"_Where you goin'?"_

"Callie?" Ben's voice startled Callie from her memories. She blinked a few times, the sunlight overhead a stark difference to the darkness that had seemed so real in her mind. She blinked again and watched the little boy, clad in a slightly too big denim jacket and a yellow flannel shirt, stare up at her.

"What?" Callie asked shaking her head as he continued to stare at her. Her eyes shifted around her and she realized that she was still settled against the table near that shed. Still poised with one leg up on the bench seat and her ass settled against the table. Still staring at that shed that housed that boy, Randall, the one that Rick had brought back to the farm three days ago.

The boy that he'd promised he was going to take and drop far away from the farm as soon as the kid was able to walk on his injured leg.

Ben's head shifted to the side as he continued to just stare at her for a few moments, his little brow furrowed in that way that spoke volumes to his confusion. Finally he shrugged and hitched his one thumb on the sheath of his knife settled at his hip.

"I asked where you were goin'?" Ben asked as he shuffled his feet a bit and began walking towards the little shed where Randall was being held. "Miles said today was the day you two were goin' out with Daryl on a run. I know I said it was okay, but...just wonderin' where exactly you were goin'?"

Callie, still apparently lost in her memories at his repeated words, shook her head and blinked a few times. Lifting her fingers to pinch at the bridge of her nose she winced at the migraine she could feel pounding to life behind her eyes. Licking her lips she shook her head a bit before responding.

"We're going to that FEMA station," Callie said pinching the bridge of her nose again and sighing a bit at the small amount of relief she felt. "There's a lot of supplies still there that we're gonna need, especially if we're stayin' here for the whole of winter." Callie let out another breath before opening her eyes. Her gaze instantly fell and narrowed on Ben's small form, his nose pressed up to the doors of the shed as he stared in through the slat at Randall inside. "Hey!"

"He don't look so scary," Ben's slightly muffled voice echoed out and Callie quickly slipped towards him. "Nothin' like what Danny's goin' on 'bout. Don't look like much a nothin'."

"Never judge a book by its cover, Ben." Callie said putting her hand to Ben's shoulder and startling him slightly. Ben looked back at her and she pulled him lightly away, her eyes staying on the small bit of dark between the door and the frame. Callie blinked away the last of her memories and squeezed Ben's shoulder a bit. "Where's your sister?"

"At the house," Ben said a bit grumpily.

"And where are you supposed to be?" Callie said smiling as the boy let out a sigh and lowered his gaze to his feet. He kicked the dirt and mumbled his answered to the ground. "What was that?"

"At the house," Ben said angrily as he half-glared up at Callie. She smiled and put her hand to the top of his head ruffling his hair a bit before rocking his head side to side a bit.

"Least you know," Callie said pushing Ben towards the house and away from the shed. Her eyes shifted over her shoulder once more as they walked, her steps slowing just a bit.

"Are you scareda him?" Ben asked, his steps stopping causing Callie to shift her eyes back to him. Ben's eyes seemed to grow pensive as he watched her, his mouth twitching to the side just a bit as he shifted his eyes slightly around her to the shed and then back up to her face. She lifted a brow at him and his mouth twitched to the other side as he bit at the inside of his cheek. "Ya look scared of him."

Callie sucked in breath and held Ben's eyes as she tried to figure out how to answer him. She wasn't up for the truth and she wasn't the type to lie. That wasn't how their relationship worked. She closed her eyes and nodded once before placing her hand back on his head and turning him back towards the house.

"I'm scared of what he and his friends tried to do to our people in town," Callie said pushing Ben's head around when he tried to look back at her. "Move it," Callie said cutting off whatever he had planned to say when he looked back up at her.

Ben nodded his head twice and sighed, letting her know immediately that he didn't really believe her but he knew better than to keep pushing. Callie sighed and put her hand back at the top of his head as he bowed it and began to walk. Her eyes shifted yet again behind her and for the umpteenth time since she'd seen that boy dragged out of the back of the car she tried to shake off the horrors of memories that she long since locked away.

* * *

Danny's flattened palms hit the surface of Hershel's well oiled dining room table, the slapping sound echoing loudly between the gathered men in the room. He stared hard at his fingers, nail beds, cracks and crevices encrusted with so much dirt and grime that he was sure by now it wouldn't ever be washed away again.

He felt Dale's eyes on the side of his face, felt the older man's worried gaze well before he felt the hand settle on his shoulder. He shook his head and let out a ragged breath before looking up to where Dale was staring at him over his left shoulder. Hershel was settled along the wall near the doorway, his eyes lifting finally from his inspection of his hands as he wiped them on a dishtowel.

"Danny," Dale's voice echoed in the back of his mind but Danny ignored him as he let his gaze slip to the rest of the group huddled in the dining room. Shane's usually scowling brow was hitched up in a strangely confused, and if Danny was willing to admit it, a slightly worried edge. While next to him Rick stood with one hand on his hip and the other cupped over his mouth as he shook his head at the room at large.

"Three fuckin' days," Danny ground out through his tightly clenched teeth as he stared at Rick, waiting for the man to actually meet his gaze.

"Locked up," Rick countered as hand slipped off his mouth and his eyes rose to Danny's. Danny sighed and shook off Dale's hand while swinging his eyes around to where the older man was yet again saying his name in that fatherly tone that Danny just didn't want to deal with. "Three days. Locked up, Danny."

"He's no threat in his condition," Dale said shifting his eyes over to where Hershel was standing. The vet gave a single resigned nod of his head and shifted his eyes over to Danny who yet again shook his head.

"You got no idea what he's capable of, Dale." Danny said harshly as he pointed a finger to the older man.

"And you do?" Shane finally interjected, lowering his booted feet to the floor and settling his hands on his thighs as he stared in that strangely confused way. Danny caught Shane's eye, and expected the man to sneer or smirk in that off-putting manner that the two of them had grown into a rhythm of communicating in, but he didn't. Instead Shane simply raised a brow and calmly waited for Danny to answer the question.

The same question that he'd been shaking off since they got back to the farm. Since Callie had collapsed in his arms and then woke up screaming and crying an hour later. Three days of Callie distancing herself completely from the house, the shed, and the people around them. She'd pushed herself away from the entire situation, leaving Rick to handle it as he promised he would.

And as the days went by, while Callie still kept her faith that Rick would get the boy as far away as possible as soon as possible and that would be the end of it, Danny was losing his patience. Too many memories of what had happened the last time they'd seen that son of bitch Randall assaulting him at every turn. Too many memories and too much guilt.

"He's dangerous," Danny seethed through his teeth before taking in a deep settling breath and running his hand through his hair. His eyes shifted to Rick, who had settled both hands at his hips as he stared at Danny now, and he held his gaze. "Or do you forget what he and the rest of his crew tried to do to us in town. He's dangerous, and we got no clue how many people he may have lookin' for him."

"It's been three days," Dale said calmly and Danny turned on him with a raised brow.

"Three days too long," Danny snapped back. Shifting his eyes over to where Rick was nodding his head idly. Danny pointed another finger at the man. "We shoulda left his ass to the Walkers." Rick's gaze snapped up to him and Danny sighed and firmed his lips. "I understand why you did it. I do. I was there but, he's dangerous, Rick. He needs to go."

Rick's mouth opened to ask the question that Danny'd been skirting around since they'd gotten back, but this time his voice was cut off by a new one.

"He don't look dangerous," Ben's voice chirped into the conversation and had each and every man's eyes snapping to where he stood with Carl in the kitchen. Carl's eyes shifted between them while Ben's gaze remained on Danny's as he sunk his teeth into a peach.

"Well he is," Danny snapped back at the kid his finger pointing at him.

"S'what Callie said too," Ben mumbled through his full mouth. "I still don't see it."

"You don't have to see it," Danny snapped back, his eyes shifting to the other men in the room. It took a few seconds for his brain to really register what the kid's presence in the house meant and his eyes were shifting around. "Why am I even discussing this with you? What are you doin' here? Where's your sister?"

"She's out with Carol and Lori hanging the wash," Ben said as he let his peach fall from his lips and shrugged his shoulders. "Callie said to stay here at the house with either Carol or Dale while she was gone. I didn't feel like doin' laundry," Ben's gaze shifted to Carl who nodded his head in agreement.

"Gone?" Rick's voice clipped in before Ben could continue any further and he exchanged a glance with Danny before heading towards the boys. "Where's she goin'?"

"Her, Daryl and Miles are heading out to that FEMA station today to gather up some more medical supplies," Carl said in a matter-of-fact tone to his father. Rick's gaze settled on his son's for a moment before shifting over to Ben who nodded his acknowledgement.

"Jesus Christ," Danny muttered before he turned around and angrily limped his way towards the back door. He pushed at Dale's reaching hands and shook his head at the elder man who raised his hands in defeat and sighed.

"Danny!" Rick's voice called out after him and Danny ignored it. He pushed out the door and worked his way towards the steps, only to be stopped by a strong hand clasped on to his arm. "Hold up," Rick's voice was tired and angry and Danny shifted around to meet his gaze with a shake of his head. Danny's head shifted to Shane exiting behind Rick. "I need to know what you know," Rick said quietly as he ducked his head to catch Danny's gaze. "Three days you've been harping on how we have to get rid of that boy. How he's dangerous. Three days you've been avoiding answering me straight about things that I think I need to know." Rick took in a breath and firmed his lips before continuing. "You know that boy…"

A beat of silence slipped out between the men and finally Rick sighed and shifted his eyes behind him to where Shane had settled near the door.

"Give us a minute," Rick said to Shane, causing the shaved-headed man to bristle and stand up straight. Shane's brows snapped immediately into that angry scowl that Danny had almost missed and then he let out a frustrated sigh. Shane tossed his hands up and threw open the door, before entering the house in a huff. Danny continued to stare at Rick, who was now staring at his feet again and let out a breath. "You and Callie," Rick said quietly after a moment, his eyes lifting back up to Danny. "You both know that boy."

Danny snarled at himself and let his eyes wander over the fields to where he could barely make out the silhouette of the Hummer still off in the distance.

"Danny-"

"Lori said that Callie told you all about the first kid we picked up, RJ," Danny said quietly as he continued to stare at the Hummer. "Randall James," Danny said in a tone that he thought might have been too low for the other man to hear. But it wasn't. He heard Rick's weight shift from one foot to the other and ventured a look back at the now fully attentive man on the porch with him. Rick's chin dipped once in a nod his brain apparently slowly picking up what Danny was throwing out there. "She said that Callie told you all what happened-"

"To those girls," Rick said in a slow monotone his eyes piercing into Danny's with such ferocity that Danny almost had to look away. Almost, but not quite, because Rick's words hit him with a strange pang of guilt that had him swallowing back bile as he shook his head.

"Not just those girls, Rick," Danny said the words in a voice he didn't even recognize as his own."Not just those girls." Danny watched Rick's eyes widen a bit at his words, watched his brows hitch back down as he worked to fully comprehend-worked to make sure he understood the reality of what Danny was saying.

The exact moment that Rick did understand smacked Danny in the face almost as hard as he figured his words had to have hit into the man standing before him. Rick's breath rushed out of his chest and his body deflated a bit, as he dug his hands into his hips and bent over slightly. Rick's gaze slipped over Danny's shoulder towards where the Hummer stood in the distance and he sniffed back whatever he'd been about to say.

"We can't be sure he did anything wrong that day," Danny said through clenched teeth, his mind rejecting Callie's often said words as he watched Rick's heated gaze slip back to him. "He's was a scared kid, who ran away afterwards," Danny shook his head. "He didn't take part in-" Danny swallowed and ran both of his hands through his hair. "All we know is he disappeared with the rest of what was left of the men who did. He disappeared with them, Rick. And if he ended up hooked up with them…if he's still with them…he's dangerous and we need to get him the fuck outta here," Danny finished before shifting on his feet and making his way towards the set of stairs behind him. "I gotta go see what the fuck she's thinkin'-"

"I'll go," Rick said reaching out and again clasping a strong hand on Danny's shoulder. Danny looked back and caught Rick's tortured gaze. Rick's hand stayed on Danny's shoulder as he stared out along the sunny field and his fingers clenched just a bit before he spoke again. "That's why she's been stayin' away. Why she's been so distant," Rick said and Danny just stared at his profile. "Why she fainted. Why she was screamin' when she came to," Rick's eyes finally shifted over to Danny and then fell as he shook his head.

"She's stayin' away because she's worked damn hard to put it behind her," Danny said firmly, causing Rick's gaze to slip back up to him. "She's stayin' out of it because she doesn't' want to start a panic by steppin' in, which is exactly what we both know would happen if everyone knew…" Danny took in a deep breath and let it out through his lips while watching Rick's head shake and more and more guilt weigh down his strong shoulders. "She's staying out of it 'cause she trusts you to take care of it."

"And you don't," Rick said quietly his fingers still settled upon Danny's shoulder tightly. "Do you?"

"I don't know, Rick." Danny replied honestly causing Rick to sigh. "Can I?" Rick clenched his hand tight at Danny's shoulder before letting it slide off as he made his way down the steps.

"I'll go talk to her," Rick said waving a single hand over his shoulder as he walked before settling them at his slim hips again. "I'm gonna fix this today. Fix it for all of us."

Danny watched Rick stalk off into the field. He settled his hands on the railings before him and let his head fall. Letting out a long sigh as his shoulders slumped he couldn't help but smile at his shoes. He felt his head bobbing and licked his lips as the screen door creaking open slowly.

"Did that answer all your questions there, Ponch," Danny muttered to the railing before turning around and meeting Shane's steady stare.

* * *

_Callie's face exploded in pain again as the bastard slapped her and she yet again felt her body spinning around with the momentum of the hit. Her hands again hit the wall, helping to brace herself before she slid down the wall a bit. A rough hand tangled itself into the back of her hair and dragged her bodily backwards while another hand locked around her bound wrists. _

_She felt the metal of the handcuffs she still wore digging into her flesh as the rope that currently bound her rubbed and burned at the already tender flesh. The man's disgusting hot breath fanned over her neck and face as he pulled her back up against his chest as he dragged her towards something. She felt his chest rumbling with each chuckle he let out between his ragged breaths. _

"_You're all mine sweetheart," he said into her ear. "At least for now." _

_Callie's feet worked frantically at the straw strewn ground below her, the worn tread of her sneakers not finding any purchase. Her feet slipped out from under her and she let her weight go thinking it would help stall whatever was coming, but the man merely pulled her back up by her hair. With a grunt she found herself spinning around again, her stomach coming into contact with a hard surface. A second later she felt herself being shoved down by her head, her face bounced hard off of the wooden surface of the table and the metallic taste of blood filled her mouth as her bottom lip tore open. _

_She struggled against the feel of the man as he worked her bound hands up from beneath her and over her head. She felt her arms scrape and her flesh tear as he worked her hands further up, and she tilted her head as much as she could to try and see what he was working towards. _

_The sight of a rusted hook along the wall a foot above the table had her breath hitching and her struggle becoming more frantic. Her feet worked to pound at whatever she could but she couldn't get the force needed to dislodge him and she couldn't get the height in her bent over position to do any damage to anything that counted. Her arms stretched upward, and she pulled back against it, hoping against hope that she could use some kind of push up to flash her head back and catch the bastard off guard again. _

_Instead he slammed her face into the table again. Not once, but twice, causing black specs to turn into a black veil over her vision. Again she muttered her mantra 'Don't pass out' over and over as she groggily worked to continue her struggle. _

_Her arms were slowly losing strength; her head swimming in a sea of near-total blackened dizziness. Her shoulders burned with the odd angle and pressure that had been caused by the rope binding her wrists being settled onto the hook. Her back arched a bit as she whimpered and continued to try and fight. _

_His hand, the one now free from holding her hands slammed hard into the back of her head, sending her face into the table again. Black edged around her vision and she closed her eyes tight to stop the spinning of the world around her. Her breathing hitched and she felt herself beginning to panic, her arms and hands painfully working to free themselves from their bindings. _

_She twisted this way and that, pushing past the searing heat of her skin splitting open as the ropes dug further and further in. She felt the tickling sensation of her blood rolling down her arms from the wounds at her wrists and used the slickness to her advantage as she tried to slip her thumbs through the rope. The hook was moving now and she realized with a sick sort of glee that she might be able to pull it from the wall if she pulled hard enough._

_It was old, and rusted, and adrenaline was on her side…even through the haze of her swimming consciousness. _

_Her body jolted as his hands moved around to the front of her jeans, the feel of his fingers on her stomach as they undid the button and unzipped her fly sending shivers of disgust through her. She whimpered and pushed her face into the wet stickiness of her own blood coating the table below her taking in a deep breath as she continued to pull and push at that fucking hook. She felt the tears sliding down her cheek as his fingers probed at her, his dick pressed hard into her backside as he leaned over her and breathed out a disgusting heated breath over her sweat-drenched neck. _

_Her survival instinct clicked back into play as his fingers dove into her pants and underwear and began to tug them down. She bucked and moved wildly, bouncing herself up against him and kicking wildly as he got them down her hips. He tugged more violently, his nails catching and tearing some of her skin. Once he got them down far enough he put his leg between hers and used his foot to push down her pants the rest of the way. He spread her legs as far as he could and again slammed his hand into the back of her head, this time turning her head sideways and holding it there as he stepped in closer. _

_His fingers raked at her face, pulling her hair away so that he could look at her. So that she could see him as he smiled sadistically down at her._

_She felt his other hand at his own pants, working his zipper down as he continued to breathe down her neck and into her ear. She was hyperventilating now, her eyes tightly closed and her fingers wrapped tightly into the rope around that hook, bracing to pull with all she had left. One last chance._

_Don't pass out._

_She bucked one last time as she heard his pants fall loose around him and he chuckled into her ear before breathing out his next words. _

"_You're only makin' it worse," his voice slithered over her through his harsh excited breathing. She closed her eyes tighter this time praying for the darkness to take over and take her away from it. _

"You hear me?"

Callie flinched and snapped her attention to her arm, and then up to where Miles was staring at her with a raised brow and a slightly worried expression.

"What?" Callie said shaking her head in an effort to clear her mind of those damned ghosts and demons that seemed to frolic freely in her head these days. She let out a ragged breath and blinked a few times as Miles continued to stare at her.

"I said," Miles started slowly watching her with a bit of a wary eye until she shrugged him off. "I still don't see why I gotta do this," Miles finished, nudging his chin in the direction of her stitched up right elbow. "You're only makin' it worse," Miles continued, the words yet again echoing strangely in her ears. "Daryl'd do a better job, and probably make sure you didn't scar as much," Miles shifted his eyes back down to her stitched up arm and then snarled at the scissors and tweezers in his fingers.

"Daryl already knows how, and you need to learn," Callie said blinking a few more times and giving one last firm shake of her head before shifting her eyes to the kid grimacing at her arm. "You'll thank me for it someday," Callie said smiling tightly as Miles shook his head.

"I can honestly say this is one thing I don't think I will ever thank you for, Cal," Miles said letting out a low breath before shifting the tweezers and scissors back towards her arm. "Just a few more I think," Miles shifted his eyes up to her and she nodded in return. "Ready?"

"Yeah, let's get finished," Callie shifted her eyes away from Miles and over to where Daryl was washing up. He dropped the towel he'd been using to wipe away what dirt and grime he could from the back of his neck and then settled his fingers to the nape of his neck, massaging futilely what she knew were some of the most stubborn tension knots to have ever existed.

Daryl's eyes caught hers and he half-smiled at her as she winced as Miles snipped the next stitch and worked slowly to remove it. She watched as Dary shook his head and shifted his shoulders around under the worn fabric of her stolen shirt from Butch's Auto Repair. He'd apparently commandeered the damn thing as his own now that the weather had shifted fully into the brisk fall that they'd all been dreading. She watched his dirt-crusted fingers button up the shirt, covering the once white wife beater that he wore underneath before smiling as he added a thin denim jacket atop the shirt.

It was all about layers now, and as Daryl finally swung his leather vest around his shoulders and turned to grab his gear from the ground she couldn't help but smirk just a bit at the angel wings embroidered on the back.

Layers.

It was all about layers now.

"So," Miles piped in his voice a bit strained as he concentrated on pulling out the next stitch. Callie shifted her eyes down to him and he gave her a quick glance before pulling up with the blood-crusted string in the tweezers. He stared at that sting for a moment before giving off an exaggerated full body shake and letting it fall to the ground at their feet. "Now that I'm done with this horrid life experience," Miles said earning a wan smile from Callie as she watched him put the tweezers aside and pick up the bandages settled on the hood of the Hummer next to him. "We still goin'?"

"You ain't goin' nowhere if you're gonna act like a little bitch 'bout everything," Daryl piped up as he rounded the back of the Hummer and swatted at Miles with the folded up map he held.

"Have you looked at this?" Miles said motioning to Callie's torn up arm. Daryl's eyes slipped around to Callie's arm as Miles motioned wildly with his fingers. "This is disgusting." Miles said before he shifted a grimacing face to Callie. Daryl spared a quick glance to Callie before shrugging and shifting away. "Sorry, but it is." Miles finished causing Callie to nod in agreement.

"You've bashed in Walker skulls and ya can't handle a few deep cuts?" Daryl snapped out causing Miles to shift and glare at the man. Daryl lifted a brow and smirked and Miles opened his mouth to retort but Callie lifted a hand.

"That's enough, children," Callie said raising a brow and swatting at Miles so she could take over the taping up of her bandage. She gave a roll of her eyes to Daryl and Miles both still glaring at one another, before rolling her sleeve down and stretching an arm out for her coat settled on the ground near Miles. He handed it up and grimaced at her as she shook her head at him. "Swear to God, you two are ridiculous. Gonna leave both your asses behind if I'm gonna have to play mediator the whole time."

The word "Whatever," was said in unison by the two and Callie chuckled as she slipped her arms into the well worn sleeves of her brown leather jacket. She spared Miles a quick look as he washed his hands on the towel Daryl handed him and then shrugged his shoulders into what she assumed was an old jacket that had belonged to Hershel's son. The tan corduroy material with the blue flannel lining looked warm and well worn and she idly wondered how Hershel had to feel seeing the item on another boy so soon after the burial of his.

Callie stepped back slightly as Daryl slipped forward and spread the map out on the hood of the Hummer. He slipped his eyes to her and put a single finger to her belt loop pulling her back towards him slightly as if he were afraid she might actually follow through on her threat. Even though he knew after her last stint at running off with Lori, and her recent promotion to adoptive momma she'd turned over a new leaf in that department.

Of course, the entire plan of heading off to that FEMA station wasn't really keeping in turn with that new side of the leaf. But it wasn't quite as stupid an idea as it could have been. She had gained Ben and Gracie's permission first.

Idiotic as that sounded. And she wasn't going alone.

New leaf.

Callie rubbed at the bridge of her nose and let her eyes wander back towards the farm and that shed that she'd found herself standing outside of for hours on end. She let out a low breath and blinked back the rest of the nightmares that seemed to plague her every waking moment now, before shifting her eyes back towards the map spread out before them. Daryl kept his eye on her for a moment as she stepped forward and slipped her foot up onto the front bumper of the Hummer. She held his gaze and knew, just somehow knew, that he had figured something out.

Figured out that this wasn't really a supply trip. Figured out that it wasn't even a trip to see what, if anything, remained of her brother and his whereabouts.

Figured out that she just couldn't seem to deal anymore and was running away from the entire situation that had settled upon their camp since Rick had brought Randall back with them.

He wasn't stupid, in fact, he was probably the most observant son of a bitch she'd ever met. He'd obviously noticed her division from the rest of camp and her distance from the Randall situation. He'd obviously noticed the way she'd put herself out of the discussions and left everything to Rick.

Noticed how unlike her that actually was, especially when the good of the entire group was at stake. Especially when Rick was looking to her for support and she just walked away.

And like the good fuckin' man that he was, he left it be.

No matter how much he may have wanted to ask what was going on. No matter how much he may have wanted to pry. And she'd seen the look on his face enough times in the past three days, and nights-nights when he'd woken to her find her sitting up awake atop the Hummer smoking and staring off towards the house. Nights he simply sat by her side and said nothing about the tears dried on her cheeks or the way she shied away from his touch. She'd seen enough to know he wanted to ask. But he wouldn't. Because he was Daryl fuckin' Dixon.

And Daryl barely had a grasp on his own shit.

Callie smirked at the feel of his finger tightening just a bit in her belt loop as he pulled her that scant inch closer to him and she shook her head as she pushed at him playfully. He slipped his finger away and stepped towards her, letting out a barely noticeable sigh when she didn't pull away as he settled his hip at hers. Miles tucked the towel he'd been drying his hands on into his back pocket and shoved Jim's old ball cap onto his grown-out mop of hair as he leaned over to look at the map.

"Should be just a day trip," Daryl said idly as he tapped his finger along the spot where the FEMA station was. "Might even be back 'fore Rick and Shane." Daryl's eyes skipped over to her and Callie gave him a curt single nod as she shifted closer to the map.

"That's the plan," Callie mumbled as she settled a hand on the map near Daryl's. He twitched just a bit and she gave him a small smile.

"Swear you two are ridiculous," Miles muttered as he shifted a playful gaze between them and reached into his back pocket for something. "Gonna leave both your asses here if I'm gonna have to sit and watch y'all play footsie the entire time."

"Shut up," Daryl snapped shifting his hand off the hood and standing up straight. Callie chuckled and settled her left elbow onto the hood of the car wiggling her fingers at Miles as he unfolded a piece of notebook paper.

"What ya got there, Miles?" Callie asked as Daryl continued to shift awkwardly on his feet beside her. She finally slapped at him for his fidgeting and pointed her hand back at the hood of the car. Daryl scoffed and bit at this thumbnail while leaning back in. It wasn't until she'd slipped her finger into his belt loop and pulled him towards her again that he relaxed.

Though when Miles laughed he shot the kid a death glare that would have killed if it had been anyone but Miles on the receiving end.

"I started workin' up a map of what the place looked like the day we got back," Miles said as he chuckled and waved off Daryl's glare. He slipped his now somber eyes up to Callie and nodded idly as both Callie and Daryl leaned in to check out what he'd worked up. "Knew we'd be headin' back there sooner rather than later and figured it'd be better to not do it blind. Especially with the shit-ton of Walkers that were just hangin' about down there."

"This is amazing, Miles." Callie said shifting forward and marveling at the well drawn out map. The lot and the buildings were each drawn out with approximate size noted off to the side. The amount of cars, placement of them, hell even the location of the one he'd wrecked—the place he'd found Bobby's dog tags was scratched on with precision. Callie shifted her eyes up to Miles smiling as he rubbed at the back of his neck and stared down at his map.

"Yeah, well," Miles shrugged and shifted his eyes away from Callie and over to where Daryl was just staring at him. "Whatever," Miles shrugged again and Daryl shook his head as he leaned towards the map.

"S'good, man," Daryl said quietly as he slipped his finger over the marked up roadway and parking lot to where the FEMA trailer was drawn in. "This shit's gonna give us a better chance than nothin'."

"So the trailer here is the only one there is, right?" Callie asked as she shifted forward and pointed.

"Yeah," Miles said nodding. "Otis said that they'd only really had a chance to get the one set up before shit went sour. From what Shane said," Miles continued, his mouth twitching just a bit at the man's name before he shook it off and tapped his finger forcefully on the trailer on the map. "Sucker's loaded up with goodies. Guess people just forgot it was there."

"Or they just didn't have a chance to get to it," Daryl said nodding solemnly. "Ain't gonna say I'm too busted up about it now though." Callie gave a nod of agreement as she continued to stare at the map. The three of them stood there in silence for a few moments more. Finally, Daryl's head swiveled between Callie and Miles before he flattened both of his palms on the hood and gave an agitated sigh. "Well, we goin'?"

"Yeah," Callie said shifting her foot off of the Hummer's front bumper and slipping the keys out of her pocket. "Let's hit it before we lose anymore daylight." Callie jingled her keys a bit and let out a disgruntled sigh as Daryl snatched them out of her fingers before she could get even a step towards the driver's side door. She watched him smirk at her and flung her arms out to her side. "Seriously? It's my fuckin' car, Dixon."

"Ya stole it," Daryl snapped back as he clapped his hand on Miles' shoulder as the kid chuckled and grabbed the maps.

"Yes, _I_ did. Asshole," Callie said her voice falling into a small chuckle as she failed to keep up her angry front when he smiled back at her as he opened the door and put a foot inside. His smile dropped a second later and his eyes narrowed before his chin inclined briefly indicating a spot over her shoulder. She narrowed her brow and turned slowly, her heart thumping hard in her chest at the sight of Rick stalking towards them.

Callie sighed and ran a hand through her windblown hair shifting her eyes back to Daryl. His mouth twitched to the side as he chewed at the inside of his cheek and he slipped out of the Hummer. He kept one hand to the door as he watched Rick walk towards them and shrugged at her as she continued to stare at him.

"Uh oh," Miles said in a snarky tone as he stepped from the back of the Hummer where he'd been loading the rest of their gear. "Looks like someone ratted on us to Dad huh?"

"Shut up, chuckles," Daryl said closing the door and grabbing roughly onto Miles' shoulder. He turned the kid around and pushed him towards the remains of the broken down fireplace while shifting his eyes over his shoulder to Callie. He didn't need to say a thing when he nudged his chin again, the message was loud and clear. But he said it anyway. "Deputy Do-Right's your problem."

Callie sighed again and let her chin drop to her chest as her eyes closed. She listened to Miles' chuckling voice get further and further away as he spoke in low tones to Daryl, and finally all that was left was the slowly stopping crunch of Rick's steps as he came up behind her.

"A word, Callie," Rick said only stopping for that brief moment before he walked off towards the fencing stretching out across the field away from their little camp. Callie slid her eyes heavenward for a moment before she trudged along after him, her fingers settling into her back pockets as she moved. She spared a single glance over her shoulder catching sight of Daryl watching them and then ducking to sit down beside Miles near their small fire pit.

Rick stopped near the fence but only for a second before he was pacing. His steps were agitated and harsh, easily wearing a path in the tall yellowed grass below his feet. Callie watched him, her fingers tightening slightly where they sat in her back pockets. Her eyes shifted away from him when he looked back at her, a twinge of guilt at her own actions as of late making her bite at inside of her bottom lip. Rick looked away and raked a hand through his hair while peeking at her through his lashes. With one hand settled at his slim hips, and the other resting at the back of his neck he firmed his lips and stared at her.

"Rick…" Callie began, his slightly questioning gaze prompting her to start the conversation. Even if she had no real clue what they were supposed to be conversing about. She opened her mouth to start again but was cut off by Rick's clipped, slightly agitated voice.

"I need you…" Rick snapped out before letting out a long frustrated sigh. His head shook slightly and Callie's mouth clamped shut as she watched him turn his back and pace again. A moment later he turned and pierced her with a look she just couldn't read. "I need you, alright? I can't…" Rick stared at her and held her gaze, his eyes moving over hers as if he were trying to read her thoughts. She stood there in the slow growing sunlight above sucking in deep breaths trying to figure out where his mind was. "I need you here. I need you to be here while I'm gone. While I take care of this," Rick paused again and his gaze slipped back towards the house before shifting back to her. "If something were to happen…Walkers were to come, or Randall's group were to find us," Rick paused again and this time Callie caught another look in his eye, one that had her standing up a bit straighter as he continued. "I need to have people here that I trust to be able to take care of things. And that's you. And that's Daryl," Rick shifted his hand out towards their campsite behind her before settling his hands at his hips again. "It's not smart to stretch ourselves thin right now. And I'm not sayin' that it's not a good idea to go out there and hit that trailer for supplies. It's a damn good plan. I'm just sayin' it's not right to go now. And I know somewhere in that head of yours, you know I'm right."

Callie held Rick's gaze for a few quiet moments, the slight breeze blowing her hair into her face and mouth and causing her nose to twitch a bit. She lifted a hand up and pulled the hair from her mouth and then hooked her thumb into the holster at her hip. Rick's eyes slipped down to that holster, catching on his badge still pinned on it. When he looked up again she tilted her head to the side and then gave a small nod, her eyes shifting to the ground below her booted feet.

"I'm sorry I've been avoiding you," Callie said quietly, her eyes lifting up to see Rick still staring at her with that unreadable expression on his face.

"I get it," Rick replied, his own mouth twitching to the side slightly as the breeze blew along his face. His eyes shifted back towards the house and he bit at his bottom lip before speaking again. "Danny told me who he is." Rick's words were low and ominous and had Callie's eyes snapping open wide as his gaze slid back to her. "Told me what happened to those girls. To you."

There was a long beat of silence as Callie worked to steady her breath and her voice. She sniffed and shifted her eyes away from Rick towards the house before replying.

"Yeah, well, Danny's guilt has a way of muckin' up the truth a bit," Callie said shaking her head idly.

"And you have a way of avoiding it," Rick returned almost immediately and she couldn't help but smile at him a bit.

"Touché," Callie bit out between a very small chuckle. Her eyes shifted back over towards the shed in the distance. Her hands slipped up and she winced a bit as she crossed her arms over her body and hugged herself, fighting off an odd sensation of cold that ran deeper than the small breeze alone could have been blamed for. Her mind shifted to Danny, his guilty conscience still after all this time causing him trouble. There had never been a point when Callie blamed him for what happened. Never even a fleeting moment. Then again, she didn't need to. Danny was good with guilt. Really fucking good. And here she'd left him to handle it alone, again. Callie sucked in a deep breath and shifted her eyes back to Rick, surprised to find him still standing in the same spot staring at her. "How's he doin' with this?"

"Have you talked to him? Anyone? Daryl?" Rick asked, as if he hadn't even heard her question. Callie's head shook before she spoke and Rick sighed in return.

"There's just so much," Callie said shifting a hand up to rake back her loose hair. Her eyes went back to the small camp area where Daryl and Miles were still sitting at that tiny little fire. "I can't right now. Not until I get it under control, ya know? I need to get it back under control."

"Talk to him," Rick said firmly as he stepped towards her. His hand reached out to her but then fell as if he thought better of the action after looking at the way she was hugging herself. Callie shook her head at herself and let her hands fall limply to her sides as she turned to face him. "You can't just let it eat at you. All that's gonna do is kill you both. Talk to him, Callie."

Callie nodded slowly and licked at her suddenly dry lips. They stood in silence for a few moments; Rick looking back towards the house and Callie looking at Rick. She watched his shoulders rise and fall with the deep breaths he dragged in and she sighed at the weight she could see him carrying.

"You okay?" She asked quietly, causing his eyes to snap up to her. She lifted a brow at him when he just stared at her and waited for him to answer.

"I'm so sorry," Rick said, his brow furrowing with the determination of his words. "I'm gonna fix this, Callie. I need to fix this."

"Don't get yourself killed tryin' to fix something that's not yours to fix, Rick," Callie said with a sad little smile that he shook his head at. "I've seen what that can do to people."

"We're heading out soon," Rick said completely ignoring her words. "I'd like you to be close to the house and the rest of camp while we're gone. Keep an eye on things. We shouldn't be gone too long." Callie nodded at Rick's words and slipped her hands back into her back pockets as she watched him shift his weight from foot to foot.

"You could take Daryl," Callie said, trying to read his unease and figuring she hit the nail on the head when his eyes snapped up to her. He grimaced and she shrugged. "Or send Daryl with Shane. Or-"

"No," Rick said firmly, his head shaking with the ferocity of his words. "No, I need to do this. I need to fix this," his eyes snapped to her again and she felt herself shift her head to the side. "I need to fix this, and Shane," Rick paused and slipped his gaze back towards the house before finishing his statement. "Shane needs to see it."

"Rick?" Callie called out, her tone questioning as she watched him snarl at the house. He ignored her again and instead raised a hand, wanting to touch her shoulder but not feeling he should. His fingers raked into his thick dark hair and he sighed out his next words.

"I'm-," Rick said as he started to walk away. "I'm gonna fix it," he nodded his head and continued on towards the house.

Callie watched him go, her arms again shifting up to hold tight around her body. She sucked in a deep breath before letting rattle out of her chest and then shifted her eyes behind her. Daryl was standing now, his lean silhouette staring straight at her his heated gaze more potent than ever even at the distance they were at. Letting out one more low sigh she turned to face him and began to trek back towards them.

* * *

Shane wiped the back of his hand over his mouth and under his nose, working away the slick feel of sweat that had accumulated on his upper lip. He sniffed back the wetness in his nose and spat it off to the side before bending down to tighten the laces of his other boot.

The sound of light crunching footsteps behind him had him lifting his head and turning; the sight of the source of those steps had his mouth twitching to the side. He repeated the motion of wiping his sweat away and spitting before nodding his welcome to the woman standing there.

Callie's hands were settled in her back pockets, her usual pose when she wanted to be seen as friendly and unthreatening as she could. Shane felt his lips curling in a bit of a smile as he let his eyes roam over her from head to toe, and then felt that rising taste in the back of his throat. A familiar sensation nowadays, but still one that made him pause and swallow hard.

He knew why he was feelin' that sensation with Callie. Why the bile rose in his throat when she was around, and before he'd been able to live with it. Before he'd been able to tell himself that she deserved his ire. But now, after being so harshly reminded of exactly who Callie was and all she'd been through by Danny's words earlier, his shame was startin' to get the better of him.

Shane took in a breath, waiting for Callie to say something and when she didn't he shook his head and went back to tying up his boots. He and Rick were gonna be going soon, and he'd be damned if he wasn't fully prepared for whatever the fuck they were gonna find out there.

A part of his brain was nagged by Callie's lingering presence at his back. Her shadow stretching along the lawn at the side of the house where he was getting himself together and he shook his head against that little tingle along his spine. After three days of her keepin' away from this house, he couldn't for the life of him figure out why the fuck she'd sought him out at her return.

And it fuckin' bothered him that she would…

"I never thanked you," Callie voice slid out into the space between them and Shane felt his body go rigid.

Her words, her sincere tone, everything, causin' him to snap back to attention and turn slowly around to face her. He knew his expression had to have been comically confused because Callie was smiling just a bit at him when his eyes met hers. He felt his brow narrow and watched her duck her head slightly before nodding, apparently realizing how fuckin' ridiculous she sounded. Shane shook his head at her, finding himself completely unable to actually fathom where she was going with this and licked at his dry lips while he waited for her to continue.

"I never thanked you," Callie repeated shifting her weight from one foot to the other, her hands still settled into the back pockets of her jeans. "For letting us stay at the Quarry, for takin' us in. I spent day after day with you, months now, and I don't think I ever thanked you for that. I'm not gonna go as far as to say you _saved_ our lives that day, but you definitely changed them."

"Wasn't just me," Shane muttered, his mind still muddled with the effect of her words. He sniffed again and watched her smile and shake her head.

"Yes it was," Callie said simply, catching his eye and makin' him hold her gaze. "Don't down play your role in the group, Shane. If you woulda said we had to go, everyone there would have backed you up."

"Yeah," Shane said shaking his head and turning his back on her to finish with his boots. "Funny how shit changes, huh?"

Shane tugged on his shoe strings and tied up his boot still feelin' that strange sensation of that woman staring at his back. He fidgeted a bit, his shoulders pulling strange under the jacket he was wearing. His mouth twitched with the want to fucking ask her what the hell she really wanted. Because he knew damn well it wasn't to thank him. But he couldn't seem to get the words out past the droning sound of what he knew-because he knew her well enough to know- was a sincere thank you on her part. He adjusted his pants where they were tucked into his boots and then wiped the back of his hand one more time along his mouth, still feeling her at this back watching. It wasn't until he stood up and slipped his hand to the gun strapped to his thigh, his back still to her, that she spoke again.

"You and I have never seen eye to eye on things," Callie said quietly a small chuckle on her voice causing him to turn to stare at her. She was looking at his boots and nodding her head idly as she smiled on and he furrowed his brow at her. "From day one we seemed to have a way of disagreeing without really disagreeing didn't we?"

She looked up at him and smiled then and he couldn't help but smile back at her, his own head bobbing as he settled his hands firmly at his hips.

"Some people just ain't made to agree with one another," Shane said firming his lips as he fought the smile on his face. "Don't mean they can't live with one another."

"Yeah," Callie said finally ducking her head and stepping towards him a few paces. Shane's head tilted at her action and out of instinct he spread his legs and took on a defensive stance. One she must have read, because she stopped her forward motion almost immediately and raked one hand through her disheveled honey blonde waves. "I think there has probably been only one thing we've ever agreed upon wholeheartedly since we've met, you know that? Rick Grimes." She smiled at him as he felt his expression go blank. "Rick Grimes is a good man. A true friend, someone who would lay down his life for anyone in heartbeat. He's a fuckin' survivor."

"You got a point to this?" Shane said tightly as he felt his body tense up further. She shook her head and he had the sudden urge to grab her and shake her and make her stop all this bullshit she liked to pull with him.

"Just havin' a hard time figurin' out why Rick would feel the need to prove that he's those things to you? You of all people? Who already knows all that," Callie said shrugging her shoulders, her hands once again firmly in her back pockets.

A beat of silence slipped between them, the wind rustling the grass at their feet and the shadows extending upon them just a bit while Shane bit at the inside of his mouth and stared at the woman in front of him.

"Ya know," Shane said finally causing her brow to perk up as she shifted her weight to her other foot. "When I was a kid, we had a dog named Bo. I loved that damn dog and when the time came for Bo to be put down my parents came to me to take care of it. They knew that with how much I loved that dog I wasn't gonna let him suffer, and they knew they wouldn't be able to take the actions that I would." Shane watched Callie's jaw clench just a bit as she stared at him and he nodded his head. "You're right about you and me. There ain't never been a time when we really agreed on anything, but I've always respected you. Because day one, I saw in you someone who knew when to take those steps that others just couldn't. Your niece and nephew-" Shane raised a hand instantly as Callie's mouth opened and he pushed off the retort he knew was coming. "I am not drawing any kinda comparison between your family and my fuckin' dog, Callie. I'm not the crude type of fucker that people like to think of me as. I know its apples to fuckin' beef and I'm sorry if it's comin' off that way. That ain't what I'm sayin'."

Shane lowered his hand as Callie looked away from him for a second. He watched her firm her lips against whatever she wanted to say and then watched her slip her hands out of her back pockets as she twitched a brow at him waiting for him to continue.

"There ain't never been a question in my mind that you're a survivor, Callie. That night at camp when you told us all about how you killed them boys in your bar, and met up with Danny. That story about what happened to you two at that farm with them two girls," Shane felt the distaste rise in his throat and without really thinking about it his finger lifted and pointed off behind her. Her eyes hardened a bit and he felt bad about bringing it up but knew it had to be done. "We might never have seen eye to eye on how to handle things, but we both know that certain things need to be done even though we may not want to do them. Rick," Shane's hand fell and he firmed his lips for a second before continuing. "I've seen him let perps go with a slap on the wrist and then stood by and watched him have to arrest the _same_ fuck for the _same_ damn thing not more than a few days later. Seen it more times than I can count on two hands," Shane shifted on his feet and pointed a finger at Callie. "So if he feels the need to show me that ain't gonna happen this time, I'll be damned if I ain't gonna grab me a fuckin' front row seat for it. You understand what I'm sayin'?"

Another hard beat of silence slipped between them and Shane watched Callie shifted her hands, her fingers catching on the holster around her hips as she nodded idly.

"Yeah, Shane I get what you're sayin'," Callie said closing her eyes as the nodding motion of her head turned into a slow mind-clearing shake. "I get it. I just don't like it."

"Yeah well," Shane shrugged and watched her eyes lift to him, the rest of his words dying at the look in her eyes. He slipped his gaze back down to where her hands were resting and he caught sight of the gold badge, Rick's fuckin' badge, clipped onto her holster. Rick's fuckin' hoslter.

"Don't do anything stupid out there today," Callie said finally her head still shaking as she turned her back on him. "Despite what you may think, no one in this group wants to lose anyone else."

Shane watched her turn fully away, watched her shoulders hitch just a bit as the breeze blew around her. Watched her left arm lift to hold and rub idly at what he knew was her fuckin' torn up arm. Watched her and felt a sudden urge overtake him, an urge that made him step forward and call out to her before she got too far away. Before he lost his chance.

"I was outta line," Shane called out, his words instantly stilling her movements and causing her to look at him over her shoulder. He shifted his weight from side to side and reached out an imploring hand as she turned sideways to regard him with a confused sort of stare. "At the barn, that day," Shane continued on letting his mind go and just saying the words he felt he needed to. "I was outta line. What I said to you, 'bout your family, 'bout you. What I did," his eyes dropped to her feet and then back up to her eyes as a sudden bout of shame settled strangely on his shoulders. "I ain't the type of man to think that an apology for things like that really means jack-shit when all's said and done. Ain't the type to expect anyone to really accept a thing like that either, but I'm sorry. I truly am, Callie." He stared at her long and hard his hand lifting and finger pointing in that same imploring manner as she just stared silently back at him. "I respect you. I care 'bout you just like I care 'bout everyone in this group, despite what people may think of me. And I am sorry if I ever made you doubt that."

Callie's mouth firmed into a tight line as she stared at him, her tongue darting out to wet her lips slightly. And just when he thought she was going to say something to him her mouth firmed tight again and she gave him a single nod. She turned again and waved a single hand over her shoulder at him as she worked her way back around to the front of the house and out into the harsh glare of the early morning sun. Shane stood by and watched her until her lithe figure disappeared from sight completely, and only then did he let out the shuddering breath he'd been holding in.

Only then did he spit out that acrid taste in his mouth and wipe at the sweat that had once again settled at his upper lip. Scrubbing his hand over his shaved head he shook out whatever was left of that fuckin' conversation and set his mind back to task. Letting his bulky arms fall to his sides he stalked off towards the shed to go help get that fuck Randall, and readied himself to see if Rick was really up for the task he'd set up for himself.

_**Your sister sees the future**_

_**Like your Mama and yourself**_

_**You don't know how to read or write**_

_**There's no books upon your shelf**_

_**But your pleasure knows no limits**_

_**And your voice is like a meadowlark**_

_**Your heart is like the ocean**_

_**Mysterious and dark**_

_**One more cup of coffee for the road**_

_**One more cup of coffee 'fore I go**_

_**To the valley below**_

_**~One More Cup of Coffee/ The White Stripes**_

_AN: Oh my god I promise you I'm trying to work as fast as I can on these chapters but LIFE. LIFE y'all. Dear lord. But I've been working to set aside a few hours every night to make sure I write, because it really and truly is my only outlet these days. _

_I hope you guys liked the chapter, I know it probably seemed a bit odd and you're probably getting sick of me dragging things out but I can tell you that things are probably going to be moving a bit faster than you're expecting them to. I'm not going to drag out Randall's story further than I think I should, but there's a history that needs to be addressed so I'm not going to just rush it either. _

_I'm not gonna linger long here in the AN's I just wanted to shout out to all of you and say I LOVE YOU…just one more time. _

_Note on Song: This is originally a Bob Dylan song, but I really liked the sound of The White Stripes version so take a listen if you feel the urge. _

_I've got this tumblr thingy… that you can follow if you want. It's SimplyWickedRamblings. I post a lot about the fic there and have an ungodly addiction forming so if you're inclined visit me there. Ask me questions 'bout the fic or TWD in general. Fuck I don't care…I need me some social interaction and I want it from YOU! _

_Much Love, _

_See ya next chap._


	53. Starving in the Belly of the Whale

**New Meanings to Old Words: LOVE**

_I think I first off have to apologize to all of you who so wonderfully support this fic and all that I have offered. There's a lot of LIFE going on right now…the one I'm raising, the one I'm carrying inside of me and the one I'm trying to lead without getting lost in all the rest that's going on. I had a scare and landed in the hospital for a few days not long ago, and have been focusing a great deal on getting myself healthy and keeping the little one inside of me healthy (two more months to go so fingers crossed that it's smooth sailing from here). I haven't had much time to think straight and while this is my outlet I've been finding it harder and harder to get into a groove and out of the whole of CRAP that I've dug myself into as of late. So take this as my apology and know that I'm going to try and get this up and rolling again, because I so want to finish this part of the story so that we can all move on to bigger and brighter and better things. _

_That shit said….let's move the fuck on shall we folks? _

_So this was going to be part of the next chapter…but the way it was unfolding in my head just said…nah split it up. Make it another chapter and move the fuck on. And while I know you're expecting the Rick/Shane goodness of 18 miles out… but don't worry, there's a method to the madness my friends. _

_Hope you all enjoy, and again, thanks for sticking with me as I struggle through LIFE in order to get these out to you. As always, read, review and most of all enjoy (I mean that's why you're here after all isn't it?) _

_Disclaimer: I own nothing but Callie and the crew of misfits (and all their grand little side adventures). G'bless. _

**Starving in the Belly of the Whale**

They stood upon the porch of the Greene farm house, all of them watching as Rick and Shane drove off to 'deal with the Randall situation'. An uneasy silence settled between all of them as the cool wind of the growing Fall morning blew around them, an unwelcome reminder that the hard parts were only just beginning. Callie shifted on her feet and tightened her fingers in the fabric of her back pockets before rocking back and letting her gaze fall to where Dale stood not far off shaking his head in silent dissent at the way things had played out. They shared a frown before Dale let out a long sigh and exited the porch heading off towards the RV settled in the distance.

"I will never understand him," Lori uttered quietly, causing Callie's attention to shift away from the older man and over to where the woman was standing at her right. Lori's eyes remained on the dust that had been kicked up by the wheels of the car that had just left and Callie's brows raised waiting for the woman to continue. "He shouldn't be the one -" Lori cut herself off and let her hands fall away from her body before she slipped her eyes to Callie beside her. "It doesn't always need to be him."

"He brought him here," Carl's voice echoed out and both Lori and Callie were turning to face the boy settled near the steps of the porch. His blue eyes held the familiar steel of his father's gaze as he stared at his mother and Callie firmed her lips as she watched Carl's eyes shift awkwardly under his mother's stare. "Danny was right," Carl said quietly finally shifting his eyes away from his mother's surprised stare. "Dad shoulda left him there. Shoulda let him die."

With that Carl shifted away from the railing and trotted down the steps to head towards where Ben was sitting at the small communal eating area set up near the RV with Dale. Callie watched him go feeling her mouth hanging slightly open and she shook herself slightly before snapping it shut again.

"_That_ is exactly why he needs to be here," Lori said through a tightly clenched jaw as she met Callie's gaze. She shook her head and raised a defeated hand to the figure of her son walking along the grass. "I don't know what to do with that. I just -" Lori sighed loudly and blew at the fringe of her bangs settled along her bruised brow letting her arms fall defeated at her sides. She shifted her gaze briefly over to Callie again, her head still shaking idly, before turning away and heading into the house.

Callie watched her figure until she disappeared and then shifted her eyes back towards the slowly dispersing remainder of their group as they all slid out their separate ways. After a few moments of staring off at the empty roadway she slipped her hands out of her back pockets and settled them to the railing in front of her. Callie's fingers clenched just a bit before she let her knees bend her body into a crouch so that she could rest her pounding forehead against the cool, slightly damp wooden slats below the railing. She closed her eyes and took in a few deep breaths, working to settle her own nerves and prepare herself for what was sure as fuck turning out to be a long day.

The sound of shuffling feet on the ground below and the tapping of something against where her forehead peeked through the slats had her eyes slowly opening. The dark skinned fingers of T-Dog holding a pack of cigarettes almost too close in her field of vision had her head lifting from the wood. The tilt of one of the man's dark brows coupled with the slight smirking frown-if there was such a thing-settled upon his lips had her smiling as he waved the pack back and forth before her eyes.

"There's a sight for sore eyes," Callie mumbled meeting his eyes briefly before pushing to her feet and staring down at him over the railing. T-Dog huffed out a bit of a laugh and reached the pack up to her already reaching fingers.

"Look like you need 'em more than me," T-Dog muttered as he settled his back against the porch and stared off towards their camp. Callie grunted in response and flicked out two cigarettes before settling her elbows upon the railing. She tapped a finger to T-Dog's head and he looked up at the offered cigarette with a smile and a wave of his hand. "Nah. Tryin' to quit. That shit'll kill ya."

"Kinda the lesser of the evils nowadays," Callie said in return offering the cigarette again. He waved her off and she shrugged at him before slipping her fingers into her front pocket where she always kept her lighter.

The flicker of the small flame of the lighter extinguished and Callie took a long lingering drag off of the cigarette in her mouth as she stared off at the surrounding area. She took in each and every section of it, the homey feel that they'd been able to accomplish with the simple placement of a few tents and that damn RV. It was almost ridiculous, and if she was being completely honest, a bit ominous in how much it resembled the set up that they'd made at the Quarry.

Callie let the smoke filter through her slightly parted lips and twiddled her lighter between her fingers as she let her mind shift and sway with the cool lingering breeze of the morning. Her eyes remained on the outlying camp and the buildings of the farm, but her mind was a million different places and different times.

"Why are you still here, T?" Callie muttered as she lifted her cigarette back to her lips for another drag.

"I got some options I ain't aware of?" T-Dog retorted as he tossed her another fleeting sarcastic look over his shoulder. They shared a smile and a chuckle before both returned their gazes to the land before them.

"You know what I mean," Callie muttered, her cigarette bouncing on her lips as she spoke. T-Dog grunted an affirmative sound and she slipped her eyes over to where his head was lightly bobbing.

"Could ask you the same thing," T-Dog said after a beat, his eyes again shifting back to her. She held his gaze as he stared at her. Finally he sighed and shifted on his feet, his eyes sliding to where his arm was still bandaged from the incident on the highway. An incident that seemed so long ago now that it was hard to think it had barely been a few weeks. "Makes more sense to ask you. You got family out there; a brother that you have a lead on actually findin'. Me. After everthing, all I had was Jacqui and Jim," T-Dog paused then, his lips firming as he fought whatever feelings still lingered about the fate of his two friends and Callie lowered her gaze to the ground and waited. "These people are the only family I got left now." Callie grunted at that and he sent her a smirk. "This group's 'bout as happy and close-knit as any other family I've ever known. All of us bitchin' and moanin' 'bout what 'dad' and 'mom' say we got to do," his eyes shifted over his shoulder to her and he smirked while she lifted her middle finger at him. "I woulda been dead on that highway if I'd been alone. Woulda been dead if not for Daryl bein' there. You askin' for a reason?"

"No," Callie muttered, bouncing her cigarette along her lips from one side of her mouth to the other. She felt T-Dog's eyes on her as she stared out at the fields around them and finally caught his eye. "Just seem to be spending too much of my time thinking too hard 'bout shit that really ain't worth the consideration."

T-Dog nodded his head twice before shifting his eyes away and out towards the surrounding fields. It was a beautiful, crisp morning, and probably would have been more so if not for the lingering sense of unease still in the air. Callie sucked in another drag off her cigarette as her eyes caught onto something in the distance. The sight of the two figures, too far away to really be distinguishable, but too fuckin' discernible in their own right not to be figured out fucking immediately, cutting across the lawn and towards the wooded area had her chin lifting slightly.

"Thought Rick said for everyone to stay put," T-Dog muttered from where he stood and she slipped her eyes to his as he cast them over his shoulder and up at her. She smirked at the smile sliding slowly across his lips and nodded as she shifted her cigarette to the corner of her mouth.

"Yeah, you wanna go out there and tell 'em that?" Callie said tossing a flippant hand out at the distant figures slowly being swallowed by the dim forest. T-Dog barked out a laugh and shook his head waving a hand at her as he turned back towards where Daryl and Miles had disappeared.

"Fuck no, that's all you, Callie," T-Dog's humored tone had a smile raking across Callie's features even though she wanted to frown. The feeling was short-lived for both of them though as after a moment of silence T-Dog spoke up again, his own misgivings about things shining through even as he tried to push them away. "Where they goin'?"

"They're makin' sure we're still as alone as we think we are," Callie returned quietly as she slumped her weight forward onto her elbows as they settled on the railing. The memory of her discussion with Daryl and Miles about them sticking around while Rick was gone; about the former sheriff's deputy's worries at what could be heading their way, still fresh in her mind.

"Fuck," T-Dog said through his teeth before raking a thick fingered hand over his bald head. His eyes again flickered over his shoulder and met hers and he firmed his lips tight before speaking again. "Maybe I should go with 'em. Just in case."

"No. They can handle whatever they find," Callie said letting her eyes slip back out to the spot that the two men had disappeared into. She stared for a moment longer before shaking her head at herself. A moment later she pushed off of her elbows and stood up straight, cigarette firmly held between her lips as she walked purposefully towards the stairs. T-Dog's eyes followed her, his own body pushing off of where he had been resting against the lower edge of the porch. "Rick's right, we all need to stay close to the farm and make sure we keep eyes on everything. We need to be proactive."

T-Dog nodded as he met her at the bottom of the stairs, his eyes slipping out briefly to where Daryl and Miles had disappeared before heading back to her. Callie settled her hands on the holster at her hips and glared into the growing sunlight for a moment, her hand lifting to shield her eyes as she slid her eyes around the area. Bouncing her cigarette to the other corner of her mouth she snarled a bit at the entire fucking situation before shifting her eyes to the waiting man beside her.

"Grab Glenn and Andrea," Callie said finally watching as T-Dog's eyes lifted in mild surprise before settling back into a questioning look. "Take a walk around the property, not too far off, but far enough to do a good sweep. Then get Andrea up on the roof of the porch here, I'll send Ben up in a bit to help her. Two watch-posts are better than one now I'd think. "

"Andrea? You sure 'bout that?" T-Dog asked, his brow furrowing at her words and the memory of the woman's last stint at watch duty.

"She's the best shot outta the lot of us," Callie said in a firm tone holding T-Dog's gaze. "So yeah, I'm fuckin' sure I want her looped into this shit." T-Dog's lips firmed at her words but he gave her a stiff nod. "Give him a few more minutes of breathing time and then loop Danny's ass in on it, and give him something to do. That fucker's idle hands worry me," Callie continued on a sigh as she rubbed at her temple. T-Dog smirked and scoffed out his agreement before shifting his shoulders and nodding his head. "Set up a schedule, work it out between the few of you. Until Rick and Shane get back this place is on fuckin' lockdown. Arm yourselves. I don't want any surprises. You see Walkers, take 'em out. You see anything else, you come find me. Got it?"

"Yeah, I got it," T-Dog said forcefully as he wiped his hands along his thighs. His eyes remained locked on the side of her face, and she briefly met his eyes before settling her eyes back in front of her. Callie sniffed and gave a single stiff nod before heading off. "Where you gonna be?"

"RV," Callie said tightly, shaking her head and looking back at him. "Gonna have a little chat with Master Grimes." T-Dog nodded again and then shifted to head up the stairs. Callie watched him for a second before turning back towards the RV. She had taken two steps before she heard T-Dog call out to her again.

"Hey Cal," T-Dog said, and she turned to find him smiling at her slightly from the top of the porch stairs. "It's good to have you back," he said holding her gaze for a moment. She knew people probably thought her behavior these past few days she'd exiled herself from the house as odd, but she never thought past that point. Never really thought about what they assumed was going on. As she looked at T-Dog she got an idea of what the quiet black man considered and it made her frown as he continued. "You ever think 'bout headin' out on your own for real, you make sure to pick my black-ass up first. Got it?"

"Yeah, I got it," Callie said smiling back and then waving him off towards the house. Callie shook her head and worked her way towards the RV. At the bottom of the ladder she shifted her eyes around and then tossed the smoldering remains of her cigarette to the ground at her feet.

Taking a deep breath Callie prepared herself for what was sure to be a long fucking day. 18 miles. That's as far as Rick and Shane were supposed to be going. Not far at all really. But in the world they lived in now, anything and everything could happen no matter where you were.

The chill of the morning hadn't yet been burned off by that barest hint of sunlight that Daryl could make out breaking through the branches of the trees around them, making it pretty clear that the shift in weather was finally here to stay. And as Daryl shifted his shoulders in the layers of clothes he was wearing and watched Miles thrash away at the underbrush around them with that fuckin' bat of his, he knew that the change of the weather wasn't the only thing causin' that shiver of unease that had seemed to settle upon their entire crew.

* * *

Daryl's eyes shifted behind him towards where he knew the farm was, and then back to Miles. Everyone's minds were scattered around the fuckin' what-ifs that had been plaguing them for days now. What-ifs that had started the day they found Sophia in that barn. What-ifs that were supposed to be slipping away now that Rick and Shane had finally taken that fuckin' kid out to God knew where. What-ifs that Daryl knew, now that they'd been put out there, weren't gonna be goin' away any time soon.

What-ifs that had settled deep into all of them and were slowly breakin' their close knit group apart.

Daryl shifted his shoulders again and adjusted the familiar weight of his crossbow in his hands before letting his eyes roam around them. They'd been out here for maybe an hour, silently stalking the woods at the edge of the roadway onto the property, lookin' for any signs that their little safe haven away from the horror of the world around them had been compromised.

They broke through the thicket of branches before them and both shared a simple nod before settling their feet to the roadway. Shifting his eyes up and down the empty sunlit road that led away from the farm and towards the town not far off Daryl sighed and shifted his crossbow in his hands. That simple shiver down his spine and chill that would go away keepin' him from putting the weapon at his back for even a moment.

The only thing they'd run into were a few lanky, barely held together undead fuckers that Daryl had been able to easily take out before Miles had been able to raise his bat. But still, in this world, anything could happen at any time. Daryl's eyes rolled at the sound of Miles' bat smashing into another bunch of branches and twigs and he sighed as he shifted his eyes around them again. Apparently the kid was in need of smashing somethin', and Daryl was kinda regrettin' not lettin' him get out some of his frustrations on them Walkers. Just as he was about to shout at the kid for makin' so much damn noise and just fuckin' say what was on his mind, the kid spoke.

"You think they're out here," Miles said shifting his eyes around and taking in the forest area around them. Daryl eyed him and Miles shrugged a bit before letting his bat once again thrash into a branch nearby. Miles shifted his eyes back towards Daryl when he didn't answer and apparently thought he fuckin' needed to clarify. "Randall's people…"

Daryl stared at the kid for another second before shifting and heading off down the road leavin' the boy to huff out his annoyance and follow. After a few seconds, Daryl spared the kid a single look as he once again shifted his crossbow in his slightly clammy hands and shrugged his shoulders.

"Don't matter," Daryl said as he shifted his eyes forward again and continued his slow progress down the road. He heard Miles' footsteps come to an abrupt halt and then pick back up with a bit more force than before. Daryl stopped and turned to meet the kid's wide-eyed expression straight on, knowing what was coming and ready for it.

"The fuck you mean it don't matter?" Miles spat out, his mouth seemingly moving too fast for his mind as it continued to open and close a bit as his eyes darted over Daryl's passive face. Daryl shrugged again and shifted his eyes away to check out the sound of leaves moving off to the side of the road. "Of course it matters. What the fuck we doin' out here then if it don't matter, man?"

"_We're_ out here," Daryl said putting emphasis on the 'we're' aspect and causing Miles' brow to lift. "'Cause _you_ were giving me a damn headache with your fuckin' sighin' and pacin', -fuckin' silent pissin' an' moanin', after Callie left to go back to the house. _We're_ out here so you can get that the fuck outta your system so _I_ can have some damn peace for a few hours."

"Fuck you," Miles muttered, his eyes lowering to the ground as he swung out and smacked at the air with his bat. Daryl scoffed out a laugh and eyed the kid for a second before shifting his gaze away again. "I'm perfectly fine with stickin' around here. If that's what Callie wants to do then that's what we do. I ain't got a problem."

"Bullshit," Daryl said as he lifted a single brow at Miles. The kid's mouth opened, no doubt to tell him more about how he was just fuckin' fine with how things was shakin' out and Daryl just shook his head.

"Ain't bullshit."

"Kid, I been wadin' through bullshit since before I could fuckin' walk straight," Daryl muttered back, keeping his eyes locked on Miles as he shook his head. "I know it when I hear it. So just save it," Daryl waved his hand around and Miles let out a disgruntled breath. Daryl eyed the kid for a second before moving the conversation along. "It don't matter who the fuck is out there. Could be Randall's group. Could be fuckin' Walkers. Don't matter. Ain't nowhere that's safe anymore, stupid of anyone to forget that."

"The farm's safe," Miles responded slowly, his eyes angling back the way they'd come. "Safe enough. At least Rick wants it to be. Wants us to stay the winter." Miles' eyes shifted back to Daryl and Daryl nodded his head a bit. "You thinkin' 'bout leaving?"

"Ain't goin' nowhere," Daryl huffed out in an agitated tone as he turned away from the kid. He heard Miles scoff out a bit of a laugh and turned just in time to see the wide grin spreading across the kid's features.

"Not without Callie," Miles said as his grin grew a bit more and Daryl snarled at him.

"Yeah well her ass ain't goin' nowhere either, so-fuck you," Daryl huffed out at the still slightly chuckling kid.

"But if we did?" Miles asked as he followed slowly behind Daryl along the road. "If we left, to go find Bobby, or Jake…you'd come?"

"Ain't happenin' so it don't fuckin' matter," Daryl growled low in his throat. He didn't want to admit that the kid had hit upon pretty much the one topic that Daryl didn't want to get into. He was already two-steps out the door so-to-speak anyway, ready to leave that broken-ass group to fend for its damn self and head out on his own. Find his fuckin' brother and be done with all the bullshit.

But he knew that whatever change had occurred between him and Callie, and Callie and her misfit kids-Miles fuckin' included- she wasn't gonna be leaving to find her brother anytime soon. Wasn't gonna take them kids away from that fadin' dream of safety provided at that farm. No matter how much she wanted to find her brother, he saw that a little part of her coming to grips with the way this new world worked.

New priorities.

New families.

No lingering on the past or what might still be out there.

And while Daryl knew that Callie wouldn't ever believe her brother was dead. Not until she saw him dead with her own fuckin' eyes. He knew she wasn't goin' to be out there riskin' her life and the lives of those kids. Not after what she told him had gone down with Ben after her and Lori did their little rescue attempt.

No, there wasn't any way Callie was gonna be leavin' this farm now. Proof positive in her quick jump to the helm of the ship as Rick and Shane scuttled off this mornin'. No she wasn't leavin'. Danny on the other hand was another story…

And him… well, that's just shit Daryl didn't want to come to terms with yet. And no matter how much the group was breakin' apart at the seams, and how tempting it was to just say 'fuck it all' and head out on his own little mission to find Merle, he knew that he wouldn't. Knew it, but wasn't 'bout to fuckin' admit it. Because just as much as Callie wasn't ready to admit the changes in her, Daryl was even less so.

Daryl shifted his feet and he and Miles settled back into the comfort of their little perimeter check. Both of them workin' their eyes along the tree line at either side of the road. Both of them ready for a little fuckin' action to ease their tension-filled nerves. The rustling of the leaves on the branches had Daryl's eyes shifting left and right at an almost sickening pace, and even though the tension of what might be out there lurking had him wound tighter than he had been in weeks, he felt fuckin' great.

Felt good. Felt at ease bein' away from the idiocy of camp for a while. And as he shifted his eyes to the brat keepin' a steady pace to his left, he realized he felt completely at ease. Miles may have been a fuckin' loud-mouth at times, but the survival instinct in him and the growin' that he'd done in that short time since they left the Quarry had changed the kid completely.

Daryl smirked just a bit as the ease of the moment reminded him of being at the Quarry with-

"Do you think Merle could be with 'em?" Miles' voice rang out and Daryl stopped on a fuckin' dime to stare at the kid. Miles' mouth opened and he started clarifyin' again and Daryl's head was shakin'. "Randall's-"

"I know who you fuckin' meant," Daryl snapped out, his hackles rising as the kid hit right onto exactly what he'd been thinkin' about. Daryl let out a sigh and scowled at the black asphalt below his feet before shifting his eyes over to where Miles was simply just staring at him. Taking another breath he looked away and back towards the woods on either side of them. "Crossed my mind," Daryl said honestly, sniffing back the feeling of unease at speaking so plainly with the kid. He looked back over his shoulder and gave a half-shrug before continuing. "Merle ain't really the group-type. And I'm bettin' after what happened-" Daryl stopped watching in a bit of awe as a brief glimmer of what he figured had to be shame rippled across Miles' features as he bowed his head. "He ain't gonna be runnin' open-armed to no group of strangers. Merle's a tough sum'bitch, who could do well enough on his own. That group'd have to have something he wanted for him to join up with 'em. So…"

Daryl shrugged and left the statement to hang in the air between them.

Miles simply nodded at Daryl's words and they continued on for a few more moments. Neither one of them really wanting to extrapolate any further on who or what could be out there lurking in the world, waiting to find and destroy that little bit of safe and happy they'd been able to establish. Daryl shuffled his feet along the asphalt below, kicking at the random debris and dirt, his mind circling strangely around the silence coming from the usually vocal kid at his side. Again he remembered that fleeting look of shame that had passed over Miles' features and it had him clearin' his throat.

"Never asked what happened up there," Daryl said out of the blue, causing Miles' head to snap away from the wooded area on the other side of the road. Daryl watched the kid's brows lift in confusion and he cleared his throat again before shifting his eyes forward. Now he knew exactly how that kid musta felt every time he'd opened his mouth today. Daryl shook his head and fuckin' unnecessarily clarified. "In Atlanta. Up on that roof. Know the basics, but-"

"Merle was high," Miles said in a matter-of-fact tone that made Daryl's head snap back towards him. Miles shrugged as if saying 'yeah, everyone fuckin' knew Daryl' and Daryl's mouth twitched to the side as he looked away again. "He was up on the roof pickin' off Walkers with his rifle, and T-Dog stepped in to stop him. Then Merle started layin' a beat-down on T at which point I stepped in." Miles smirked a bit and Daryl eyed him from the corner of his eyes, watching in slight amusement as the kid chuckled to himself just a bit before shaking his head. "Merle smashed me good a coupla times," Miles continued, the words instantly killin' and vestiges of the smile that had formed on Daryl's lips. "He had me by the collar of my shirt and was holding me out like he was gonna drop my ass off the top of the buildin'," Miles shook his head and shivered just a bit, his free hand sliding up of its own accord to rub at his throat slightly. Miles looked up then, catching Daryl's eyes and shrugged. "That's when Rick showed up."

Another shrug from Miles, and a grunt and a nod from Daryl and the silence fell between them again. It was quiet for a few seconds, the chill in the air a dissipating just a bit as the sun finally broke free from the heavy cloud cover above. Daryl's eyes had shifted up as he tried to catch a bit of that warmth from overhead as Miles' voice rang out again.

"She'd go with you, ya know," Miles said quietly. Daryl shifted his eyes down to the kid and held his gaze as he stared openly back. "If you wanted to go look for him. She'd go with you," Miles continued his chin bobbing as his head nodded slightly. "We all would."

Daryl held Miles' gaze for a few moments, his brow furrowed and his face probably contorted into some kind of weird mix of confusion and anger and gratitude that was causin' Miles to just smile slightly as watched. He held that kid's gaze and realized exactly who the 'we' was, not the whole group, just Callie and her kids. Her little family that had at some point in this fucked up new world become his too.

The sound of moaning and scuffling had them both turning to see three Walkers shambling towards them from field area ahead a bit. The undead figures were growling and snarling at them, finally apparently picking up the scent of fresh meat close by. Daryl shifted on his feet and raised his crossbow taking a single step before stopping and lowering his weapon. He shifted his eyes over to Miles who was just watching him and waiting and Daryl let his crossbow fall the rest of the way. His arm went out in an arc inviting Miles to step forward and he smiled crookedly at the kid.

"C'mon, chuckles," Daryl said hitching his head towards the trio of rottin' Walkers currently hung up behind a small wooden fence. "Here's your chance to use that bat on somethin' other than the fuckin' trees and air."

"Fuck you, man," Miles spat out as he stepped past Daryl and adjusted his grip on his bat. "I'll bet this fuckin' bat has seen just as much action as that fuckin' crossbow of yours."

"Wanna bet," Daryl countered as he slid up behind the kid watching as Miles' fingers tightened and loosened on the grimy taped up grip of the bat. Miles shot a half-hearted glare over his shoulder at Daryl and grunted. "Didn't think so."

* * *

Callie sniffed and fought the slight tickling at the end of her nose brought on by the chill in the air as she walked up to where Ben and Carl were sitting. Each boy was going through a backpack, the bright red emergency backpacks that each had worn as they escaped the lower levels of the CDC. Carl was working to take inventory, the small pencil in his hand scratching across one of Jenna's notebooks; while Ben was restocking the one settled near his feet.

Clearing her throat slightly she stepped up a bit closer and settled her hands into her back pockets watching them work for a few seconds. Her gaze lifted at the sensation of another set of eyes on her and she shared a single nod with Carol as the woman carried an armful of laundry towards their drying area. Sighing Callie let her hands fall from her back pockets and ran her fingers through the tangle of her loose hair.

"Hey," Callie said, her voice scratching a bit in the back of her throat causing her to have to clear it before continuing. Both boys were looking at her now and she stared down, her eyes instantly catching on Carl's harsh stare. "Ben, we're settin' up a second watch position on the roof of the porch," Callie said shifting her eyes over to where Ben was staring at her. "Want you to head up there and help Andrea out."

Ben stared at her for a moment, his little brow furrowing in distaste and his eyes shifting around and over to Carl. Carl offered nothing in return, just a simple bit of eye contact before he settled his gaze back to Callie. Ben's mouth opened and Callie could just tell by the slight hitch to his lips that something fucking sarcastic was going to be coming out and she settled her hands back into her back pockets.

"Problem?" Callie asked simply, rocking back on her heels slightly and lifting a waiting brow to the boy still staring at her from the ground. After a second Ben shook his head and she gave him a curt nod. "Good. Now get movin'."

Ben wasted no time scrambling up to his feet at that point. He zipped up his backpack and grabbed his binoculars off of the chair nearest him where Rick's hat -the one Carl always wore-sat as well, his eyes scuttling back to where Carl was sitting for a single second before catching Callie's gaze again. He sighed a bit and then nodded before heading off at a sprint towards the house. Carl's gaze followed Ben's form as he worked back towards the house and Callie watched Carl, his pencil still poised over the paper. After another second Carl's mouth hitched a bit to the side and his gaze drifted to her briefly before going back to his paper.

Callie watched him continue to mark things in his notebook for a second or two, her head shaking idly as she shifted her gaze around the campsite. Letting her hands fall from her back pocket she stepped towards the RV and put a single foot to the ladder, her eyes shifting to where Carl was now watching her.

"C'mon, let's go," Callie said angling her head and indicating for the boy to follow her. Carl stared and she huffed out a sigh. "Ain't got all day, kid. Let's go, get off your ass and move." Carl's eyes widened briefly and then he was up and on his feet.

Carl shuffled a bit near his pack not really knowing if he should bring it with him or not. The idle movement of his hands wiping across the back of his thighs and butt while he pretended to dust himself off as he tried to figure out what he needed to bring had Callie smiling just a bit.

"Leave it," Callie said quietly, causing Carl to look over to her. She hitched her head again and he nodded, brushing his hands along the back of his pants once more and letting his eyes shift over the stuff he had spread around him. He started to take a few steps towards her and she began to climb, stopping after a few rungs to look down at him at the bottom of the ladder. "Hat."

Carl stared at her for another second before his brow furrowed again, his eyes shifted over to where his father's campaign hat was settled and his shoulders sunk just a bit. She shook her head at him as he trotted over and snatched the hat up, and let out a sigh when he didn't put it immediately back onto his head. She finished her climb and left him to follow, hat still held in his hands. Settling herself into the chair under Dale's ridiculous umbrella she pulled out the pack of cigarettes that T-Dog had given her and slid one out. She twirled the cigarette between her fingers as she watched Carl's shadow move beside her. He stood there beside her for a few seconds before letting out a small sigh and plopping down to the roof beside her.

She fought the urge to ask if he was feeling alright when he winced as he shifted around on his butt, and held on to the strange way his eyes had hardened back on the porch. Held on to that lost sort of look that had crossed Lori's face when she was faced with the harshness that was working to cloud her 'sweet little boy's' eyes when he so easily dismissed another person's life only moments ago. The world was changing and it was becoming more and more obvious by each passing day that the youngest ones in their group, the ones who wouldn't really know a different world, were going to be the most affected by it.

Callie slipped her cigarette into her mouth and she reached down for the lighter in her front pocket, her eyes fixed upon the outlying fields. The small flame of the lighter flared to life, catching the attention of the boy next to her, and she sucked in a deep drag as she twirled the lighter between her fingers. Carl's attention stayed on the lighter and Callie frowned slightly before sighing and shifting her eyes to him.

"Pretty big words you were spoutin' off back on the porch," Callie voice came out smooth and nonchalant and she was fucking happy for that little miracle. Carl's eyes snapped away from Callie's lighter and she shoved it back into her pocket as he stared at her in confusion. She watched his confusion give way to defensive anger and watched his wide eyed expression harden as he looked away and out to the fields.

"Yeah, well, it's true," Carl muttered as he fiddled with his father's hat in his lap, his shoulders lifted in a barely-there shrug and Callie's brow twitched a bit. Carl's eyes slid over to her at her silence and he frowned at the stoic expression she worked to keep on her face. She gave him a nod and took another drag off her cigarette, letting him stew in his own words for a bit. "It is," Carl continued, her silence on the matter obviously grating on his young nerves. She watched him shift on his butt a bit to look at her fully and she took her cigarette away from her lips waiting for him to continue. "Danny's right. After everything we've gone through. Danny's right, and I know you gotta agree. Why else would you stay away like you have been?"

"Smart kid," Callie muttered into her fingers as she pulled her cigarette and let off a stream of smoke to the air above. Carl's eyes burned a hole into the side of her face and she turned to him and gave a very small nod of her head. "I'm gonna be straight with you because I think you're old enough to deserve that bit of respect. I do agree with Danny. To a degree. But that is neither here nor there right now, and I'm gonna ask you to respect my decision to keep that to myself."

Carl stared at her for a minute and she began to wonder what was going through his head. After a few seconds he gave a small nod of his head, his eyes so much like his father's as they continued to hold her own. She nodded back and held her cigarette between her fingers, staring at the gray ash at the end as it grew.

"Carl, you're old enough to know the way the world worked before all of this started," Callie said her eyes still holding to the cigarette between her fingers. She felt Carl's gaze slip away from her face and over to the cigarette and she firmed her lips. "You're old enough to know that another person's life is worth more than the attitude and disregard you gave it on that porch. But you're also old enough to know that the way the world worked before isn't the way it necessarily works now." Callie's eyes slipped over to Carl and caught his slightly confused gaze. "But there is one thing that shouldn't ever change, Carl, and that's the weight we give to any situation, especially when it involves another person's life. Which is exactly what your father is tryin' to show right now."

"He's tryin' to fix his mistake," Carl said quickly, his little hand flying out before him. "He knows he made a mistake-"

"Do you remember us telling you what happened in Atlanta?" Callie said cutting off the boy as he continued on. The level of her voice raised only a fraction but it was enough to make Carl's mouth snap shut, he gave a small nod and she nodded back. "How I risked my life to help the man that had attacked Daryl?" Carl nodded slowly and Callie slipped the cigarette back into her mouth, taking a long slow drag. "Do you think that was a mistake?"

"Yeah," Carl said after a second or two his eyes holding to the side of Callie's face. She watched him watch her and waited for him to continue. "If you hadn't have run off, then you all would have made it back to camp earlier. And you all would have been back when those Walkers showed up and-" Carl stopped talking and slid his gaze away from Callie and back out to the fields.

"And maybe everyone who died would still be alive," Callie finished for him, her own gaze slipping out away from the boy beside her as she nodded her head. "Amy. Jim. Ed." Carl made a face at Ed's name but Callie shook her head. "You think I don't think about that every day? Hmmm. You think I don't second guess every move I make? I do. We all do. We have to, because we are responsible for more than just our own lives. We are responsible for the lives of this entire group, you included."

"But you weren't thinking about that at the time," Carl retorted his anger slipping back into place. "You weren't. You were feelin' guilty about leaving someone to die. Someone who deserved it for what he tried to do. You were feelin' guilty, just like dad was. He felt guilty because he had to kill those two guys and he brought that kid back to the farm and now he's fixin' the problem he caused."

"Well," Callie said raising her brows and flicking her cigarette off the side of the RV as she turned to stare at Carl. "You got everything all figured out there don't you." Callie said putting her hand to her knee and staring blankly at Carl. The kid was obviously second guessing his little outburst, his mouth twitching just a bit as he frowned. "You know what, you should have this," Callie slipped Rick's small gold badge off of her belt and tossed it onto the top of Rick's campaign hat which was settled on Carl's lap. Carl's eyes fell to the badge and his lips firmed tight, a move so like his mother when she was upset and unwilling to voice it that it had Callie chuckling as she slipped up to her feet. "You got watch," Callie said over her shoulder as she headed back towards the ladder.

"What?" Carl's stunned voice caught her attention, as did the sound of the boy sliding around on his butt to face her where she stood.

"You're old enough to decide whether a man lives or dies, then you're old enough to sit and watch over the lives of others," Callie said pointing a finger at him. "You got watch. You got a problem?"

"I don't have a gun," Carl said indignantly as he turned a bit further around, his brow narrowed as he stared at her.

"You don't need a gun to stand watch. You got everything you need right beside you," Callie said letting her hand slide to where the radio and the pair of binoculars were settled on top of the cooler beside the chair.

Carl's attention snapped to the cooler and Callie stood at the top of the ladder, her eyes shifting between the ground below and the boy slowly pushing to his feet. Letting out a final sigh through her firmed lips, Callie scratched at her sore right arm before clearing her throat.

"Hey Carl," Callie said looking up from the ground to catch the boy's eye as he turned. "So you know, no matter how much I may agree with Danny about that kid being a danger to us; I wouldn't have left him to be torn apart by those Walkers either. That's not a fate I would usher onto anyone," Callie said quietly watching as Carl's eyes slipped off of her and down to the abandoned hat and badge sitting by his feet. "That's not guilt." Carl's eyes slipped back to her, his jaw tight as he stared at her with a myriad of strange emotions flying over his face. Callie slipped herself into position and began to descend the ladder leaving him to return to staring at the hat and badge at his feet. "I'll send someone up to relieve you in a bit. Keep eyes out and signal if you see something."

Carl didn't respond and Callie continued down the ladder until her head was the only thing left at level to see the boy. He stood in the same spot for a few seconds, staring down at the items at his feet. Finally he reached down and picked up the badge from where it had fallen. She watched him run his fingers over the raised numbers, a familiar gesture to any who held that particular item it seemed. He did that a few times and then finally his shoulders stiffened and he shoved the badge into his back pocket. Giving his head a quick shake he snatched up the campaign hat and slammed it down onto his head before plopping into the chair Callie had vacated. He pulled the binoculars over to him and put them to his eyes and Callie shook her head before finishing her descent down the ladder.

Feet on the ground again she slipped her hands into her back pockets and let her eyes slide around the property. She spotted T-Dog and what she figured were Glenn and Danny beside him working their way around the back of the house. Andrea and Ben were settled atop the porch roof, Ben waving his hand at her as her eyes shifted over his form. She smiled a bit and returned the wave before settling her back to the RV behind her and sliding down to sit on the ground.

* * *

The sky was overcast as Daryl and Miles made their way back towards the farm. A comfortable silence had settled between them as they walked. The run in with the three shamblin' fucks earlier, which had turned into seven when all was said and done, had taken a good bit of that pent-up energy out of the both of them and left them both pretty much at ease.

Which was strange if you really thought about it. Realizing that beatin' the shit outta an undead sum'bitch could become relaxing settled strangely in the back of Daryl's mind and he simply shook his head at the confounded mystery of this new fucked up life they all lead.

That seemingly perpetual chill in the air had burned off now too, leaving behind a comfortable early Fall breeze and the first real idea of 'fresh' air that Daryl had breathed since the world went to shit. His eyes roamed the area as they worked their way down the roadway and past the parked cars near the fenced area. He spotted two figures up on the RV, the ridiculous outline of Dale's hat givin' the old man away instantly and the wavin' locks blowin' free in the slight breeze a telltale sign that it was Callie standing resolutely next to him.

Instead of walking the road that would take them towards the RV Daryl and Miles both stopped near the fencing of the property, settling their bodies against the rickety wood and letting their eyes wander the expanse of their newest 'home'. The afternoon was quiet, the wind low, the wildlife even taking a break so it seemed, leaving behind an eerie sort of calm before the storm feeling settling around them. Daryl shifted his crossbow off of his shoulder and let it hit off his leg as he settled his arms over the rails. Beside him Miles mirrored his pose, one foot settled up on the bottom rail while his bat sat next to him.

Daryl tried to keep his eyes off of the two figures settled off in the distance on top of the RV, but he failed miserably. Each time his eyes shifted, his mouth did as well and he was chewin' at the inside of his cheek, just like he used to do back at the Quarry when he'd find himself unable to look away from her. Day one Callie had drawn his eyes, and every damn day he'd found himself fighting the urge to just stare at her as if he could burn her forever into his mind's eye.

All the while Merle had been there to smack him upside his head and bring him back into the real fuckin' world. Which is what Merle had always been good at, in that fucked up kinda way he had about him, he always kept Daryl's feet well on the fuckin' ground where they belonged. Shit, even the fuckin' figment of Merle he'd been able to conjure up when he'd been layin' half-dead in that ravine had been able to smack him back into reality before any of them Walkers could take a bite outta him.

_Missin' ol' Merle when you got a hot piece of ass like that, fuck's wrong with you, man?_

Merle's voice echoed low in Daryl's head and he found himself smirking slightly as he turned his attention back to where Dale and Callie stood atop that RV in the distance. Beside him Miles shifted on his feet and sighed, 'causin' Daryl to shift his eyes to him. The kid's eyes were fixed on the RV as well, his attention so focused that he didn't even shift his eyes over to Daryl as Daryl moved away from the fencing slightly. Miles continued to stare at Callie, his mouth drawn tight into a frown and Daryl contemplated askin' what the fuck was wrong now.

Contemplated until the kid finally looked at him. Contemplated when the kid's eyes met his and held and then thought better of it. Knowin' that he really didn't wanna open that can of fuckin' worms. Hadn't wanted to open it at least.

Miles on the other hand wasn't lettin' him off so easy, and just as Daryl had taken two steps away from the kid and back towards his little camp area on the other side of the field the bastard's voice was ringin' out and freezing his ass in place again.

"You think Rick shoudla gone alone with him," Miles said quietly, his eyes holding Daryl's as his mouth hitched to the side. Miles bit at the inside of his cheek for a second before continuing. "With Shane? Ain't really a secret that they aren't seein' eye-to-eye, and…you know…." He waved a hand in the air before letting it drop to his side.

"Rick ain't dumb," Daryl said simply, his eyes skipping away from Miles as the kid nodded slowly. Daryl spat off to the side and gave one more fleeting glance to the kid before nodding his head. It was obvious that the boy felt some kind of responsibility for what happened to Otis, and that responsibility and guilt was seeping over to everyone in camp.

Miles was nodding his head idly and Daryl was just about to walk off again, but that sighing sound from the kid at the fence had him mentally groaning and staying put.

"You know who he is right?" Miles muttered to the ground as he shifted away from the fence a bit, leaving just his hands settled along the rotted wood, his knuckles white as he stared at them. Jim's old hat settled on his head blocked out his downcast eyes, and it wasn't until he lifted them that Daryl saw the look of anger and disgust that had settled on his features. "The kid, the one they took with 'em," Miles unnecessarily clarified yet again. For a moment the only sound was the sound of the rotted wood beneath the kid's fingers creakin' and groanin' in protest against his grip. For that moment Daryl just stared, an ill taste settling into the back of his throat and a hard weight settling somewhere between his shoulders as he felt his own grip tighten on the strap of his crossbow as he held it over his shoulder. "You aren't stupid, you know who he is. Fuck if I figured it out-"

"I don't know nothin'," Daryl countered again shifting his shoulders against the odd weight. His eyes slid back to the kid starin' at him and he growled a bit.

"You know," Miles spat back cutting off whatever sounds Daryl was makin' in the back of his throat and silencing him. Miles stared hard at him and Daryl held that harsh angered gaze knowin' that it mirrored his own more than he cared to admit. "You know-"

"Look," Daryl said cutting off the kid before he could say another word. "It don't matter what the fuck I know, or think I know 'bout nothin'," Daryl spat back his feet bringing him a few steps closer to the kid now staring wide-eyed at him. Daryl's hand shot out, a single finger pointing at Miles' chest as he spoke. "The only thing that matters is what she tells me," Daryl said tossing that hand out across the field in the distance towards where Callie stood.

"But-"

"We all got shit that's happened to us that we don't wanna talk 'bout," Daryl said quietly, his eyes holding Miles' for a second before he looked off towards the woods they'd just been prowlin' around in. "We all got shit that gives us nightmares and plagues us worse than those fuckin' undead bastards out there," Daryl shifted his dirty hand out at the woods and looked back at Miles, who was once again lookin' at that bat of his settled against the rotted out wood of that barely held up fence he stood by. Daryl's mouth hitched to the side and he chewed at the inside of his cheek as he watched the kid for a second. "I ain't about to go fishin' around that woman for information on something she's obviously workin' real hard to get past and keep past. And if you're as smart as you like to pretend you are, and she means as much to you as you say she does, you'll be doin' the same."

Daryl watched as Miles' eyes stayed glued to that fuckin' bat, watched the kid's hands clench and unclench and knew that his point had been made. Nodding his head idly, Daryl turned on his heel and started off towards his campground again. One hand slid up and he rubbed angrily at the feel of air tickling the sweat that had accumulated on his upper lip, his eyes slipping off unbidden towards the RV. That hulkin' vehicle was getting more and more distant as he walked, the figures settled on top becoming less and less distinguishable as he moved.

He felt her gaze on him as he walked. Felt it right down to that heavy something that had settled deep into the pit of his stomach. Felt it rake over him, and pull him towards her while pushin' him away at the same damn time. Felt himself want to change direction and head over. Felt that almost overwhelming urge—that same fuckin' urge that he'd felt since she'd fainted at the sight of that boy three days ago-that urge that had him wanting to go and grab her and make her tell him everything radiate throughout his body. Felt the muscles in his arms spasm as he clenched his hands tight, blunt dirty fingernails diggin' in deep.

He wanted to know. But he didn't at the same time. Didn't want to think about it, but couldn't stop himself when he saw her drift off back into that nightmare like she had been doin' time and time again.

He wanted to know, but he'd wasn't gonna ask. He wasn't gonna pry into that, same as she never pried into the scars that littered his back and body.

Daryl rubbed his thumb along his bottom lip as his eyes yet again shifted over his shoulder to the RV. He only hoped now that the fucker was long gone, Callie would be able to find some peace of mind again. Hoped she'd be able to gain that distance she needed to push that nightmare far back into the deeper recesses of her mind again, and lock it away for good.

His eyes shifted forward as a chill wind blew over the tall grass around him and he sneered at the sound of Merle's chucklin' voice echoing deep in the back of his own mind.

_Wishful fuckin' thinkin' brother. Wishful fuckin' thinkin'. _

**_Life is whittled, life's a riddle_**

**_Man's a fiddle that life plays on_**

**_When the day breaks, and the earth quakes,_**

**_Life's a mistake all day long_**

**_Tell me, who gives a good goddamn_**

**_You'll never get out alive_**

**_Don't go dreaming, don't go scheming_**

**_A man must test his mettle_**

**_In a crooked ol' world._**

**_~Starving in the Belly of the Whale/ Tom Waits_**

_AN: Not much to say here folks. I'm really sorry if this is super disjointed...I wrote it at random times and well... the whole process was disjointed. Hard at work at the next chapter… so if you'd like to hit me up. PM or review or whatnot. Also if you've got questions that you need to have answered or wanna discuss what you think's gonna be happenin' for Season 4, hit me up on tumblr. .com _

_Much Love!_


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